Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables to roast. So much more flavor is brought out when it is cooked in the oven this way! When you add a light sprinkle of freshly grated cheese on top? Heaven. I made a giant tray of this broccoli to serve with Five Minute Marinara over angel hair pasta last week. I like to add broccoli to the bowl with the pasta and toss it all together for myself.
Oven Roasted Broccoli
Almost 15 years ago, my friend Sandra brought us a meal after my son Ben was born and she included a whole tray of roasted broccoli on the side. Wow. We had no idea that broccoli could really taste this delicious! We ate that tray of broccoli in one sitting and I immediately made a note to start making roasted broccoli more often. When you roast broccoli, it develops a perfect slight crispness around the edges that yields to tender flavorful veggie goodness when you take a bite. If you already love the taste of broccoli, you’re going to be absolutely delighted by this method of how to roast broccoli.
If you’re not yet won over by broccoli, can I recommend trying it this way before you write it off completely? Along with this method, I also recommend this Oven Roasted Broccoli made with honey and Sriracha! My kids aren’t big broccoli lovers but that’s fine by me. It means there’s even more roasted broccoli with those crisped brown edges left for me. Even though broccoli isn’t their favorite, this oven-roasted broccoli recipe one of the few broccoli recipes they’ll actually eat. Maybe it’s all that nutty pecorino flavor? Whatever it is, I’m not complaining. I make my kids their favorite foods all the time so the least they can do is learn to like some of MY favorites, too! When mom is happy at dinnertime, everyone’s happier too–am I right? Topped with just a bit of freshly grated cheese, this is one of our favorite year-round side dishes. I know you’re going to love it too!
How to Roast Broccoli
New to roasting broccoli? You’re going to love how easy and hands off it is to make. After cutting off the stems, just toss with olive oil and seasoning, pop in the oven and wait for the tips to get a little bit brown. And if you don’t mind stems (like me), you can even leave them pretty long here and save yourself a little chopping. Another way to save time: use pre-washed and chopped broccoli florets from the grocery store. If you typically steam or stir-fry your broccoli, I think you’re going to be so impressed by how wonderful it is baked in the oven. The olive oil seeps in between the tips of every floret creating a remarkably satisfying taste. I love broccoli every which way, but I can’t recommend roasting enough. Leftovers keep well when covered tightly in the fridge for a couple of days. Reheating the broccoli will result in some of the crispness being lost, but it’s still delicious! I like to toss some of the leftover broccoli on salads too, especially pasta salad.
Roasted Broccoli with Pecorino Romano
While I originally used Pecorino as the cheese of choice here, I’ve also made it many times with freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead. Both ways are phenomenal so you really can’t go wrong! It’s not overwhelmingly cheesy and the light seasoning brings out the natural good taste of the broccoli. I like adding a little garlic powder to my broccoli before roasting, but it’s completely optional. A little salt, a little black pepper and you’re in business! If you want some heat, crushed red pepper flakes could be a good addition to this roasted broccoli recipe, too. I make this as a side dish for just about any main dish, from Crispy Oven Baked Chicken to Ham Balls. It’s also delicious served over pasta! But to be frank, I’ve also eaten a giant bowl of Roasted Broccoli with Pecorino for lunch all on its own. It’s that good.
Broccoli Recipes
I buy broccoli just about every time I go grocery shopping. It’s my go-to vegetable when I’m not sure what kind of side dish to serve! Along with this roasted broccoli with cheese, you need to try this Irresistible Mandarin Roasted Broccoli too. But there’s no reason the green superstar of the veggie world needs to stay on the sidelines! It’s a vital part of some of my favorite entrees. This Chinese Beef and Broccoli is even better than take out and super easy to make. As far as casseroles go it can hardly get any better than Baked Potato Chicken and Broccoli Casserole. Love cheese and broccoli together? You’ll want to try this Broccoli Cheese Soup soon and add this Cheesy Broccoli Bacon Scramble to your meal plan. With just a few simple fresh ingredients, this Oven Roasted Broccoli is bound to become your new favorite side dish!
{orginally published 12/12/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 4/13/20}
