Roasted broccoli is delicious, easy to make, and quick to bake. Just two minutes of prep and 10 minutes in the oven, and you'll enjoy perfectly crisp and tender broccoli.
Why You’ll Love Oven Roasted Brocolli
Roasting vegetables in the oven at a high temperature brings out their natural flavor without turning them into mushy, indistinguishable lumps. Plus, roasting broccoli with a bit of olive oil helps it keep its antioxidant power!
While broccoli may not be on your usual list of roasted veggies, I hope you give it a try. It's my favorite way to serve broccoli and makes the perfect side dish or baked potato topper. We love oven-roasted broccoli with Balsamic Soy Baked Chicken Legs and rice for a quick dinner.
How to Make Oven-Roasted Broccoli
To make perfectly roasted broccoli, start by preheating your oven to 400°F (204°C) and prepping a sheet pan. Toss one pound of bite-sized florets and thinly sliced stems directly on the pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Spread the broccoli into a single layer and roast on the top rack for 8 -10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to brown and the stalks are tender. Serve it immediately while it’s hot and crisp. (Full recipe card below.)
Roasted Broccoli Tips
Make sure your roasted broccoli turns out perfectly with these easy tips:
1) Cut the broccoli into uniform pieces.
Making sure the broccoli florets are close to the same size means they cook evenly, so you won’t have some pieces mushy and others undercooked. You don’t have to be obsessive; just aim for about the same size.
2) Don't overstuff the baking pan.
Roasting vegetables needs some space to breathe as they bake, or you won’t get the crisp, caramelized edges that make the dish so special. Use two pans or roast two batches instead of cramming a large batch of broccoli onto one overstuffed sheet pan.
3) Bake the broccoli at a high temperature.
Roasting vegetables at a high oven temperature produced crispy, caramelized edges. I recommend 400 to 425 degrees F (204 to 218 °C) to get golden broccoli without burning the olive oil.
4) Dry the broccoli.
After rinsing the broccoli, make sure it is dry before drizzling it with olive oil. A little moisture is ok, but if it's dripping wet, the olive won’t stick, and it won’t roast evenly.
5) Don’t underseason.
Salt and pepper the broccoli generously to avoid it being bland. If you’re afraid of over-seasoning, you can add more salt and pepper when it comes out of the oven.
6) Don’t toss the stems and stalks.
The broccoli stem may not be as pretty as the florets, but it tastes great! Slice and roast the stems.
Roasted Broccoli FAQ
Can I substitute frozen broccoli for fresh?
Yes, you can substitute frozen broccoli for fresh broccoli in this recipe. Place the frozen broccoli florets on the prepared baking pan and continue the recipe as written. You may need to add a few more minutes of baking time to allow extra moisture from the frozen broccoli to evaporate.
How to store roasted broccoli.
Store roasted broccoli in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
How to reheat roasted broccoli.
In the microwave: Place the leftover broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20-second increments until warm. The broccoli will be less crisp than freshly roasted broccoli.
In the oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 °C). Place the leftover broccoli on a baking sheet and heat it until it is warm and crispy (approximately 4-5 minutes).
Is oven-roasted broccoli healthy?
Roasted broccoli is a healthy side dish rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium. It is also low in calories and contains protein. One advantage of roasting broccoli is that the nutrients stay in the food rather than being boiled away.
How to roast broccoli in the air fryer.
Toss bite-sized florets and thinly sliced stems with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 °C) and place the broccoli in the basket. Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the edges are crispy and charred and the stalks are tender. You’ll get roasted flavor in about half the time.
Roasted Broccoli Variations
Customize this easy broccoli recipe with your favorite flavors for a delicious side dish that can complement almost any cuisine!
Garlic Roasted Broccoli
Substitute garlic salt for the salt in the recipe, or add a clove of crushed garlic to the olive oil before drizzling it over the raw broccoli florets, then roast.
Lemon Roasted Broccoli
Remove the broccoli from the oven when it is done roasting, then toss with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle on a pinch of fresh lemon zest for extra lemony flavor.
Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Remove the broccoli from the oven when it is done roasting, then toss with ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Spicy Roasted Broccoli
Sprinkle the raw broccoli florets with salt, black pepper, and ¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes before roasting.
Quick Oven Roasted Broccoli
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Roasted broccoli is delicious, easy to make, and quick to bake. Just 5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes in the oven, and you'll have a perfectly crisp, tender broccoli side dish.
Ingredients
-
1 pound fresh broccoli
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
½ teaspoon salt
-
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the top ⅓ of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 °C).
- Rinse broccoli heads under cold water and lay on a clean towel to dry slightly.
- Line a 13-by-9-inch metal sheet pan with foil or parchment paper (if desired).
- Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Cut the stalk and stems into ⅛-inch-thick, round slices, discarding the dried-out ends.
- Place the broccoli onto the sheet pan and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Toss the broccoli to coat it with oil, then spread it into a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle the broccoli with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the pan in the hot oven on the top rack and roast until the broccoli is just tender and beginning to color, 8 to 10 more minutes.
- Remove broccoli from the oven and serve immediately.
Notes
Roasted Broccoli Variations
Customize this easy broccoli recipe with your favorite flavors for a delicious side dish that can complement almost any cuisine!
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli – Substitute garlic salt for the salt in the recipe, or add a clove of crushed garlic to the olive oil before drizzling over the raw broccoli florets before roasting.
- Lemon Roasted Broccoli – Remove the broccoli from the oven when it is done roasting, then toss with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle on a pinch of fresh lemon zest for extra lemony flavor.
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli – Remove the broccoli from the oven when it is done roasting, then toss with ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Spicy Roasted Broccoli – Sprinkle the raw broccoli florets with salt, black pepper, and ¼-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes before roasting.
- Air Fryer Roast Broccoli – Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 °C) and place the seasoned broccoli in the basket. Air fry for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking halfway through, until the edges are crispy and charred and the stalks are tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 99
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 328.1 mg
- Fat: 7.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.6 g
- Protein: 3.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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Stephanie says
This is one of the few ways I can get my family to eat broccoli. Thanks for the recipe!
Therese Marina Guglielmo (Hill) says
This was my first attempt of making broccoli 🥦😄. It wasn’t bad at all, I just ended up initially undercooking it then over cooking it lol. I hope my third try, I get it right. I’m a amateur in the cooking world so I’m trying haha.