Roasted Fresh Broccoli with garlic, lemon, and Parmesan Cheese, this side dish recipe is sure to be the Best Broccoli of Your Life!
Serve this delectable recipe for anything from holiday dinners or just as a simple side for Breaded Chicken Cutlets or Baked Chicken Thighs with roasted potatoes everyone will love!
This simple, yet delicious twist on one of our favorite vegetables is the perfect side dish for almost any meal.
I love this recipe so much that I’ve started creating similar recipes with other vegetables.
So far, I’ve only posted my Garlic Roasted Green Beans, Garlic Roasted Carrots and The Best Brussels Sprouts of Your Life, but I’ve tried it with asparagus and cauliflower too!
Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking broccoli in high heat, caramelizes the outside, creating crispness and a sweet, nutty flavor.
- The crisp caramelized outside of the broccoli contrasts well with the tender inside of the florets.
- The nuttiness of the roasted garlic and broccoli combined with the saltiness of the cheese and sour lemon is a fantastic
The Benefits of Eating Broccoli
Broccoli has so many health benefits. I bet you didn’t know just how good though…
To name a few, broccoli is a good source of fiber, vitamins B6, E B1, and A. It’s a source of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, iron, and niacin. And that’s not the complete list!
Needless to say, I try to eat a lot of broccoli.
How to Choose The Best Broccoli
- Look for bright green broccoli with firm , strong stalks.
- Avoid woody Stems this will turn out hard and chewy when cooked.
- Don’t purchase broccoli with yellowing florets. Yellow is a sign that it is gone past the stage of desirable texture.
- Choose broccoli with compact clusters in the florets. The more open the florets, the older it is.
Amazing Roasted Broccoli
I discovered roasted broccoli on a blog post titled, The Best Broccoli of Your Life on an amazing blog called, The Amateur Gourmet.
I read the recipe (which is a recipe by the Barefoot Contessa) and thought it sounded good, but as much as I love broccoli, it’s just broccoli – how good could it be? I saved the post and moved on.
Today I had some broccoli to use so I thought I’d try it.
Let me tell you, this seriously is the best broccoli of my life!
Ina Garten uses 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli which I thought would be way too much for a side dish, but boy was I wrong! It may seem like a lot of broccoli, but it shrinks while roasting. Plus, it’s so good that it goes fast!
Roasted Broccoli is now my new favorite way to cook broccoli!
How to Make Roasted Broccoli:
Start with clean, dry broccoli.
Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
I use this garlic slicer for thinly sliced garlic.
I’m telling you, if you don’t have one, you’ll love it because it is amazing! Just fill it with peeled garlic, twist, and perfectly thin sliced garlic comes out! Click this link to get one.
Roast about 20 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with a bit more olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese.
Serve and enjoy!
Low Carb And Keto-Friendly
This roasted broccoli recipe has approximately 4g of Net Carbs making it perfect for anyone cutting carbs or following a low carb diet.
for Perfect Roasted Broccoli
- Don’t skimp on the oil (even if it seems like a lot), season well, and make sure your oven is hot before adding the broccoli.
- On washing your broccoli: After washing your broccoli, be sure to dry it thoroughly. The drier it is, the more it will crisp up.
- For crispy results: If you want even crisper broccoli, try flipping it halfway through the roasting. It’s a time-consuming task, but it crisps on all sides.
- Short on time? Make this dish even quicker by skipping the fresh garlic and replace it with garlic powder or you can do it simply with just olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Cooking for kids? I don’t know about your kids, but I have one that won’t eat anything that even resembles being burnt. This recipe does get quite crispy, so you may want to keep an eye on it and cook according to taste.
More Roasted Vegetables
Variation:
- For more texture, try mixing the cheese with breadcrumbs and a little olive oil and sprinkle it on top before roasting.
Did you make this?
Stay Updated
Receive new recipes & dinner ideas straight to your inbox!
Let’s Make Seriously, The Best Broccoli of Your Life
Ingredients
- 4 pounds broccoli
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and sliced *See the notes section before starting
- Good olive oil or for Keto – butter flavor coconut oil
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets.
- Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
- Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
- Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1½ tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Serve hot.
Tips + Notes
- *This recipe makes very crispy garlic. In some ovens it could burn or become bitter. If you are worried about the garlic getting too dark for your liking, add at the last 5-7 minutes of cooking time coated in a little oil and scattered around the pan.
- Don’t skimp on the oil (even if it seems like a lot), season well, and make sure your oven is hot before adding the broccoli.
- On washing your broccoli: After washing your broccoli, be sure to dry it thoroughly. The drier it is, the more it will crisp up.
- For crispy results: If you want an even crisper broccoli, try flipping it halfway through the roasting. It’s a time-consuming task, but it crisps on all sides.
Low Carb, Keto Friendly Roasted Broccoli
This roasted broccoli recipe has approximately 4g of Net Carbs making it perfect for anyone cutting crabs or following a low carb diet.Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published in 2014, but was republished with new photos (old photos below), step by step instructions and tips, and video in June of 2018.
Recipe notes: for this recipe, I went by The Barefoot Contessa’s Recipe but omitted the pine nuts and basil because, after the first taste, I just didn’t think it was needed so my recipe below won’t have it. I also made a much smaller batch, but I’ll give you her measurements of the ingredients I used.
JKneps63 says
Erren don’t lie, this was the bomb! Loved it even before the lemon zest and lemon juice were added. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for your amazing review! I’m so happy to hear that you loved the broccoli. Thank you for choosing Erren’s Kitchen, and you come back again soon!
Rhonda says
Oh my gosh this roasted broccoli is insanely delicious!, I used finely grated parm and it made the most amazing coating on the broccoli, me and my son could just not get enough, lol, just yum! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for trying our roasted broccoli recipe, Rhonda! We’re so happy to hear that you and your son enjoyed it. The Parmesan coating is definitely a delicious addition. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this recipe with us!
David Gershwin says
I must admit I had one eyebrow raised in healthy skepticism…”Best Broccoli of Your Life”?!? Really? but But BUT…when my wife came into the kitchen while I was cooking and said “this smells amazing!” I knew this would be a winner. The lemon zest/lemon juice/parm/olive oil finish is what puts it over the finish line.
It most definitely was “the best” and it lived up to its billing – five stars!
Thank you, Eren!
Erren Hart says
David, I’m glad you and your wife enjoyed our Roasted Broccoli! We’re passionate about creating delicious recipes, and we’re so happy that this one hit the spot for you. Thanks for taking the time to write a review. We hope to see you again soon!
Beth says
Made twice in the last week. I’ve been mixing in cauliflower, too. Very good!
Erren Hart says
So glad you enjoy it so much, Beth! Cauliflower is a great addition! Thanks for stopping back to share your experience!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for trying our Broccoli recipe, Janey! We’re so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed it. It sounds like this will become a regular dish in your home. Thanks for the love!
Kris says
I couldn’t believe how bad this turned out! It killed my appetite for broccoli and I hate to throw the food away!
Erren Hart says
Wow, I’m so sorry to hear it, Kris. I rarely get a bad review on this. I guess it’s not for everyone.
Pope John the 8,562nd says
You lie Kris, you lie!
Lucianne says
Absolutely super! I was so surprised, we all put broccoli with cheese but add the lemon and it’s a whole new taste. I will make this again often. It would probably be good on a number of other vegetables
Erren Hart says
I’m so please you enjoyed it so much! We make this one all the time!
Lynn Misiuk says
Green beans are good with lemon juice and some zest and a little grated parmesan cheese.
Kelly Stephens says
I made this tonight, it was simple and smelled amazing! I did omit the lemon and zest cause I don’t have any right now. I prepped everything in a ziplock bag, putting less broccoli and adding a couple chicken breasts for protein. Chicken breast center of pan, broccoli surrounding. Sprinkled with Parmesan the last few minutes in the oven and everything was perfect! Thank you for this amazing and amazingly easy recipe that has minimal cleanup requirements!
Erren Hart says
That was some great pivoting for a meal instead of a side! Sounds great! I’m so glad I was able to inspire you to make a meal you loved!
Sandra A. Hitik says
We all love broccoli and agreed this is the best recipe we have
had. I sliced the garlic very thin and added a little olive oil while I
waited for the last 5 minuets to added to the baking. I made sure
a garlic was on every piece. The lemon zest, lemon juice and
parmesano-reggiano chesse put it over the top. Sharing this one to
Facebook for my friends to try.
Erren Hart says
That’s awesome! I love hearing from people who have enjoyed the recipes! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Lotus Gelibert says
My husband loved the recipe. He said, “Broccoli was best thing on plate.
Erren Hart says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear it! 🙂