Dairy Free Gluten & Grain Free Keto Nut Free Paleo Specific Carbohydrate Diet Vegan Whole30

Roasted Broccoli

Name: Roasted Broccoli
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 heads broccoli ((approx 1 pound)); 3 tbsp olive oil; 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 1/2 tsp lemon zest; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1/4 tsp chili flakes

12 Comments

This really is the best Roasted Broccoli. It requires just a handful of ingredients and is easy to make, yet so tasty that even broccoli haters will enjoy it. This has quickly become my go to way to make broccoli and one of my favourite side dishes to serve with dinner. It’s Vegan, Paleo, Whole30, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.

Broccoli often gets a bad rap and I blame this solely on parents who served their kids steamed broccoli with dinner every night. Roasted broccoli is an absolute game changer and results in slightly crisp and charred florets that are incredibly flavourful and almost addicting. Every time I make this recipe, I find that half of the broccoli has disappeared from the baking tray before dinner is ready. This is a really easy side dish to make that can be served with just about anything and will quickly become a go to side dish you will find yourself making over and over again.

Why this really is the best Roasted Broccoli

The crispy edges: Roasting the broccoli at a high temperature ensures that the florets become crispy and slightly charred on the edges which means extra flavour
Even broccoli haters will love it: Every time I serve this roasted broccoli, everyone raves about how good it is. Roasting broccoli makes it so flavourful and exponentially better then steaming or boiling it.
Just a handful of ingredients: All you need is a handful of ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen which makes this a great recipe to make when you are in need of a last minute veggie side dish for dinner.
Simple seasoning: The simple seasoning combination of olive oil, garlic, chili flakes and lemon highlights the flavour of the broccoli and makes this a great side dish that can be served with just about anything, and won’t overpower the rest of the plate.

What you need to make this Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli (obviously!): Look for broccoli that is vibrant green in colour. You can use store bought pre cut broccoli for this recipe too, but unfortunately frozen broccoli florets won’t work.
Olive oil: I prefer using olive oil in this recipe but avocado oil would work well too.
Garlic: Four cloves of garlic might seem like a lot, but I find that it really makes a difference with the flavour.
Lemon: Lemon juice and zest help to really brighten up the flavour of the broccoli
Chili Flakes: I love the hint of spice that chili flakes add to the broccoli. It’s not enough to be overpowering, but gives the broccoli some warmth. If you like things spicy then feel free to add more.

Tips for making this Roasted Broccoli

Preheat the baking tray: To cut down on cooking time, place the baking tray in the oven while it preheats. Adding the broccoli florets to a hot baking tray will help them to cook more evenly on the underside and should help to reduce cooking time by approx 5 minutes.
Bite sized florets: When cutting the florets, try to make them all a similar size to help ensure they cook evenly. Also I prefer to keeping the florets on the smaller size so they roast faster and are bite sized.
Don’t crowd the tray: The key to getting those crispy, slightly burnt edges is to give the florets space. If they are too close together the broccoli steams and will become mushy. The larger the baking tray you use the better!
Don’t forget to flip them: Flipping the broccoli over half way through roasting ensures that the florets get a nice char on both sides.

Have leftovers?

You will definitely want to make extra because leftover roasted broccoli can be used in so many different ways:

Drizzle with balsamic reduction and enjoy it cold as a salad
Add some into your morning scrambled eggs or use them in an omelette or frittata
Toss them warm into a salad
Add to pizza, pasta, tacos or a quiche

Here are a few more simple side dish recipes that you might enjoy…

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!