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Roasted Broccoli

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My go-to method for how to make perfectly roasted broccoli, plus lots of extra ideas for seasonings that you can add.

Roasted Broccoli

Hey hey, we’re talking today about my favorite method for how to cook broccoli…

roasting it. ♡

I’ve admittedly always been a little “meh” about raw and steamed broccoli, but when it is roasted, I can pop the stuff like candy. That winning combination of slightly-charred, crispy buds in the same bite as those tender, caramelized little stems is quite simply broccoli at its best. I love serving roasted broccoli on its own as a simple side dish, or adding it to everything from pastas to quiches, tacos, pizzas, pastas, soups, salads, and more. And hey, with all of the fiber, vitamins and nutrients packed into each little floret, you can feel great about roasting up a batch as often as possible! (Hehe, we sure do in our house!)

The other great news about roasted broccoli is that it is incredibly easy to make. Most of the time, we keep ours super-simple in our home and roast it with just olive oil, salt and pepper, which is always a winner. But I’ve also included lots of different seasoning ideas below if you want to mix things up a bit.

Bottom line — if you are a broccoli lover, or even an aspiring broccoli lover, I highly recommend roasting up a batch! I always joke that roasted broccoli was my gateway into finally learning to love this brassica veggie. And now, can’t imagine life without it!

The Best Roasted Broccoli Recipe | 1-Minute Video

How To Cut Broccoli | 1-Minute Video

How To Cut Broccoli:

When shopping for broccoli at the store, you want to look for a head of broccoli with florets that are bright green (not significantly yellowed) and with a stalk that is firm and strong (not stringy or woody).

Once you bring the broccoli home, be sure to give it a good rinse. Then cut off and discard the stalk. (<–We won’t use it in this recipe, but as you will see in the video above, there are all sorts of ways that you can cut/serve the stalk so that it doesn’t go to waste.)  Then use a knife to carefully cut the florets into bite-sized pieces. I especially like to halve the florets length-wise when roasting broccoli so that the flat edges can get extra caramelized on the bottom of the pan while roasting.

Raw Broccoli Florets

Roasted Broccoli Ingredients:

Beyond the florets themselves, the basic ingredients for roasted broccoli are pretty simple! You will need:

  • Broccoli florets: As detailed above, cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • Olive oil: I typically use traditional refined olive oil (not extra-virgin) for roasting veggies, since it has a higher smoke point. But feel free to use whatever cooking oil you prefer.
  • Sea salt and freshly-cracked pepper: I’m especially partial to the extra crunch of some coarsely-ground black pepper with my roasted broccoli recipe — it’s delicious.

Plus, see below for some fun variations and seasonings that you are welcome to add too.

How To Roast Broccoli

How To Roast Broccoli:

So here’s my best tip for how to cook broccoli so that you get those nice crispy edges without the stems getting too mushy — high heat.  Your oven is going to need to preheat to a toasty 450°F for this recipe. But it goes quickly and works like a charm for me every time. To roast broccoli in the oven, simply…

  1. Toss in oil and season. I usually just do this straight on the baking sheet itself (mainly to save myself an extra bowl to wash!). Spread the broccoli florets out on a baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with oil and toss to combine. Spread the broccoli back out in an even layer (cut/flat-sides down, if you would like those to get extra caramelized). Then season everything evenly with a generous pinch or two of fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.
  2. Roast. Pop the baking sheet in the oven and roast on high heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the florets are slightly charred and crispy. Keep a close eye on them, as the florets can char quite quickly. (They will also cook faster, of course, if you have cut the broccoli into smaller-sized florets.)
  3. Season. Give the roast broccoli florets a taste and see if they need any extra salt and pepper. Then dish up, serve warm, and enjoy!

Full instructions detailed in the recipe box below.

Roasted Broccoli Recipe

Possible Variations

This roasted broccoli recipe is super-versatile, so feel free to get creative with different seasoning combinations beyond salt and pepper! Some of my faves include making the broccoli:

  • Lemony: You can never go wrong with drizzling roasted broccoli with some freshly-squeezed lemon juice just before serving.
  • Cheesy: I love topping roasted broccoli with everything from salty Parmesan cheese to a sharp cheddar cheddar to creamy burrata. Most of the time, I recommend adding the cheese immediately after you remove the broccoli from the oven, unless it happens to be a type of cheese that can safely cook and melt under high heat.
  • Spicy: Crushed pepper flakes are a great way to add some heat! Just sprinkle your desired amount onto the roasted broccoli after it has finished cooking.
  • “Everything”: I absolutely love sprinkling roasted broccoli with everything bagel seasoning after it has finished cooking — delish!
  • Italian: Again, Parmesan is always a win. But feel free to also toss the pre-cooked broccoli with a few teaspoons of Italian seasoning, and/or sprinkle with toasted pine nuts after the broccoli has finished cooking.
  • Sesame Ginger: Grate or mince 1 inch of (peeled) fresh ginger and toss it with the broccoli before cooking. Then once the broccoli has finished cooking, toss it with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. Then maybe sprinkle on some toasted sesame seeds for an extra garnish, if you would like.
Roasted Broccoli and Farro Salad

Roasted Broccoli and Farro Salad (recipe coming soon!)

Ways To Serve Roasted Broccoli:

A few of my favorite ways to serve roasted broccoli include…

  • On its own: Just as a simple side dish.
  • Mixed into dishes: Such as a broccoli quiche, broccoli tacos, broccoli pizzas, broccoli (cheese!) soup, broccoli salad, broccoli casserole and more.
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Roasted Broccoli

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 21 reviews
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Description

My go-to method for how to make perfectly roasted broccoli!  See notes above for extra seasonings that you can add.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bunch of broccoli (about 1.5 pounds), with the florets cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 450°F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper* or mist with cooking spray.
  2. Spread the broccoli florets out evenly on the baking sheet and drizzle evenly with olive oil.  Toss until the florets are evenly coated.  Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook for about 15-20* minutes, or until the florets are slightly charred and crispy around the edges.
  4. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.  Serve warm.

Notes

*Parchment Paper: Double-check the temperature limit on your parchment paper.  If it is not made to withstand high heat, I recommend just misting your baking sheet with cooking spray.

*Cooking Time: This will depend on the size of your florets, so keep a close eye on them to be sure that they do not burn (especially if you have smaller florets).

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29 comments on “Roasted Broccoli”

  1. Can’t wait to try this recipe and add it to a big summer buddha bowl! I loveeee broccoli x

    Shannon | https://shannonmichelle1.blogspot.com

    • I love this recipe❤. Very healthy, I can eat this vegetable everyday, for breakfast, lunch or dinner with many versions of your recipes. Thanks for sharing. Stay healthy and happy.






  2. This is by far my favorite way to eat broccoli. It works wonderfully with frozen vegetables as well, but takes about 25-30 minutes.

  3. I LOVE roasted broccoli! That photo a the end of the post for Roasted Broccoli and Farro Salad makes me swoon. I will be anxiously awaiting that recipe :)

  4. I didn’t like broccoli AT ALL until my 30s… until I finally tried it roasted! Now I eat it all the time (I’m catching up!) Anyway, this was a fantastic tip: “I especially like to halve the florets length-wise when roasting broccoli so that the flat edges can get extra caramelized on the bottom of the pan while roasting.” Thank you.

  5. I love roasted broccoli too! Thanks for the recipe – it’s always good to have a refresher on how best to make it. The husband and I can’t get enough ;)
    PS. Looking forward to that salad recipe you teased…






  6. Thank you!! :):)






  7. Love this! I always toss in chopped garlic and grated lemonade n rind as well! Then finish with freshly grated Parmesan!! Yours looks amazing!!






  8. Just made them and LOVE THEM! Thanks so much!! You’ve now made it to my bookmarks!






  9. I love the simple, low mess, recipes like this. Running a house cleaning service, the LAST thing I want to do when I get home is make a big mess I’ll have to clean up after dinner.






  10. This was a huge hit for all of us tonight (3 adults, 3 kids). None leftover. Will definitely make this again. I love how simple this is. Overheard at the table: “This is one the — no — this is THE best broccoli I have ever had.”






  11. I tried this recipe and loved it. I would like to request permission to republish this recipe on my site, 5and30.com, where viewers can read or post easy recipes that use no more than 5 ingredients (common items excluded) and no more than 30 minutes of preparation time.

    Please let me know what you think. Stay Safe.






  12. I was a card carrying member of the streamed broccoli with cheese for years. I wouldn’t eat it any other way.
    I have become a witness for oven roasted broccoli now. lt’s got me feeling some type of way. Thinking about adding a little garlic to kick it up a notch for the next batch.






  13. I’ve been finding green, red, and orange peppers on clearance at the grocery store so I cut one into large pieces along with an onion to roast with the broccoli and it was amazing!






  14. Delicious!!!! Will probably never steam broccoli again!






  15. Can you make a double batch and refrigerate for later in the week? Can’t wait to try!

  16. This is now the only way I eat broccoli!






  17. My new go to for getting the kids to eat broccoli!






  18. Oh my gosh!!!! I’ll never eat steamed broccoli again!! This was amazing! Tossed my florets in a bowl with Olive Oil, sprinkled Garlic Salt & Paprika on them. Baked for 15 minutes. HEAVENLY!!!!






  19. Umm… I got in trouble from my fam for eating most of the first batch by myself. ? So yummy! I’ve made it at least 4 times in the past couple weeks.






  20. Absolutely delicious!!!!






  21. I was skeptical when I read this recip. I have tried roasting broccoli at 400 degrees and thought 450 seemed extremely high. The extra temp is a GAME CHANGER!!!!! So delicious. I just polished off an entire bag of broccoli with a little lemon juice and a sprinkle of parmesan! So delicious! Thanks for posting such a great recipe!






  22. and a squeeze of lemon juice all over the broc after its done in the oven. delish

  23. Hi

    This looks amazing and simple. Great for salads.
    how would you store them if you make a batch?

    Thanks

  24. The sesame oil with red pepper flakes gave my broccoli just the boost it needed






  25. Did this last evening. Added cauliflowers, salt, pepper and garlic powder with part olive oil and truffle oil. It was so good! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻






  26. Simple but yummy recipe!!






  27. This is the only way that I can get my husband to eat broccoli. Love this recipe- so easy and I love the ideas for variations that you give. Thanks for sharing a keeper!