Roasted broccoli tossed with sliced toasted almonds, red pepper flakes, garlic, lemon juice, and aged pecorino cheese. You won’t be able to stop eating this delicious broccoli side dish! Vegetarian and naturally gluten free.
Recipe by Laura / A Beautiful Plate on May 17, 2016
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT30M
Rating
4.67 stars (321 reviews)
Keywords
best roasted broccoli, broccoli, broccoli side dish, crack broccoli, roasted broccoli
Ingredients
1½ lbs broccoli crowns (roughly 2 heads)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves (finely grated with a microplane or pressed)
large pinch dried red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons raw sliced almonds, with or without skin
Preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C) with a rack in the center postion. Oven Temperature Note: I use a separate oven thermometer to ensure that my oven is calibrated properly. The high temperature ensures even and deep caramelization (and extra crispy, flavorful florets!). If your oven runs hot (you can check this by using an oven thermometer) or you prefer less crispy florets, reduce the oven temperature to 425°F-450°F (220°C-232°C) and adjust the cooking time as necessary.
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Trim any dry, tough ends of the broccoli crowns, leaving roughly 2-inches of stalk attached. Slice the broccoli into ½-inch-thick steaks, starting in the center of each broccoli crown and working out to the edges, reserving any small or medium florets that fall off for roasting. Slice any large remaining florets in half lengthwise. Note: If you’re having difficulty slicing the broccoli into ‘steaks’- medium florets will also work, but you will most likely need to reduce the temperature and roasting time to ensure that they do not burn. Try to make your broccoli pieces consistent in size, as this will help them roast evenly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, grated or pressed garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes. Add the broccoli steaks and toss gently until evenly coated. Arrange the broccoli, cut-side down, on the lined sheet pan, setting them apart slightly. Sprinkle with salt.
Roast the broccoli for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the broccoli, and sprinkle the almond slices evenly across the sheet pan. Roast for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is evenly caramelized and fork tender, and the almond slices are toasted and golden.
Transfer the broccoli to a platter, toss gently with the lemon juice and top with the grated pecorino cheese. Garnish with fresh lemon zest. Serve hot or at room temperature (it also tastes great cold). Leftover broccoli can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 182 kcal
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Protein: 3 g
Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Sodium: 307 mg
Sugar: 1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
Reviews
Steve on 2026-04-13 (5 stars): Made this tonight, great flavor, will be making this regularly.
Mary on 2024-12-23 (5 stars): I've made this 10+ times. I love it and so does anyone I make it for.
Michelle on 2024-06-26 (5 stars): I was looking for a new way to cook my usual bag of steamed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots) bc...well they're a bit boring by now. Tried your recipe and have to say, they came out delicious!!! I've even started adding them to pizzas to get my family to eat more veggies, and they're great on that too! Thanks so much!!
Lee Ann Carr on 2024-05-21 (5 stars): Absolutely delicious! I can't believe I liked this roasted broccoli so much that I had leftovers for breakfast. A healthy side for steak and my vegetarians will love it too! It's a super easy recipe- and my husband loved it!
Melissa Gran on 2024-03-21 (5 stars): This recipe is the reason my husband now likes broccoli. It has become one of our go to recipes.
Eileen on 2024-02-06 (5 stars): This is my new favorite broccoli recipe!!! I sprinkled toasted sliced almonds on top when done, leftovers are great, even cold
.Make It!!!
Caitie on 2024-01-20 (5 stars): I love this recipe. I first saw it posted by on Pinterest years ago - probably like 2012 or 2013. Has been a family favorite ever since! We make it all the time and I love that the ingredients are simple things I always have in my pantry/fridge to throw together an easy side dish.
For those asking about frozen broccoli, I do this with frozen almost exclusively. I use a 16 oz bag, cut the olive oil to 2 teaspoons, and roast on 425 for 15 mins, stir and flip broccoli and add almonds, and roast another 15. Turns out perfectly crispy and delicious!
Tanya on 2023-01-09 (5 stars): Absolutely named this recipe correctly! It is so delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Jon Fishburn on 2022-08-28 (5 stars): My first time was a hit!! The taste of oven roasted broccoli has always been a favorite of mine, but I generally do it with other vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, onions, and cherry tomatoes. I love this recipe, as it utilizes most of the crown and stock of the broccoli. The toasted almonds and garlic bring out a lot of additional flavor, but the lemon is the real spark here! Nice recipe!! I’m sold!
