How to Roast Broccoli - A Simple Guide

Roasted broccoli has always been a favorite in our house.  We love broccoli anyway but raw, but roasted is by far the method we turn to most often.  It pairs well with many cuisines from Italian to Asian, is an easy addition to any meal and a vegetable that my kids will eat without question. I hope this simple “how-to” roast broccoli will turn your house into a home of broccoli lovers as well.

Roasting is the method I use to cook many of the vegetables we eat in our house.  I find that my kids, and me and the hubby too, are much more likely to eat the good stuff if it’s been roasted. There is just something about those super caramelized bits  that none of us can get enough of!

So why a “how to roast broccoli” tutorial?  Well, mostly because I like to share what we have really been eating here and it’s in heavy rotation.  I also think it’s one of the easiest vegetables to roast well, and make taste great.

You know me, I’m all about keeping it simple. 

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Why do you like to roast instead of steam?

When I roast broccoli, I like to really let it caramelize on the pan, allowing the natural sweetness of the vegetable to come out.  I also happen to think that roasting veggies is a super simple way to serve them. With just three basic steps: chop, olive oil, season it can’t get much easier.  

We all agree that it’s easier to eat our veggies when they taste good right?  I have yet to find a way to season steamed veggies so they really pack a punch in the flavor department.  Sure you can add flavoring to the steaming liquid, but beyond that salt, pepper and lemon, I’ve been stuck.

However, with roasting, the sky's the limit.  You can toss broccoli in just olive oil and coarse kosher salt and it’s going to taste delicious.  But you can also play with flavors and really make it something special. Why? Because broccoli pairs well with a variety of cuisines and flavor profiles. Think of any cuisine you like and I bet you can think of a way to incorporate those flavors when roasting broccoli.

What flavors pair well with broccoli?

Some of the flavor combinations I’ve been using on my roasted broccoli follow.  Please note that some of spice blends come premixed and some I’ve made up along the way.  I do not have exact measurements because I eyeball it every time. Let me know if you want exact measurements, I’m happy to help you get it right.

• Everything bagel spice: I absolutely love this spice.  It’s super versatile and adds a great flavor and texture to the roasted broccoli. I typically buy Trader Joe's but you can use any type you like, or even make your own everything bagel spice.

• Red pepper flakes: toss red pepper flakes with the broccoli when you toss it with olive oil for a little extra heat with this veggie.
• Asian flavors: think soy vay, tamari or sesame oil with a few shakes of ginger and garlic.
• Light and fresh: salt and pepper, roast with lemon slices, squeeze lemon over top and sprinkle with Parmesan at the end, because, cheese.

How healthy can roasted broccoli really be?

Super duper healthy in my opinion.  We use a healthy fat, olive oil and spices to create a truly delicious vegetable.  One of the great things about roasting vegetables, is that you can bring out it’s natural flavors without much added to it.  Not only are there very few ingredients used when roasting broccoli but it has some great health benefits too.

Broccoli is a great source of Vitamin C and Vitamin K.  It also is a good source of antioxidants, folic acid, potassium and fiber. Some research shows that it can help to reduce inflammation, support heart health and aid in controlling blood sugars.  Source: healthline.com

And finally, here’s how to roast broccoli:

First, we need to cut it up. Cutting a broccoli is actually quite simple.  You’ll first want to peel back all of the green leaves that are attached to the stem. 

Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to wash the whole head of broccoli and if you keep kosher, check for any little bugs that might be hiding in the florets, if you haven’t bought pre-checked broccoli (here’s how if you are curious).

Then, I move on to cutting the stem.  I chop off the bottom inch or so and pitch it, then chop the rest of the stem up into pieces that are about the same size at the florets you’ve already cut.  If the stem seems tough at all, you can peel it before cutting it, but it’s optional. Just remember to keep things the same size so they roast at the same speed.

Then I cut off the rest of the florets.  I like to get some really tiny ones, because my biggest kiddo loves teeny tiny things.  They also get super crunchy. The rest of the florets I like to cut into 1 ½ - 2” pieces.

Now, prepare your baking sheet. I like to use half sheet pans for this, to give me the most surface area, while still easily fitting in my oven. You can either roast directly on the sheet pan, or use a piece of parchment paper like I do.  I do not recommend roasting on aluminum foil. All those creases prevent optimum browning (in my opinion).

Now, you can go one of two ways:  

Either toss the broccoli into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, add your spices and then spread out on the baking pan OR you can spread out on a baking pan, then drizzle, spice, and shmear.  It’s up to you.

method #1:

• take your cut up broccoli and put it in a mixing bowl. 
• drizzle it with about a tablespoon of olive oil (more if you had a very large head of broccoli).  You want to make sure things are coated, but not soaked.  
• then sprinkle in your spices.  A tablespoon should do, but use more or less depending on what you like.  
• now that everything is in the bowl, toss it all together.  I like to use my hands, but two wooden spoons work, or a good shake will do the trick.
• take the coated broccoli and spread it out on your prepared baking sheet

method #2:

• take your cut up broccoli and spread it out on your prepared baking sheet
• drizzle the broccoli with about a tablespoon of olive oil (more if you had a very large head of broccoli).  You want to make sure things are coated, but not soaked.  
• then sprinkle in your spices.  A tablespoon should do, but use more or less depending on what you like.  
• Now use your hands to rub the spices and olive oil in the cut-up pieces on the broccoli and spread them out again

Now you are you ready to roast the broccoli

I like to roast my vegetables at 425 degrees.  Hot enough to ensure caramelization, not so scorching (like over 450 degrees) that they burn and don’t get cooked through all the way.  

You’ll want to cook the broccoli about 20-30 minutes.  It really depends on your oven, how brown and crispy you like them, and how cooked through you like your veggies.  We like our super crispy and delicious, so I tend to go a bit longer.  

An important note:  Always check on things in your oven as no oven cooks exactly the same way.  Use you nose to smell if things are done and your eyes to check on how they are cooking...poke the veggies with you finger (carefully) even to see if they feel right to you.  This is all about a method, not an exact recipe!

Tips and Tricks:

• Roast broccoli is great for meal prep.  Simply cut up the head of broccoli on the day you are meal prepping.  When you come to the day you want to use it, just spread on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, season and roast!
• You can also roast frozen broccoli...use the same method of olive oil and spices and then roast the same as you would with fresh.  You may need to increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes to account for the extra water in the vegetable from being frozen.
• Want to make a broccoli puree for you baby? Here's a post on broccoli puree and here's an ultimate guide to making your own baby food.

Looking for other easy veggie forward recipes? Check these out!

• simple zucchini quiche
• cauliflower mac ‘n cheese
• artichoke pasta bake

Want to make these now?  Are you missing some ingredients? Amazon Now can get them to you in a few hours,  Instacart can get them to you today.  Or add them to your Peapod grocery list and don't be stuck without them again!