Roast broccoli in the oven to completely transform the taste and texture of the basic vegetable—it makes the perfect, easy side dish to any meal!
Broccoli isn’t exactly the most glamorous vegetable out there—it tends to get a bad rap. It has in our household, as well, until we discovered the trick to delicious, cooked broccoli.
I’ve professed my love for roasted vegetables in the past, like with my go-to roasted Brussels sprouts recipe. For some reason, by baking vegetables so the edges get a hint of charred crispiness, the most basic (and sometimes blah) veggies are transformed to be surprisingly tasty. It’s like magic, I swear.
I don’t usually do a lot to vegetables when I “roast” them in the oven, because I don’t think they need much to have that amazing texture and bizarre boost in flavor. I’m all about tossing vegetables in just enough olive oil to lightly coat them, plus a generous sprinkle of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
The. Best.
I’ve also seen broccoli made this way but with lemon, parmesan, garlic, or one of many other flavor boosts. I fully intend to try new ways to season my roasted broccoli, but I haven’t found the need quite yet. It feels weird to say, but we kind of love roasted broccoli, made quick and simple. It’s such an effortless side dish—whether you eat them along with a main dish or throw them into a dish (e.g. baked potatoes, soups, casseroles, etc.).
I’ve been meaning to share this three-ingredient recipe for quite awhile because it’s been one made quite frequently in our house lately. I figured there was no better day than today—a Monday—because let’s be real, cooking weeknight meals can’t be fast enough. So! If you’re in search of a quick veggie side for your meal, I encourage you to try roasting some broccoli florets. The process I use is as follows…
Ingredients:
- 2 heads fresh broccoli
- 1-2 Tbs olive oil
- Sea salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- Remove stalks of broccoli heads and dispose them.
- Cut the remaining broccoli into small florets, similar in size.
- In a large bowl, toss florets with just enough olive oil to very lightly coat them. Spread onto baking sheet into single layer.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to get crisp and a fork can be inserted without too much force.*
Notes:
*Keep a close eye on the florets in their last 5 or so minutes to make sure they don't burn too much.
Just a heads up, we’ve found that the wonderful crispiness that is roasted broccoli doesn’t have the same texture when eaten as leftovers. They still taste great, but they tend to soften from the moisture when stored. So, definitely serve immediately to eat them at their peak!
Have you ever roasted veggies? What’s your favorite kind?
Do you prefer raw or cooked broccoli?
