Roasted broccoli is the perfect side dish for any meal. This family-favorite recipe features simple instructions and only six ingredients.
I’ve been roasting vegetables for years. It’s my favorite way to do most of them – green beans, carrots, squash, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, etc. And, when my son was young I could get him to eat pretty much any vegetable… except broccoli. That is until I tried offering him up some roasted broccoli. I coated it in parmesan cheese, garlic, and a drizzle of lemon juice, and he was sold. But I mean, who wouldn’t with that combo? Lemon, garlic, AND parmesan cheese? Yes, please!
I’m a die-hard broccoli fan and this might be my most favorite way to make it now. It’s a far cry from the microwaved frozen blocks of broccoli and cheese of my childhood (which I still like, BTW). But, the parmesan cheese gives it so much flavor, and I just love how the edges get a little charred. So good! I know you’re gonna love it, too!
How long to roast broccoli
For this recipe, I recommend roasting your broccoli at 425°F for about 15-20 minutes. Now I like mine a little crispy and the edges a little charred. So, if you do not want that outcome with your broccoli, I recommend cutting the cook time back by 5 minutes. Also, if you want to cook them at lesser temperatures for longer amounts of time, then here are a few conversions for you to easily make that adjustment:
- Bake at 400°F for 18-23 minutes
- Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes
- Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes
3 Tips for Perfectly Roasted Broccoli
- Cut your broccoli into equal sizes. If you cut up your broccoli into a bunch of random sizes then the result after you roast them will be different consistencies. Your larger-sized pieces might not be cooked-through, while your smaller-sized pieces will be crispy and charred.
- Spread broccoli evenly across your baking pan. Make sure you place your broccoli evenly distributed across your baking pan. If they are not spread out evenly, you will end up with a very inconsistent result after roasting.
- Dry your broccoli. As indicated in this recipe, I like crispy and slightly charred broccoli. So, you really don’t need any added moisture for the oven to cook out. You can dry your broccoli by simply laying out your cut pieces on a paper towel for a few minutes before transferring them to your baking pan.
Variations for Roasted Broccoli
I love how simple and easy to whip together this recipe is. But, you can definitely make some slight adjustments to your ingredients and end up with several delicious variations to this roasted broccoli recipe. One great way to do this is by adding nuts! Here are a few variations of nuts you can try to add extra flavor, different textures, and a fun crunch:
- Almonds: Sliced or slivered almonds add a delicate crunch and a slightly nutty flavor. Add these with about 10 minutes left on your broccoli timer.
- Pecans: Pecans have a rich and buttery taste that goes well with this roasted broccoli. Add these with about 7 minutes left on your broccoli timer.
- Walnuts: Walnuts offer a robust and slightly bitter flavor. Break them into smaller pieces before adding them to the dish. Add these with about 7 minutes left on your broccoli timer.
- Cashews: Cashews are creamy and mildly sweet which is a fun contrast to the roasted broccoli. You can roughly chop them or use whole cashews. Add these with about 10 minutes left on your broccoli timer.
Feel free to experiment and combine different nuts to find your favorite flavor combination!
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Recipe Card
Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and cover a baking pan with edges (jellyroll pan) with aluminum foil or spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- Wash and cut the broccoli into florets of roughly the same size.
- In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and parmesan and toss to coat.
- Spread the broccoli out evenly on the prepared sheet. Drizzle with the lemon juice. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and lightly charred. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Please note:
If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.
Can you use frozen broccoli
You can, but it wouldn’t recommend it.
My mercy this is delicious. I tossed some of the powder cheese dusted florets (I did not use lemon juice but sprayed it with olive oil before adding the cheese instead) into the air fryer because I needed it to cook faster. 5-8 minutes at 450 and there it is. We still love our cheese sauce broccoli too, but this recipe has brought fresh broccoli back to our table. TY. I used te big stem by grating it into Broccoli Salad in another meal.
I need to grab me some of that cheese powder!!!
Awesome and easy. What more can you ask.
I agree! So glad it turned out great for you!
Made this today ,absolutely delicious !
Awesome! Love hearing that!
Stacey, I had a surprise birthday party lunch for a friend yesterday and served your Roasted Broccoli. I just wanted you to know that it was a BIG HIT with everyone. My husband and I had it again for supper and he raved about it, too! I don’t think I’ll ever make broccoli any other way. Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe!
I’m just tickled y’all enjoyed it so much! It’s pretty much the only way I make broccoli now too!
I have made one similar but put a bit of red pepper on it and no cheese, think I will try cheese next time. I Love Broccoli and this sounds wonderful!!
Sounds great!
This looks delicious. Have you tried roasting it on Stove. I saute til brown. Add a little chicken broth and put a lid on til it’s ready. Then I put a little butter on top. Chicken broth cooks away but leaves flavor. I’m going to try your recipe this week!
This sounds amazing! I’ve not tried it this way, but I certainly will!
What kind of Parmesan did you use? Grate your own, pre-packaged or the powder kind?
Sounds really good!
I use the green canister of grated parm for this.
Thanks
🙂