The Best Lemon Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli Snack Time
Being more flexible and working from home means I get to indulge in a light afternoon snack. And this lemony roasted broccoli is the perfect afternoon snack. It is nice and crispy and that hit of lemon zest is just everything. It could also easily pass as a side to any dish you are making. Just to add that little bit of green to the plate.
Steam or Roast?
With most vegetables you are confronted with the option of steaming or roasting. I always choose to roast. It just gets more flavor and the texture is waaaaay better. When I think of steaming vegetables, I just get visuals of very unappetizing and kind of grey looking vegetables devoid of any real flavor. I also think roasting vegetables can pass the kids test. For example I did a garlic roasted radish which was a huge hit with parents. Apparently the kids just loved it so much the parents barely got to try it. Personally, I think this recipe will be another one of those. A great way to trick your kids to eat vegetables. Simply because it’s so delicious, they won’t have anything to object to.
It’s not Burnt
You might think after taking the broccoli out that they might be burnt. But trust, they are not burnt. These are the most delicious bits and it helps dry out the broccoli to get it crispy. The trick to getting the maximum amount if crisp is to make sure your broccoli is completely dry after washing. I even read a funny post about people searching on google for burnt broccoli recipes. But again, I have to say they are not burnt it’s just the edges that are slightly charred.
Variety of Options
This lemon roasted broccoli is just the start. Just think about all the options you have to flavor your roasted broccoli. I have listed a few options below to get you started. But it’s as easy as using your imagination and having fun in the kitchen.
- Parmesan covered roasted broccoli
- Garlic roasted broccoli
- Chili flakes flavored oil roasted broccoli
- Curry spiced roasted broccoli
- Simple salt and pepper
- Sesame and ginger roasted broccoli
And I can just keep going, but I leave the rest up to you and your imigination. Have fun and enjoy!
Lemon Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients
- 700 gram broccoli
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225°C.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the broccoli in bite size florets and place on the baking sheet.
- In a small bowl mix the olive oil, salt, lemon juice and zest and black pepper.
- Pour mixture over broccoli, slightly toss if necessary to cover all broccoli.
- Put in the oven for 15-20 min until slightly charred around the edges.
- Take out of the oven and enjoy immediately.