Boiling may be the go-to way to cook broccoli, but it's far from the only option. If you want to stop the green vegetable from being soggy and bland, and bring out more flavour, there's one simple alternative worth trying. It could completely change the way you think about broccoli.
A Chef's Alternative to Boiling
Chef and food blogger Erren Hart from Erren's Kitchen shared her recipe for "the best broccoli of your life." She ditches the traditional method for roasting broccoli in the oven and adds three ingredients for a burst of flavour. Erren shared: "Roasted fresh broccoli with garlic, lemon, and Parmesan cheese, this side dish recipe is sure to be the best broccoli of your life!"
How to Make Roasted Broccoli
This recipe takes 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook. The ingredients listed below serve six people; however, you can tweak and customise the amounts to suit the number you will serve.
What you'll need:
- Two large heads of broccoli (1.8 kilograms)
- Four garlic cloves
- Six and a half tablespoons of olive oil
- One and a half teaspoons of salt
- Half a teaspoon of ground black pepper
- Two teaspoons of lemon zest
- Two tablespoons of lemon juice
- One-third of a cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Method and Tips
To begin, preheat your oven to 200°C before preparing the dish. Then, wash and cut the broccoli into small pieces, keeping a little of the stalk attached. Cut any large pieces in half so they can cook evenly. Next, place the broccoli on a large baking tray in a single layer. Unpeel and slice your garlic before adding to the tray, then drizzle over five tablespoons of olive oil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the broccoli is tender and the edges are nicely browned. Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss it with the remaining tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, and freshly grated Parmesan. Serve when immediately done. This dish pairs well with chicken, salmon, steak, tofu, and chickpeas. It can also be enjoyed on its own or as a side to pasta or a bed of rice.
Reader Reactions
Reviewers of the recipe left raving comments on the site, with one person saying: "Delicious beats boiled brockers!" Another added: "Love the flavour!" Someone else noted: "Parmesan cheese is absolutely loaded with salt, so you certainly don't need to add any extra! Especially if you are on a sodium-reduced eating plan." The chef replied: "That's a great point! Parmesan does add quite a bit of salty flavour, which is why I typically recommend seasoning to taste. If you're watching your sodium intake, you can certainly reduce or even skip the added salt and let the Parmesan do the work. Thanks for sharing your tip!"
