Lemony Charred Broccoli with Parmesan
Listen up friends, because we need to talk about this charred broccoli ASAP! I never knew I could love broccoli this much, but I swear, I make it at home at least twice a week. With lots of lemon, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a sprinkle of parmesan, it's bright, a tad spicy, and has the loveliest crispy edges. This is one of my go-to sides for dinner parties, holidays, and casual weeknight dinners!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns, sliced into bite-sized florets (680 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (30 milliliters)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes + more to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1 small lemon)
- 1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan (25 grams)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- large mixing bowl
- 2 sheet pans (preferably seasoned)
Instructions
- Place two sheet pans in the oven, and set the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Place the broccoli florets in a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli. Then, add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Toss until the broccoli is well-coated in the oil and seasonings.
- Next, carefully grease the hot sheet pans with neutral oil or cooking spray. Then, spoon the broccoli florets evenly between the pans and spread the florets out so they are not overcrowding the pans. Do your best to place the broccoli florets cut-side down to get the most amount of char and caramelization. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Toss the broccoli and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the florets are tender, browned, and charred on the edges. Then, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli and toss. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top. Bake for another 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Notes
Cut the florets to a similar size to make sure that everything cooks evenly. I like bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch).
If you're sensitive to spice, start with a pinch of red pepper flakes and add more to taste. Or, leave them out all together.
Placing the sheet pans in the oven is the secret to perfectly charred, caramelized broccoli. Don't skip this step!
Don't crowd the pan. Otherwise the veggies will steam instead of caramelize! Make sure that broccoli has room to "breathe" in the oven.
I like a lot of crispiness to my broccoli so I usually bake for a few extra minutes. If you want less char, cook closer to 2o minutes or cut the broccoli florets larger.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 7.1g, Protein: 5.3g, Fat: 8.6g, Saturated Fat: 1.9g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 143mg, Potassium: 392mg, Fiber: 2.6g, Sugar: 1.7g, Calcium: 106mg, Iron: 1mg
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