This isn’t your boring old bag of frozen, unseasoned broccoli. This stuff makes you want to ditch the main course and go straight for the sides. Flavored simply with a bit of lemon zest and garlic, then roasted in a hot oven to give it that essential caramelization and a crispy char on the florets, this veggie becomes the star of dinner that everyone will love!
Here’s what you need:
Make the dressing.
I use lemon zest a lot in my cooking, like a lot a lot. Meats, soups, desserts, sauces, you name it, a little lemon zest is just the thing they need to wake right up. It gives food a little bit of freshness without acidity, which is perfect for vegetables, like broccoli, when I want to enhance the flavor but not overwhelm it.
The zest of one whole lemon is what you are going to use to flavor the broccoli. Then later I like to serve the finished dish with some wedges of lemon for those who would like to add a squeeze of fresh juice for a punchier flavor.
Since you already have your microplane out, go ahead and grate the garlic right into the bowl as well. Add the olive oil and salt and give it a whisk.
Toss the lemon zest, garlic and olive oil with the fresh broccoli. I highly recommend using your hands to evenly distribute the dressing throughout the florets so you don’t end up with huge clumps of it on some and some without any at all.
Roast the Broccoli.
Arrange the florets on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Give each piece their own space so they’ll caramelize properly. If they’re all crowded together, they will steam and not become browned and crisp.
Cooking time will depend on the size of the florets. The broccoli you see in the photos roasted for a total of 14 minutes and I flipped them over half way through cook time. And make sure the oven is preheated before cooking.
Serve the crispy roasted broccoli with fresh lemon. Sometimes I like to sprinkle on freshly grated parmesan cheese or cracked black pepper!
For more flavorful veggie sides, try my Sexy Garlic Sautéed Green Beans or Harissa Roasted Cauliflower!
Lemony Garlic Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients
- 12 ounces fresh broccoli florets about 4 cups, bite-sized
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 to 2 clove garlic grated finely
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the grated garlic, grated lemon zest, salt and olive oil. Add the fresh broccoli florets and use your hands to toss and coat all the broccoli in the dressing. Spread the coated broccoli out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure each piece has its own space. Roast for 12-16 minutes, depending on the size of the florets. Flip halfway through the cook time. Optional: for a much more punchy lemony flavor, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice all over the broccoli and toss. Or you could serve it with wedges of lemon so each person could add it themselves if they wish.