This is one of our base recipes. If you think that you don’t like broccoli, then you have to try this crispy roasted broccoli base recipe. If you already like broccoli, get ready to like it even more!
Three Must-Know Cooking Skills
For culinary success, learn how to:
Culinary Tips for the Best Roasted Broccoli
Combine the oil, salt, and spices in a bowl first to ensure even flavor distribution.
If using a whole broccoli crown, be sure to cut it into uniform, bite-sized florets. For pre-cut florets in a bag, break large pieces into smaller pieces.
If using a head of broccoli that has a long stem, don’t throw the stem away! Peel the extra tough layers off, then dice the remaining stem into bite-sized pieces.
Should you steam broccoli before roasting? Nope! The broccoli will cook all the way through in the oven.
Do not overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding causes steaming which will lead to mushy broccoli!
If adding the optional cheese, add it during the last minute of cooking so that it melts but doesn’t burn.
For best results when roasting, use our memorable acronym: ROAST WELL.
Right Temp
Set your oven to a high cooking temperature to achieve optimal caramelization. In general, anywhere between 400ºF and 500ºF is considered a roasting temperature.
Oil Generously
Don’t be scared of oil! Healthy oils add nutrition, satiety, and great flavor to roasted vegetables. Make sure every piece is thoroughly coated with oil; it’s better to use a little too much than not enough. Use oils with high smoke points, such as canola or avocado oil.
Alike Items
If you want to roast an assortment of vegetables at the same time, select ones that are similar and will cook in the same amount of time.
Skip Pan Liners
For best caramelization and browning, place the oil-coated vegetables directly onto the pan. Although parchment paper, silicone mats, and foil make clean-up easier (we get it!), your vegetables won’t be quite as delicious.
Traditional Sheet Pan
When roasting, be sure to use a traditional sheet pan, with no more than a 1-inch rim along the sides. Deeper dishes cause vegetables to steam rather than roast – not optimal when trying to make crispy veggies! A metal pan also ensures browning.
Wash and Dry
You should always wash fresh produce before eating or cooking, but another important step when roasting is to make sure your vegetables are dry. Water generates steam, and again, we want to avoid steam to ensure the vegetables turn brown and crispy.
Even Cuts
It is important to make your pieces approximately the same size to ensure even cooking. Small pieces cook faster than large pieces. Check out our online Knife Skills class to improve your speed and efficiency in the kitchen!
Leave Space
Spread the vegetables out on a sheet pan and leave plenty of space around each piece. If you overcrowd the pan, the vegetables will steam. Are you noticing a trend here? Steam is the enemy when trying to create crisp, roasted veggies!
When in doubt, use two pans. Yes, that might mean more dishes to clean, but we promise that it will be worth it!
Let them Cook!
Cooking requires patience. While it can be tempting to pull the vegetables from the oven once they are soft, make sure that they get that nice, brown exterior. For longer cooking vegetables, such as potatoes, you can stir them halfway through the cook time to brown on all sides, but it’s not totally necessary.
Learn more about how to roast vegetables in this article!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Broccoli: use pre-chopped florets, stems, or crowns. You can also use broccolini, but note that the final texture will be different.
- Canola or Avocado Oil: substitute a lower quality extra virgin olive oil.
Recipe Variations
Remember that this is a base recipe, so the goal is for you to customize it to your taste! Keep it simple or spice it up!
Use these additional ingredients for even more flavorful broccoli.
- Fresh Herbs: add hearty or dried herbs, such as rosemary, oregano, or thyme at the beginning of cooking for herb roasted broccoli. Add delicate herbs such as parsley, basil, dill, or cilantro after cooking.
- Garlic: substitute ½ teaspoon pre-minced garlic, ½ teaspoon garlic flakes, ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic, or ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Spices: use chili powder, paprika, cumin, turmeric, or your favorite spice blend. Make spicy roasted broccoli by adding ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- Parmesan: substitute Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano, or Asiago.
- Lemon: add or replace lemon juice with fresh lemon zest for an extra bright pop of flavor!
Try out these spice combinations for cuisine-inspired broccoli.
- Indian spiced roasted broccoli: use garam masala or curry powder.
- Mediterranean roasted broccoli: use ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and add fresh dill, oregano, and/or mint after cooking.
- Mexican roasted broccoli: add 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon paprika.
Equipment Recommendations
For recipe success, use the following pieces of equipment:
Health Benefits of Crispy Roasted Broccoli
Crispy roasted broccoli has way more flavor than raw or steamed, so if you’re working to get picky eaters to eat their veggies, this is an easy recipe to add to your rotation! The featured ingredients in this recipe are broccoli, canola oil, and spices.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable and a member of the dark green vegetable category. Most Americans don’t get enough vegetables from either of these groups and are therefore missing out on many health promoting benefits. Broccoli is also a good source of plant-based calcium.
Canola or Avocado Oil
Both canola and avocado oil contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. They also have high smoke points, making them ideal for high-heat cooking methods, such as roasting.
Spices
Spices add flavor and nutrition to this recipe. Using spices decreases the need for salt, which may help reduce hypertension risk and therefore promote heart health. Additionally, most spices contain powerful antioxidants which may help reduce inflammation in the body.
Learn more about the health benefits of spices in this article!
Serving Suggestions for Roasted Spiced Broccoli
Serve this easy roasted broccoli as a side to roasted fish, beef and bean burgers, or turkey meatballs to create a balanced plate. Or combine with whole grains, beans, and vinaigrette for a balanced grain bowl. Combine with cooked quinoa, roasted chickpeas, massaged kale, and this vegan tahini dressing to make a beautiful and filling salad!
Storage Tips
Allow broccoli to cool, then store in an airtight container. Roasted broccoli will last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, although it will definitely lose some of its crispness as it sits! Reheat in a 375ºF oven for best texture.
Want more healthy vegetable recipes?
Try out these favorites, and as always, adjust to YOUR taste!
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges Base Recipe
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
Crispy Roasted Broccoli Base Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons canola or avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 ounces broccoli florets (~1 large head with stems or 1 medium crown)
Additions to YOUR taste
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs
- 1 small garlic clove, minced (~½ teaspoon)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼-1 teaspoon spice(s)
- 1-2 Tablespoons grated or shredded cheese
- Sprinkle lemon juice and/or zest from half lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, salt, and optional hearty herbs, garlic, spices, and pepper.
- Break larger broccoli florets into smaller pieces and add to the bowl. Using a spatula, toss to evenly coat with oil mixture.
- Spread broccoli on a baking sheet in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan. Roast 16-18 minutes or until edges are brown and florets are easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with optional fresh herbs, parmesan, lemon juice, and/or lemon zest to taste. Enjoy!
