This is a variation of our crispy roasted broccoli base recipe. Roasting broccoli brings out its natural sweetness, making it more palatable for the pickiest of eaters. We take it one step further and toss it with lemon juice, zest, and parmesan cheese for an unbeatable flavor!
Three Must-Know Cooking Skills
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Culinary Tips for the Best Lemon Roasted Broccoli
Combining the oil, salt, and granulated garlic together first ensures even flavor distribution.
If using a whole broccoli crown, be sure to cut it into uniform, bite-sized florets. Using bagged florets? Break large pieces into smaller pieces.
If you have a head of broccoli with 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 leads to mushy broccoli!
When adding the cheese, add it during the last minute of cooking so 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
- Canola Oil: substitute avocado or a lower quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Granulated Garlic: substitute ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 finely minced garlic clove.
- Broccoli: use pre-chopped florets, stems, or crowns. You can also use broccolini, but note that the final texture will differ.
- Parmesan: substitute with grana padano or pecorino.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: you can use bottled lemon juice and omit the zest, but it won’t be quite as delicious!
- Crushed Red Pepper: omit or substitute a dash of hot paprika or cayenne.
We love buying our spices from The Spice House. Click on the picture below to view & try out hundreds of flavorful spices and herbs!
Recipe Variations
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley after cooking for a pop of freshness.
Want more broccoli recipe inspiration?
Use our crispy roasted broccoli base recipe as a guide to make this recipe your own!
Equipment Recommendations
You just need a few simple equipment items for this recipe!
Find all of our favorite kitchen tools here!
Health Benefits of Roasted Lemon Broccoli
Roasted broccoli has far 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, healthy cooking oil, lemon, and parmesan.
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 Oil
Canola oil contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. It also has a high smoke point, making it ideal for high-heat cooking methods like roasting.
Lemon
Lemons are rich in vitamin C and phytonutrients. They also have antibacterial and antiviral properties, which can help fight infections and boost your immune system.
Parmesan
Cheese is a good source of calcium and protein, which are important for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. While research is currently challenging the belief that full-fat dairy products are harmful, cheese is high in saturated fat, so we suggest trying to limit how much you eat until we know more. Try to stick to the suggested amount in the recipe.
Learn more about the health benefits of vegetables and other foods in our book!
Serving Suggestions for Garlic Lemon Roasted Broccoli
Serve lemon roasted broccoli as a tasty side to roasted salmon, beef and bean burgers, or turkey meatballs to create a balanced plate. Combine with cooked quinoa, roasted chickpeas, shredded chicken, and a tasty vinaigrette to make a beautiful and flavorful meal!
Want to learn how to build a healthy plate? Use our Whole Life Plate as a guide!
Storage Tips
Lemon parmesan roasted broccoli will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator, although it will lose some of its crispness as it sits! Reheat in a 375ºF oven for the best texture.
Want more healthy vegetable recipes?
Check out these favorites, and as always, adjust to YOUR taste!
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Lemon Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tablespoons canola or avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Dash Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 12 ounces broccoli florets (~1 large head with stems or 1 medium crown)
- 2 Tablespoons grated or shredded parmesan
- Zest and juice from ½ small lemon (~ 1 Tablespoon juice + 1/4 teaspoon zest)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, and optional crushed red 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 parmesan. Return to the oven for a minute. Remove and sprinkle lemon juice and zest on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ Questions:
What type of oil is best for roasting broccoli?
High smoke point oils like canola oil or avocado oil work best because they help the broccoli caramelize evenly at high temperatures
