Oven roasted broccolini that's roasted until slightly charred with a squeeze of lemon and sprinkles of red pepper flakes. It's the perfect side dish for your next weeknight dinner. This simple recipe comes together in about 15-20 minutes and pairs nicely with almost any main dish.
If you're looking to add more vegetables into your life, but are tired of boring bland steamed broccoli, you gotta give roasted broccolini a try.
This no-fuss side dish is made with 4 basic ingredients that are most likely in your pantry as we speak. However, if you do not have the same ingredients on hand - don't fret. As long as you have extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil and kosher salt you're good to go. This recipe is easily adaptable to meet your needs and taste buds.
My goal is to provide you with recipes that you can easily transform based on the ingredients you already have on hand.
Sure, some recipes may require that you have some of the same key ingredients in order to capture the true essence of the dish, but more often than not you can use seasoning and spices you currently have to capture that same great taste.
So come along and join me on this quick ride as I walk you through the steps for crispy oven roasted broccolini.
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Ingredients
- Fresh broccolini
- Cooking oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or grape-seed oil
- Kosher salt
- Juice of a fresh lemon
- Red pepper flakes
Essentials
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (for easy clean-up)
- Sharp knife (to remove fibrous part of stem)
What is the difference between broccoli and broccolini
Broccolini also known as broccolette or baby broccoli are the same, so the three words can be used interchangeably. Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli and is closely related to the cabbage family.
The most noticeable difference between broccolini and broccoli are their physical appearance and taste.
Broccolini has a tall slender stalk with short florets and small leaves which are edible. It's tender and more delicate and taste milder and slightly sweet.
Broccoli on the other hand, has a short stalk and a large flowering head and are heartier with a slight bitter taste.
Both broccolini and broccoli are great for sauteing or adding to stir frys; however, when steaming, broccoli holds up better compared to broccolini.
How to roast broccolini
Roasting broccolini comes together fairly quickly:
- Wash broccolini and pat dry well with paper towels
- Cut the ends of the stems off and discard (the ends are very fibrous and woodsy and aren't edible)
- Drizzle liberally with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or grape-seed oil
- Season with kosher salt and/or other seasonings
- Place in the oven to roast until florets become slightly charred
- When done, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top
- Sprinkle with crushed red peppers (optional) for a little kick
(Note: As the broccolini roasts in the oven, it will begin to shrivel in size)
Frequently Asked Questions
When roasting broccolini in a 415 degree preheated oven, it will take between 15 to 20 minutes for the florets to become nicely charred and crisp.
At the bare minimal, it's important to use either extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or grape-seed oil to coat the broccolini, so it doesn't become dry and burnt in the oven. In addition, kosher salt is a must to add flavor, so it doesn't taste bland.
From there, you can add other seasonings such as granulated onion power and garlic powder, or sprinkle in dried herbs for a more herby tasting broccolini which pairs nicely with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Tips
- Cut about 1 to 2 inches off the ends of each stem and discard (the ends are fibrous and shouldn't be eaten).
- Line the broccolini up and cut through as many stems at one time to speed up the process.
- Massage the florets and remaining stems really well with with either olive oil, avocado oil or grape-seed oil to prevent the broccolini from becoming dry.
- Do not crowd the baking sheet as this will cause your broccolini to steam instead of roasting use 2 baking sheets if needed.
- Bake the broccolini at a relatively high temperature.
- I roast broccolini at 415 degrees. Although oven temperatures may vary, 415 degrees is the perfect temperature for creating nice crispy brown edges.
- Be mindful of the amount of time you're roasting. Do not over-bake the broccolini whereby the florets begin to burn and taste bitter. Bake between 15-20 minutes to get the perfect amount of char. I prefer 20 minutes.
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Thanks for visiting,
Cree
📖 Recipe
Oven Roasted Broccolini
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (avocado oil or grapeseed oil)
- 3 bunches broccolini (aka broccolette)
- 2 tsp kosher salt (more or less to taste)
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste)
- 2 tsp crushed red peppers (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut lemon into wedges. Set aside.
- Wash broccolini and pat dry with paper towel. Trim ends of stems (about 1 to 2 inches) and discard. Drizzle liberally with extra virgin olive oil and toss making sure all florets are coated. Season with kosher salt. Roast for 15 minutes or until florets are slightly charred.
- Remove from broccolini from oven. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Garnish with lemon wedges and crushed red peppers (optional)
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cut about 1 to 2 inches off the ends of each stem and discard (the ends are fibrous and shouldn't be eaten).
- Line the broccolini up and cut through as many stems at one time to speed up the process.
- Massage the florets and remaining stems really well with with either olive oil, avocado oil or grape-seed oil to prevent the broccolini from becoming dry.
- Do not crowd the baking sheet as this will cause your broccolini to steam instead of roasting use 2 baking sheets if needed.
- Bake the broccolini at a relatively high temperature.
- I roast broccolini at 415 degrees. Although oven temperatures may vary, 415 degrees is the perfect temperature for creating nice crispy brown edges.
- Be mindful of the amount of time you're roasting. Do not over-bake the broccolini whereby the florets begin to burn and taste bitter. Bake between 15-20 minutes to get the perfect amount of char. I prefer 20 minutes.
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