This slow roasted broccoli with lemon and parmesan is one of my favorite side dishes. Growing up, I refused to eat broccoli unless it was smothered in cheese sauce. Not the healthiest option, but it was a way for me to get veggies in. I graduated to eating steamed broccoli, still with cheese but not as much. It wasn’t till my early twenties when I was living on my own and starting to cook for myself did I try roasting it.
This is when the lightbulb went off. I always thought I just didn’t like broccoli or it wasn’t good. The reality was I just had never had it prepared in a great way. Boiled with cheese sauce was good enough for me as a kid. Steamed was okay but I was never crazy about it. Slow roasting, I found was the sweet spot. Roasting broccoli at a lower heat allows it to get crispy on the ends but still tender through out the middle.
Ingredients
- Broccoli: The star of the show. Always buy fresh, never frozen and cut it yourself.
- Olive Oil: Necessary for drizzling and getting the crispy bits on the broccoli.
- Lemon: Fresh squeezed lemon juice balances out the roasted flavor
- Cheese: This one is just for fun, it dresses up the dish a bit and adds a tangy flavor
How To Make Slow Roasted Broccoli
Gather your ingredients
Slice broccoli into flowers and spread on a sheet pan.
Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast at 375 for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and roast for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over broccoli.
Grate Parmigiano Reggiano over cheese. A quarter cup is good, or you can measure to your heart’s desire.
Serve immediately. Tag me @lifeskandy if you make this dish!
Slow Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 2 bunches broccoli
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut stalks off broccoli into florets.
- Spread cut broccoli on a sheet pan.
- Drizzle broccoli with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the broccoli to evenly coat with mixture, and spread into one even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and squeeze lemon juice over broccoli.
- Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, omit cheese.
- Pecorino Romano would be a good cheese substitute.
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