In terms of vegetables, broccoli seems to be one of the least offensive; most people seem to either like it or don’t mind it. However, there are some who have a distaste for this tree-shaped greenery. With this oven-roasted broccoli, I’m demonstrating my favorite way of making broccoli not only edible, but pretty darn tasty.
The main thing to keep in mind is how much browning you want your broccoli to have. Some people like a light charring, while others like it well-blackened. I’m somewhere in the middle, which is what the steps below should leave you with.
Another thing to consider is whether to roast the stems or not. I usually do since they’re plenty edible, and is what I recommend. If using the stems, you’ll want to slice them somewhat thin or they may not cook before the florets burn. If you’re worried about things going wrong, you can roast the stems and florets separately.
Aside from salt and pepper, some people enjoy a bit of lemon juice. While it’s probably a nice addition, I’ve never added it myself. You could also make something of a salad with broccoli, lemon juice, some nuts or seeds, and a cheese – like feta.
If you like this how-to for oven-roasted broccoli, or I left you wanting a salad, check out my recipe for cheeseburger salad.
Ingredients
Broccoli, as needed*
kosher salt, as needed
black pepper, as needed
vegetable oil, as needed
Preparation
Preheat your oven to 400 f (204 c). Add all your ingredients to a large bowl, then toss to combine. I recommend a container with a lid for optimum tossing conditions.
Place broccoli** on a baking sheet, then bake for ~15 minutes***.
Notes
* Most units of measurement wouldn’t be consistent here. Unfortunately, that also makes the remaining ingredients difficult to give. I’d say a light coating of everything is something to aim for.
Grams would technically work, but that seems excessive for such a simple technique; and frankly, I never measure anything here. I recommend doing what any normal, sane person would do and estimating everything. Every time you make this, you’ll thank yourself for the five minutes you don’t spend obsessing over vegetable perfection.
** You’ll want to be sure the pan isn’t too crowded, or you may not get as much browning. Again though, it’s not a big deal and likely won’t matter. If you have an absurd amount of food to roast, just use two sheet pans.
*** This is a rough estimate for something decently browned with the rawness cooked out. How long it actually takes will depend on the size of your florets. The ones pictured took about 15 minutes, so use those as a reference. Also keep in mind that the side touching the pan will get much more brown that the other sides. None of the pictured sides were touching the pan, so the browning looks more reserved.
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