Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Roasted parmesan broccoli is such a quick and easy way to get even the most vegetable unfriendly diner to eat their greens! I’ve served this to kids who have refused to eat veggies, and they have cleaned their plates. Parents sing the praises of this simple side dish!

I attribute the success of broccoli parmesan roasted to the Parmesan cheese and zippy lemon – you’ll use both lemon juice and lemon zest for extra flavor – which saves the dish from being bland. And, if you’ve never roasted broccoli you’re in for a treat. The high heat of the oven turns the broccoli nice and crisp, with a slight toastiness you won’t find when you steam it. Here’s why you’ll love this broccoli recipe:

• Picky-eater friendly. I don’t know about your kids, but it can be tough to get mine excited about eating green vegetables. Not so with parmesan roasted broccoli! The cheese adds just enough
• Short ingredients list. You’ll need just five simple ingredients to make this easy roasted broccoli recipe! It’s a naturally gluten free veggie side to pair with your meals.
• A new way to make broccoli. A side dish of broccoli is a go to when I need to make a last-minute green vegetable. Steaming or sauteing broccoli is just fine, but I like mixing it up every so often. Roasted parmesan broccoli makes something old new again and is also very easy to make!

What You’ll Need

I’ve outlined what you’ll need for this recipe below. Check the recipe card lower down for the full ingredient amounts.

• Broccoli Florets: Choose firm broccoli without any brown spots.
• Olive Oil: I like to extra-virgin olive oil in my recipes.
• Salt and Pepper: I use kosher salt and ground black pepper.
• Parmesan Cheese: Use fresh Parmesan cheese for this broccoli parmesan roasted recipe. You can grate it yourself or buy a package of grated parmesan from the refrigerated cheese section.
• Lemon: You’ll need both lemon zest and juice in this recipe.

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli?

You can use frozen broccoli to make parmesan roasted broccoli, although I prefer to use fresh broccoli because it contains less water. But, you can certainly use frozen broccoli if needed. If you roast frozen broccoli, make sure to spread the broccoli out in an even layer on the baking sheet with plenty of room in between each piece so that there is less chance that the broccoli will get soggy in the oven as it cooks. In addition, frozen broccoli may need slightly less time to cook than fresh broccoli because it’s been blanched before being frozen. Note that the texture of roasted, frozen broccoli will not be as crisp as if you used fresh broccoli.

How To Make Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Here’s a look at how you’ll make this easy side dish. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 450ºF and coat a baking sheet with oil.
• Season the broccoli. Season the broccoli florets with olive oil and salt and pepper, then toss the broccoli to coat.

• Add to pan. Spread the broccoli in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Roast. Cover the broccoli with foil and roast it for 10 minutes.

• Add more cheese. Uncover the broccoli and sprinkle it with parmesan cheese.
• Finish roasting. Return the pan to the oven and roast it for another 10-20 minutes.

• Add lemon zest and juice. Zest the lemon and squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli.
• Finish with cheese. Sprinkle the broccoli with the last of the parmesan.

Tips & Variations

You can roast the broccoli to al dente (my preference) or cook it slightly softer (my family’s preference). Or, you can make it in the air fryer. See a few more tips and suggestions below:

• Make it soft or firm. If you like your roasted broccoli on the softer side, make sure to cover the pan with foil for the first 10 minutes. This allows it to steam a bit. Then you’ll remove the foil and roast it uncovered for a few minutes to get that lovely toasted flavor. However, if you prefer firmer broccoli, omit the foil altogether.
• Try other cheese. You can use this basic method with other cheeses. I like to add feta cheese crumbles instead of the Parmesan, or you can try soft goat cheese.
• Use the air fryer. Try the air fryer to make roasted parmesan broccoli: Prepare the recipe following the instructions, then transfer the broccoli to an air fryer set to 375°F and cook it for about 8-10 minutes, until the broccoli is crisp.
• Add more lemon. I love lemon and often add the juice of the entire lemon. Or, serve the broccoli with lemon wedges on the side for easy squeezing if you want extra.
• With protein. To round out this dish a bit more, consider adding a can of drained white beans or chickpeas. The beans will cook along with the broccoli, and you can serve them with a pot of brown rice or quinoa for a vegetarian dinner.