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Roasted Broccoli

Platter of roasted broccoli.
Photograph by Alex Lau
  • Active Time

    5 minutes

  • Total Time

    40 minutes

Knowing how to make roasted vegetables is a skill every cook should master—and this simple roasted broccoli recipe is an excellent place to start. A balance of charred, crunchy bits and crisp-tender stems is the goal here, and we achieve that by tossing the florets with a substantial glug of oil and roasting at high heat. This technique yields evenly-crisped broccoli that can be dressed up in various ways.

A few tips for the best broccoli: The stems are just as flavorful as the fresh broccoli florets, so only discard the dried-out ends. Some thicker stalks can be fibrous—use a Y-peeler or paring knife to remove the outer layer and reveal the tender core, which you can chop into bite-size pieces. To help with browning, make sure your broccoli is dry before you start cooking, and arrange the pieces in a single layer with no parchment paper. Finally, don’t overcrowd the sheet pan. Broccoli needs breathing room and high heat; arranging in an even layer allows steam to escape, guaranteeing those crispy edges.

You can serve this simple, healthy side dish as is—or pair it with a zippy tahini sauce, pile it on toast with garlicky ricotta and hot honey, or top it with items from your pantry: a sprinkle of garlic powder and a squeeze of lemon juice; a drizzle of balsamic and extra-virgin olive oil; and/or a shower of Parmesan cheese would all be welcome here. Once you get the hang of the cooking method, you can change the star ingredient to make roasted cauliflower, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, or any number of other roasted veggies in your favorite way.

Ingredients

4 to 6 Servings

2

large heads of broccoli, cut into large florets with some stalk attached

5

Tbsp. olive oil

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450°. Toss broccoli and oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned, 25–35 minutes.

    Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in November 2015. Head this way for more of our best vegetable recipes

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  • This is the only way we make broccoli now. It’s so delicious that it often doesn’t hand it to our plates! Tastes great when seasoned with all purpose seasonings too.

    • Erin B.

    • Baltimore

    • 1/7/2023

  • Roasted broccoli is the new popcorn for me! I’ve been making roasted broccoli for awhile now and it’s kind of an art. It has to be the right amount of olive oil, I flip them over at 15 minutes and check after another 10 minutes. I add salt, paper, and minced garlic to mine and everyone loves it :)

    • Katalina

    • Wisconsin

    • 5/17/2022

  • this is great if u like baby food. fail

    • Anonymous

    • 2/25/2022

  • Way too long on the cooking time. Check it at 15, 20 mins max. 450 for 35 minutes will yield burnt broccoli.

    • Kevin R

    • Atlanta, GA

    • 5/1/2021

  • I love this recipe! It's so simple yet so delicious. My oven is a bit hotter than most so I checked on the broccoli every 10 minutes. The light charring of the broccoli gives it an amazing flavor you just don't get with steamed broccoli. Will make often! Thanks!

    • Anonymous

    • 48176

    • 5/29/2020

  • I made this roasted broccoli to serve with grilled salmon. Followed the recipe to a "T" and it was the temperature and time that I would adjust. Use your oven thermometer to stay on temperature and start checking at 20 minutes. My oven is spot on and I relied on the timing and that was my mistake. I should know better! This recipe is a 2 as written and 5 with adjustment.

    • Anonymous

    • Texas

    • 10/20/2017