The Best Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Roasted broccoli tossed with sliced toasted almonds, red pepper flakes, garlic, lemon juice, and aged pecorino cheese.
You guys. This roasted broccoli recipe. It is absurdly addictive! Quite possibly the best roasted broccoli you’ll ever make. Brace yourselves. I can easily consume a pound or two of broccoli in one sitting when it is prepared this way. Alarming, but true.
You all know how much I love my vegetables. I can’t go without them, but this is quite possibly the most tasty vegetable side dish on this blog.
These charred green beans and these fingerling potatoes come in at a close second. Oh, and these roasted sprouts and squash. Gah, don’t make me choose!
If it helps, Connor is equally as obsessed with this broccoli (it is one of his favorite things that I make) and it has gotten rave reviews from lots of family members and friends.
Roasted Broccoli: Why You’ll Love It
If you’ve never roasted broccoli, you are missing out on the tastiest way to prepare it!
If you’ve hated broccoli up to this point (confession: I never experienced this phase of life), give this recipe and method a try. I have an inkling that you’ll become a broccoli convert quite quickly.
It goes without saying that many vegetables taste better once caramelized and roasted in the oven. This isn’t ground breaking news, but broccoli is one of my all-time favorites.
Even more so than asparagus, carrots, and the other usual favorites. The broccoli florets get crispy and caramelized, and the normally flavorless stalks transform into addictive bites of heaven. I mean, really, you could stop right there.
Once the roasted broccoli is mixed with toasted sliced almonds, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, and aged pecorino cheese – ugh, so good.
So, here’s the deal. I actually posted a version of this roasted broccoli recipe a long time ago, but I’ve adjusted and improved the recipe and felt it deserved new life!
New and improved recipe, new pictures, all good things. Most often, I like to move forward and share new recipes, but sometimes the old ones need some love and attention, you know?
My new favorite way to prepare this dish is to slice the broccoli into ‘steaks’.
It gives the dish a better presentation, and the flat sides of the broccoli steaks allow the pieces to more evenly caramelize on the sheet pan.
To make things easier, the raw sliced almonds are added to the sheet pan halfway through cooking. This makes things really easy, and eliminates the need to toast them separately in a skillet.
Tips for Making The Best Roasted Broccoli:
If you’re having difficulty slicing the broccoli into ‘steaks’- medium florets will also work.
Just make sure your broccoli pieces are consistent in size (if the pieces vary in size, they will cook unevenly) and they are spread into an even, thin layer.
Ideally when roasting, you want the vegetables not to touch each other on the sheet pan. Crowding will result in uneven cooking, less caramelization, and longer cook times.
Many home ovens have not been calibrated recently and can be off by as much as 50 degrees in temperature! I highly recommend investing in a cheap oven thermometer (affiliate link).
Why is my broccoli roasting too quickly?
If your oven runs hot, I recommend reducing the oven temperature by at least 25 degrees and vice versa. The high roasting temperature, included below, produces extra crispy florets and extra caremelization (aka. flavor!).
It goes without being said that this recipe serves 3 to 4 people (in ‘normal’ world), but don’t be surprised if you find yourself consuming all of it in one sitting! It is that good. Just read the reader reviews below if you don’t believe me!
The Best Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs broccoli crowns roughly 2 heads
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves finely grated with a microplane or pressed
- large pinch dried red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons raw sliced almonds, with or without skin
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated aged pecorino cheese
- zest of half a lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C) with a rack in the center postion. Oven Temperature Note: I use a separate oven thermometer to ensure that my oven is calibrated properly. The high temperature ensures even and deep caramelization (and extra crispy, flavorful florets!). If your oven runs hot (you can check this by using an oven thermometer) or you prefer less crispy florets, reduce the oven temperature to 425°F-450°F (220°C-232°C) and adjust the cooking time as necessary.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Trim any dry, tough ends of the broccoli crowns, leaving roughly 2-inches of stalk attached. Slice the broccoli into ½-inch-thick steaks, starting in the center of each broccoli crown and working out to the edges, reserving any small or medium florets that fall off for roasting. Slice any large remaining florets in half lengthwise. Note: If you’re having difficulty slicing the broccoli into ‘steaks’- medium florets will also work, but you will most likely need to reduce the temperature and roasting time to ensure that they do not burn. Try to make your broccoli pieces consistent in size, as this will help them roast evenly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, grated or pressed garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes. Add the broccoli steaks and toss gently until evenly coated. Arrange the broccoli, cut-side down, on the lined sheet pan, setting them apart slightly. Sprinkle with salt.
- Roast the broccoli for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the broccoli, and sprinkle the almond slices evenly across the sheet pan. Roast for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is evenly caramelized and fork tender, and the almond slices are toasted and golden.
- Transfer the broccoli to a platter, toss gently with the lemon juice and top with the grated pecorino cheese. Garnish with fresh lemon zest. Serve hot or at room temperature (it also tastes great cold). Leftover broccoli can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Video
Tips for Success:
- If you’re having difficulty slicing the broccoli into ‘steaks’- medium florets will also work, but you may need to reduce the oven temperature and roasting time to ensure that they do not burn. Make sure your broccoli pieces are consistent in size (if the pieces vary in size, they will cook unevenly) and they are spread into an even, thin layer. Ideally when roasting, you want the vegetables notto touch each other on the sheet pan. Crowding will result in uneven cooking, less caramelization, and longer cook times.
- Many home ovens have not been calibrated recently and can be off by as much as 50 degrees in temperature! I highly recommend investing in a cheap oven thermometer. If your oven runs hot, I recommend reducing the oven temperature by at least 25 degrees and vice versa, and watching it carefully. The high roasting temperature, included below, produces extra crispy florets and extra caremelization (aka. flavor!).
Note to Readers: This broccoli recipe was originally published as ‘crack broccoli’ in 2015. It was updated and re-named in 2018. The use of slang was in poor taste and is not a reflection of my values or this site. I sincerely apologize to any readers or visitors that were hurt or offended, and am appreciative of your critical feedback. Thank you for listening!
197 Comments on “The Best Roasted Broccoli Recipe”
Hi Laura, I can’t wait to try this today. 2 questions. are you washing the brocolli and letting it completely dry first? Also I have cauliflower do you have a different recipe to such as this for that veg?
I am going to try it this way too though, think I’ll also slice to make steaks hope they don’t crumble up to much.
Thanks so much for sharing!!
Kim
Hi Kim! I always give vegetables a quick rinse for the most part (don’t usually include those steps in recipes). Ideally, you want any vegetable to be as dry as possible before roasting (sautéing, etc.) as any sort of excess moisture will cause it to steam and not gain color as well. If I’m using something like a full head of broccoli, I’ll do this before slicing – unless it really needs a more thorough rinse.
If you’re not comfortable making the steaks, you can cut the broccoli into medium/medium-large florets instead – just be sure to watch the roasting time a bit more carefully throughout, as the size of the florets will determine how quickly they gain color and cook through.
Yes! I strongly recommend this cauliflower recipe – you can serve it without the tahini sauce, but use the same method for roasting – https://www.abeautifulplate.com/roasted-cauliflower-lemon-tahini/ Hope this helps and hope you enjoy the recipe!
OMG! Amazing recipe! It was hands down the best broccoli dish I have ever eaten. Thank you for posting 🙂
I agree with the haters. The word crack is passe. Like when your parents started saying… “NOT!”…
I updated the recipe name in 2018 to remove the word ‘crack’ from the recipe name and description. It was in poor taste – even if that was not my intention – and I sincerely apologize for not understanding or realizing at the time of publication (2015) and hurting or offending people.
It doesn’t reflect my values or this site. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Delicious!
So I’m making this now and just failed to see that the lemon juice goes on after the roasting. Heres to hoping I didn’t just screw this up. (I mixed the lemon juice in with the olive oil mixture)
No, that’s fine. Fresh lemon and lime juice doesn’t have that punch when it’s added prior to cooking, so I recommend adding more when it comes out to taste!
Sounds incredible! Can you make it a day ahead to get the preparation out of the way?
You could definitely prep and cut the broccoli ahead of time (if needed) if that would help reduce the time. The broccoli tastes fantastic as leftovers too and you could even reheat it briefly too, but it will be most crisp and at its best when it just comes out of the oven. It really just depends on your preference! Thanks for the great question Lissa.
Hi Laura, SO in love with this flavor combination, looks like a great weekday dinner!
This is so good! Definitely have to adjust time based on size of florets. Great, basic recipe (delicious as is) and the variations are endless. Also very good with different kinds of vegetables.
So happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave your review!
I roasted two heads of broccoli using this method and it came out delicious! Thanks for the simple yet yummy recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear that!! Thanks for the feedback and for taking the time to leave a review.
Best. Broccoli. Ever. I honestly gave this recipe a side-eye while thinking “I bet this is just going to taste like all of the other broccoli recipes.” *yawn*. I had this same attitude up until the moment I popped one of the finished small florets into my mouth. I literally whispered “Uh oh” because I knew I was going to eat way too much of the broccoli while the rest of the dinner finished. So good. I may not make broccoli any other way ever again, but I will definitely be making this again because the little one and I ate all of the broccoli and hubby needs to experience crack broccoli. Thanks for the recipe. Name well-deserved!
Haha! I LOVE this – so glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for taking the time to leave your thoughts/review! 🙂
Quick question: I’ve cut the broccoli into steaks. You said to “reserve any small or medium florets that fall off for roasting”. Do they get put. on the pan with the Broccoli steaks or roasted at another time? Thanks in advance!
Yes! They get thrown on the same pan. If they’re incredibly small or you’re concerned they might cook too quickly compared to the ‘steaks’, you can add them partway or put them on another small roasting pan (and remove earlier). Hope this helps!
I love this recipe. Not only is it quick and easy, the combination of the pecorino cheese and lemon juice really enhance the rich flavor of the roasted broccoli.
This was very easy and delicious. I followed the recipe and it turned out great!
So happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback!
Tried this recipe and I must say it is one of the best recipes I have stumbled upon.. I am not a broccoli fan at all but as you mentioned in the blog post that non-broccoli lovers will also love it, that’s bang on.. I simply freaked out on the flavors. Have already made this twice but couldn’t take proper pics. Could take only a few pics..
Brocolli, never really liked eating it. But now that I’m working on my weight, green is the way to go. Will get some today and I bet it will be the best I’ve tasted so far. The recipe is awesome. Thank you for this.
I have had this pinned for quite some time and finally decided to make it. And OH MY GOODNESS!!! This was utterly incredible. I’ve never been so happy to eat broccoli, which I already love.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, I will be making it each week of my life until I die.
I served this for dinner last night with chicken Lombardi and had people fighting for more of the broccoli!! Next time I’m going to use both broccoli and cauliflower cause I think it will be equally delicious!!
This roasted broccoli is the food of champions! Dying to eat this! Thanks for posting it, Laura!
So good! Truly the best way I’ve had broccoli.
By far, the BEST broccoli recipe I have tasted! My new go to when I buy lots of broccoli and want to make it tasty. It has been my main dish even sometimes… 🙂 thank you so much for this recipe!