Why You’ll Love This Oven Roasted Broccoli Recipe
- Crispy, Caramelized Deliciousness: Crispy outside and tender inside with savory and sweet notes, roasted broccoli will turn even the most ardent vegetable haters into vegetable believers!
- Goes with Anything: From Baked Chicken Breast, to Blackened Salmon, to Lemon Pasta, roast broccoli pairs well with any of your favorite mains.
- Easy to Make: With an easy chopping method, you can have the broccoli ready to roast in minutes.
- Delicious Leftovers: Roasting veggies like broccoli in large quantities is a great way to have delicious leftovers that will pair well with meals all week long.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of broccoli (about 1 3/4 pounds or 2 small broccoli crowns)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Toppings of choice: Parmesan, balsamic glaze, or a squeeze of lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut the broccoli stalk away from the head with florets.
- Trim the outer edge of the stem and cut it into rectangular-shaped pieces.
- Cut the crowns into large, flat florets.
- Drizzle the broccoli with the oil and sprinkle with the salt, sugar, and pepper. Toss to combine and evenly coat.
- Spread the broccoli into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring that the pieces have plenty of room for air to circulate.
- Bake the broccoli for 20 minutes, then flip.
- Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking for 5 to 10 additional minutes, until it is tender and the tips of the florets are turning dark and crispy.
- Add any toppings of choice.
- Enjoy immediately.
Tips and Tricks
- Cut the Broccoli Florets Large: Bite-sized pieces of broccoli tend to burn on the ends before the insides fully caramelize. The larger the pieces of roasted broccoli you cut, the more surface area you have for caramelization.
- Don’t Skimp on the Oil: The tender, fuzzy “tree” tips of roasted broccoli florets are the most delicious, but they are also quick to burn. Make sure the florets are well-coated with olive oil to keep this from happening.
- Don’t Crowd the Pan: The broccoli will emit some moisture as it cooks. If the pieces are too close, it will steam instead of roast. If your roasted broccoli comes out mushy, it is likely the pieces were too close together. Give it room for the air to circulate!
- Roast Broccoli at 425 degrees F: After testing just about every temperature, this one hit the sweet spot. 425 degrees F is hot enough so that the broccoli crisps nicely, but not so hot that it burns. At this temperature, broccoli will roast in 20 to 25 minutes.
- Don’t Throw Away Those Broccoli Stems: It’s not only the broccoli crowns (florets) that make delicious eating. Broccoli stems are delicious when roasted too. Simply cut away the outside of the stems, then slice the inside part of the core into pieces and roast it right along with the florets.
