Roasted broccoli is a tender-crisp side dish of broccoli florets roasted in the oven and seasoned with a tasty lemon-garlic dressing.
They are crunchy, lemony, slightly spicy, and a little garlicky; they are perfect as a side dish for an easy everyday dinner or a special holiday meal.
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Broccoli often gets a bad reputation due to its bland taste and texture. Yet, if cooked properly, you can turn this nutritional powerhouse into one of the tastiest, most indulgent, and finger-licking roasted vegetables.
For this recipe of oven-roasted broccoli, we use simple ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, garlic, and chili flakes to create a flavor bomb of a side dish that everyone will love.
It’s a versatile side dish that you can combine with most meals. We often have them for a weeknight dinner, but they are also a great recipe to serve for a special occasion.
To add flavor to the roasted broccoli, we use a fresh and zesty lemon-garlic dressing.
If you feel like something different, you can try them with a drizzle of chimichurri, chili oil, or tahini sauce.
Like kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, broccoli is a cruciferous packed with vitamins K and C, folate, iron, potassium, protein, and fiber.
Oven-roasting preserves most nutrients and is an excellent way of enjoying this tasty and nutritious vegetable.
Ingredients
Broccoli
To make oven-roasted broccoli, we recommend using fresh broccoli, not frozen ones. This is because fresh broccoli gets tender while maintaining a crisp texture that is satisfying to bite. Frozen broccoli gets too soft and watery.
You can use the whole broccoli head (or broccolini), including the stems, or you can use the florets and save the stems to make a creamy broccoli soup.
Olive oil
We recommend extra virgin olive oil if you can. It adds a fruity and nutty flavor to the broccoli. Also, it helps them cook crisp-tender in the oven without burning.
If you want to give this recipe an Asian twist, you can substitute sesame oil for olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Garlic, lemon, and chili flakes
These are the core ingredients in our dressing, and they work wonderfully to add a fresh, zesty, and spicy touch to the broccoli.
Change the quantity of these ingredients based on your preferences. For instance, if you love citrus, add lemon juice and zest. Or, if you like a more intense garlic flavor, grate one or more garlic cloves into the dressing.
Salt and pepper
We use sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for roasting the broccoli and the dressing.
Parmesan (optional)
To make this oven-roasted broccoli recipe even tastier, you can sprinkle grated parmesan cheese or a dairy-free cheese once the broccoli is roasted, then broil them for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Almonds (optional)
A great natural dairy-free alternative to parmesan is toasted shaved or slivered almonds. Sprinkle on top of the broccoli before serving to add crunch and a delicious nutty flavor that perfectly matches that of the roasted broccoli.
Instructions
Oven-roasted broccoli
Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Rinse and shake the water off the broccoli head. Next, cut the stem into thin slices, then cut the florets into similar-sized pieces.
Tip: we prefer to use only the broccoli florets and save the stem to make our delicious broccoli soup.
Transfer the broccoli florets onto the baking sheet and season with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss with your hands and arrange them on a single layer without overlapping.
Tip: don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. 8 cups of broccoli florets (just over 1 pound) are the correct quantity for a standard oven baking sheet.
Bake at 400°F or 200°C for 20 to 25 minutes until the florets are tender-crisp. In the meantime, you can make the dressing.
Transfer onto a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing.
Lemon-garlic dressing
Add olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes to a small jar. Optionally, you can add grated lemon zest.
Close and shake well to combine. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients in a small bowl.
Variations
Oven roasted broccoli with parmesan
To make this recipe even tastier, roast the broccoli as instructed. Then, once they are ready, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese or a dairy-free alternative and broil for a few minutes until the cheese melts.
Roasted broccoli and cauliflower
Mix up the recipe by adding cauliflower florets. You can do half-half (4 cups of broccoli and 4 cups of cauliflower). They roast at about the same time and taste superb together. Optionally, sprinkle them with toasted shaved almonds to add crunch and a delicious nutty taste.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this vibrantly green roasted broccoli in numerous ways, pair it with a protein-rich dish for a wholesome and easy dinner:
- Vegetarian lemon cutlets made with tofu and a creamy sauce are easy-to-make in 15 minutes.
- Eggplant Parmigiana with a rich tomato sauce, melty, and tender slices of eggplant.
- Mushroom risotto: the perfect comfort food, ultra creamy with a rich mushroom flavor.
- Easy lentil curry: a reader favorite and super easy curry recipe.
Roasted broccoli is also a great addition to pasta and salads and can help you easily increase your veggie intake:
- Garlic and oil pasta, our easiest pasta recipe ready in just 15 minutes
- Penne arrabbiata with a spicy tomato sauce
- Homemade gnocchi made with just 3 ingredients and a fork
- Butternut squash ravioli with a creamy and tasty ricotta-butternut filling.
Storage
Store oven-roasted broccoli in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They won’t be as crunchy the day after, but they are still tasty. You can eat them cold or warm.
You can add them to a salad, warm them up in the oven, or sauté them on a pan with some olive oil.
We don’t recommend freezing roasted broccoli, they’ll get soft and mushy once you thaw them.
More roasted vegetable recipes
If you liked this roasted broccoli recipe, take a peek at our other roasted veggie favorites:
- Roasted Brussels sprouts: served with a mustard dressing, a perfect side dish for fall and winter.
- Roasted cauliflower roasted to perfection; a recipe that pairs with pasta and salads.
- Roasted artichokes: crunchy and fresh and pair perfectly with a serving of vegan mayo.
- Roasted asparagus: tender-crisp and tasty.
- Roasted bell peppers: packed with vitamins and Italian herbs, a perfect vegetable side dish.
- Roasted potatoes: crunchy and dip-worthy! Serve with chipotle sauce or this 5-min romesco sauce.
- Roasted butternut squash wedges: a simple recipe perfect for fall, this pumpkin is a vibrant side with fresh herbs or homemade basil pesto.
- Roasted sweet potatoes and sweet potato wedges.
Sides
Roasted Cauliflower
Sides
Roasted Artichokes
Sides
Roasted Peppers
Sides
Baked Asparagus
Sides
Roasted Potatoes
More broccoli recipes
Looking for more delicious broccoli recipes? Check out these best broccoli ideas, or get quick inspiration here:
- Broccoli pasta: creamy and ready in 15 minutes.
- Broccoli soup: a one-pot and tasty, creamy, and easy recipe
- Orecchiette with broccoli rabe sauce: a simple sauce served with homemade orecchiette.
- Roasted cauliflower and broccoli are a great way to mix roasted veggies for the holidays and winter!
For many more side dish ideas, check out our sides category page.
Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients
FOR ROASTED BROCCOLI
- 1 pound broccoli about 1 large head
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 twists black pepper
FOR THE DRESSING
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoons salt
TOPPINGS (Optional)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated, or dairy-free cheese
- ⅓ cup almonds slivered or shaved, and toasted
Instructions
OVEN-ROASTED BROCCOLI
- Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Rinse and shake the water off the broccoli head. Cut the florets into similar-sized pieces.Save the stem to make our broccoli soup, or slice it thinly and add it to the florets.
- Transfer the broccoli florets onto the baking sheet and season with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Toss with your hands and arrange them on a single layer without overlapping.
- Bake at 400°F or 200°C for 20 to 25 minutes until the florets are tender-crisp. In the meantime, you can make the dressing.
- Transfer onto a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing.
VARIATION WITH CHEESE
- Once the broccoli are ready, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese or a dairy-free alternative and broil for a few minutes until the cheese melts.
LEMON-GARLIC DRESSING
- Add olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes to a small jar. Optionally, you can add grated lemon zest.Close and shake well to combine. Alternatively, you can whisk the ingredients in a small bowl.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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