Broccoli is one of my family’s favorite veggies. Which is lucky because I didn’t eat broccoli (or even try it!) until I was an adult. Learning the lesson from my childhood, I now prepare it lots of different ways and give the kids ample opportunity to try it on their own terms.
Plain steamed broccoli is a good standby, but it’s easy to get stuck in a bland rut. It’s time to change things up and try roasting these guys. The flavor options are endless! Here are three tasty ideas to get you started.
Lemon Parmesan Herb Broccoli
Broccoli is really good at soaking up a lot of flavor, especially the top part. This recipe uses olive oil infused with garlic, Italian herbs, and lemon zest. The broccoli florets soak up that nice flavored oil and are then tossed with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Lemon Parmesan Herb Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 big bunch broccoli cut into florets
- 1-2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
- 1 big clove garlic mashed
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon reserve juice for another use
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Place broccoli in a bowl. Combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over broccoli and toss well to coat all of the florets. Sprinkle the cheese over the broccoli and toss. Roast on a parchment lined pan in a 400 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve piping hot.
Honey Tamari Broccoli
Asian flavors go really well with broccoli. In this recipe, I toss broccoli with a sauce/marinade that is sweet, spicy, and salty. As it roasts, the honey adds an almost caramel flavor to the broccoli.
It’s purely addictive and we sometimes we make a giant batch of roasted broccoli and eat it over sticky rice for a simple dinner, but it’s also great as a side for Lentil Sloppy Joes.
Honey Tamari Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 big bunch broccoli cut into florets
- 1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek
- 1 garlic clove minced (or 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic)
Instructions
- Place the broccoli in a large bowl. Mix the other ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Place on a parchment lined baking pan. Roast in a 400 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes.
Broccoli with Tahini
Tahini is one of my favorite ingredients. It’s a little bitter on it’s own, but when you add lemon, cumin, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne, it balances it out. Basically, this sauce is like hummus without the chickpeas.
You’ll be amazed how delicious it is with roasted broccoli. (p.s. It also makes a good spread for pita sandwiches or crackers.)
Broccoli with Tahini
Ingredients
- 1 big bunch broccoli cut into florets
- a little olive oil
- 1/4 cup tahini sesame seed paste
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey optional
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
- 1-2 garlic cloves finely minced
- pinch cayenne pepper
- water to thin
- salt to taste (it won't need much)
Instructions
- Place the broccoli florets on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to toss it gently so every floret is lightly coated with the oil. Sprinkle with a little salt. Roast in a 400 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes.
- While broccoli is roasting, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Taste and add salt, if needed. Serve on the side of the broccoli as a dip, or add water to thin it out to use as a dressing.
Ha! Just bought a big bunch of fresh broccoli that I said to myself that I was going to roast tonight. I am making another Italian dish so will go with option one here! Yes, broccoli has so much goodness for us and a great cancer preventer.
I love broccoli and I’m definitely going to try one of your recipes. Sounds amazing!
In the Lemon-Parmesan recipe, is the amount of Parmesan 1/2 cup? I’m assuming that it is…