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?
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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.
John Doe says
Good call – I replace salt with Kikkoman Japanese soy sauce. Lemon is a new twist for me, I’ll try it tonight. Thx.
Erren's Kitchen says
You’re welcome! Swapping salt with Kikkoman Japanese soy sauce is a great idea for adding a different depth of flavor to the dish. The lemon zest and lemon juice will add a delightful citrusy note that pairs well with broccoli’s earthy flavor. Enjoy trying it out, and I hope it turns out to be a delicious and satisfying addition to your meal tonight. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy cooking!
C Gumm says
This was great! I used garlic flavored olive oil.
Erren's Kitchen says
That’s fantastic to hear! Using garlic flavored olive oil is a clever choice to enhance the garlic flavor in the dish even more. It’s wonderful that you enjoyed the recipe, and thank you for sharing your experience!!
Elizabeth Marie Meffen says
I used garlic paste mixed with olive oil & salt & pepper, baked for 20 ish min at 200c. Tossed in a bowl with parmesan & olive oil & just a generous lemon squeeze (was deep in making a pilaf & salmon at the same time so didn’t grate the rind), put in the oven to warm, and the results were absolutely fantastic. Paired well with a pesto basted salmon & a brown rice pilaf that I added the following to (bit of a cupboard raid) – toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley, garlic & olive oil, crumbled feta, chopped dried apricots, and crispy onions.
All in all, we all agreed that the meal was something we would happily pay for in a restaurant. The broccoli was a big part of that, thank you! Will definitely make again, and use the grated rind next time too.
Erren's Kitchen says
Elizabeth, your meal sounds absolutely delicious, and it’s wonderful to hear that the broccoli turned out so well! The combination of flavors in your brown rice pilaf with pine nuts, fresh parsley, feta, dried apricots, and crispy onions sounds amazing. It’s great that your family enjoyed the meal and even considered it restaurant-worthy. Using the grated lemon rind in the broccoli recipe next time will likely add an extra layer of citrusy flavor. Thank you for sharing your experience and feedback, and I’m glad to hear you’ll be making it again!
Vanessa says
So good. I did not want to share.
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the broccoli recipe so much! Sometimes, dishes are just too delicious to share. If you ever find yourself willing to share in the future, you can always make a double batch to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Happy cooking!
Matt says
Good recipe, sure. How is it different from Ina Garten’s? is this just a copy?
Erren's Kitchen says
Hello Matt! I drew inspiration for this recipe from Ina Garten’s culinary creations, as I mentioned in my post and provided a link to the source. However, I’ve made some intentional modifications to personalize the dish. I omitted basil and pine nuts from the recipe to align it with my personal taste preferences.
Ariauna shields says
I loved it so much for a simple side dish recipe
Erren Hart says
Thank you so much for your positive review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. Your feedback is truly appreciated, and we’re so glad that it turned out well for you.
Steve says
I followed this recipe to the t and it was delicious. The lemon at the end gives the broccoli a nice finish!
Erren Hart says
Hi Steve, I’m so glad you liked the recipe! Your kind words are truly appreciated!
Myra says
Made this recipe as part of my dinner (for 1) – tasted it and didn’t make it out of the kitchen! Demolished the whole lot in about 5 minutes! 😳 One word… YUMMMMM!
Erren Hart says
Haha, it sounds like the recipe was a real hit for you! Sometimes the best meals are the ones that disappear the fastest. I’m glad that you enjoyed it so much. If you ever need more delicious recipes to try out, please come back again. Happy cooking and keep enjoying those yummy meals! 🍽️😄
Mike Govette says
I trimmed enough florets to fill 8 cups, as your recipe says. Total weight: 1 pound. Where does this 4 pounds of broccoli come from? I will review it after I cook it, but no one else mentioned this…
Erren Hart says
Thank you for bringing this to our attention! It seems there might be some confusion with the broccoli measurement. When broccoli is bought with the stalks intact, the weight includes both the florets and the stalks. It’s possible that the total weight of the entire broccoli, including the stalks, could be around 4 pounds. However, once you trim down to just the florets, it weighs much less, as you’ve observed. If you prefer, you can use as much of the stalk as you like, as they’re edible and add a lovely crunch to the dish. We apologize for any confusion and appreciate your feedback. We’ll look into updating the recipe for better clarity. Hope your dish turns out delicious!
Roni says
Love the broccoli, the lemon just the dish. I added bacon (raw) to bottom of pan, feel that gave it an added boost of flavor.
Will make this again. Thanks.
Erren Hart says
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re so glad to hear that you enjoyed the roasted broccoli. The addition of bacon sounds like a delicious twist, and we’re sure it added a nice smoky flavor to the dish. It’s always great to see our recipes inspiring creativity in the kitchen. We look forward to hearing about your future culinary adventures. Thanks again for taking the time to share your feedback!