Oven-roasted broccoli is so tasty. All it needs are olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a hot oven!
It's the perfect weeknight side dish because it's truly easy to make, and it's ready in just 20 minutes.
Roasting vegetables caramelizes them and makes them extra flavorful. It's the best way of cooking veggies, in my opinion, and this oven-roasted broccoli is a great example. (Roasted green beans and roasted asparagus are also lovely).
The best part? Oven-baking is so easy. It is a hands-off cooking method, unlike pan-frying, which requires constant attention.
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Ingredients
You'll only need four ingredients to make this tasty side dish. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Fresh broccoli: I often make my life easy and use pre-cut and pre-washed bagged broccoli.
- Olive oil: I love cooking with this very flavorful oil. It has a relatively low smoke point, so you can use melted butter or avocado oil instead.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should use half the amount listed in the recipe card, or the broccoli could come out too salty.
Variations
- After the first 10 minutes in the oven, sprinkle the broccoli florets with garlic powder and parmesan cheese, lightly spray them with olive oil, and continue roasting for 5 more minutes.
- You can also add more spices at this point, including red pepper flakes, onion powder, and dried thyme.
- You can use melted butter instead of olive oil.
- I sometimes squeeze fresh lemon juice on the broccoli once it's done.
Oven-Roasted Broccoli Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
- Cut the broccoli into florets and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Photo 1).
- Next, drizzle the florets with olive oil. Use your hands to coat them with the oil. (Photo 2).
- Sprinkle the broccoli with salt and pepper. (Photo 3).
- Bake it for about 15 minutes in a 450°F oven. (Photo 4).
Expert Tip
There's no need to discard the broccoli stalks. Broccoli stems are delicious. Simply peel them, cut them into pieces, and bake them on a separate baking sheet.
The stalks need to cook slightly longer, so you should place them in the oven about five minutes before putting the florets in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Roast it! When cooked in a hot oven, broccoli doesn't need much seasoning, although you can certainly experiment with spices if you wish.
Plenty of good olive oil, coarse kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper - that's all it takes to turn broccoli into a crispy, flavorful delicacy.
One of my kids is notorious for being a very picky eater. As you can imagine, broccoli is NOT on her list of favorite foods. As you can also imagine, I very much want her to eat this vegetable! Luckily, when I bake it in the oven, she's much more open to eating it.
Not long! It only needs about 15 minutes in a hot 450°F oven. You don't want to overcook it, or it will become mushy.
I don't. I let it cook undisturbed because I want those tasty caramelized bits, and the best way to achieve those is to allow the same areas of the florets to continuously touch the hot pan.
Surprisingly, yes. Roasted frozen broccoli in browned and crispy - almost as good as fresh broccoli.
Serving Suggestions
This is obviously a very versatile side dish that goes with lots of main courses. But since I cook it in a 450°F oven, I like to serve it with a main course that I can cook in the same oven. So I often serve it with any of the following:
Storing Leftovers
The leftovers keep reasonably well for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container:
But this is one of those dishes best eaten fresh out of the oven. The broccoli florets lose their crispiness and become mushy when stored.
Sometimes I use the leftovers in an omelet the next day. That's actually very good, and I highly recommend it. They are also good when added cold to a salad, such as no-mayo chicken salad or turkey salad.
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Recipe Card
Oven-Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh broccoli
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.*
- Cut the broccoli into large florets, with some of the stalk attached. Arrange the florets in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli. Use your hands to make sure all the broccoli florets are well coated.
- Sprinkle the broccoli with kosher salt and with freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast until the broccoli is tender-crisp and beginning to char in places, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Alana
This is such a good recipe. I prefer to sue melted butter, but other than that, I follow the recipe exactly.
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you like it, Alana! Butter is delicious!