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Home Side Dishes Magic Broccoli

Magic Broccoli

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 This is the best damn broccoli ever. 

Roasted Broccoli (Magic Broccoli) - the best damn broccoli you will ever have. 4 ingredient magic. www.recipetineats.com

I don’t usually litter my posts with profanities. But they’re just flowing out of me as I type up this post and I can’t seem to get a handle on it. So apologies in advance if you are offended!

This is hands down the best damn broccoli I have ever had in my life. I don’t take credit for it. It’s based on a Ina Garten recipe (aka Barefoot Contessa). Her recipe is jazzed up with pine nuts and basil leaves, neither of which I had in stock and frankly, I don’t intend to bother because this is so damn good as it is. And also pine nuts are really expensive!

Oh, also she says use 4 to 5 pounds (2 – 2.5kg) of broccoli which I think is way too much for an ordinary meal so I’ve cut this down to 1 giant head of broccoli or 2 medium heads to serve 4. This might seem like a lot but the broccoli shrinks a bit while roasting so I find that a very full tray is the perfect amount to serve 4 as a side or 2 as a main.

Roasted Broccoli (Magic Broccoli) - the best damn broccoli you will ever have. 4 ingredient magic. www.recipetineats.com

Apparently this is one of the most pinned Broccoli recipes on Pinterest - and I get it!!!

The crazy thing is, this recipe is so simple! It is not much more effort than steaming them in the microwave, though it does take longer because you bake the broccoli. Baking is the key! Roasting broccoli creates a flavour that is light years away from plain steamed broccoli, it sweetens it and you also get the caramelisation. Plus, it sucks up the flavour of the lemon juice when you drizzle it over the broccoli while still hot. I tried it once with steamed broccoli and it didn’t absorb the lemon juice at all. It’s the “secret” that makes this broccoli so amazing!

To finish it off, you just scatter with parmesan and lemon zest. Sometimes I forgo the parmesan. But the lemon zest is a must!

So easy.

SO DAMN DELICIOUS.

It’s like….magic!

RTE-My-Sign-Off

 

Roasted Broccoli (Magic Broccoli) - the best damn broccoli you will ever have. 4 ingredient magic. www.recipetineats.com

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Magic Broccoli

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4.97 from 31 votes
This is insanely simple to make but it's the best broccoli ever! Best eaten warm but also delicious at room temperature. I call it "Magic Broccoli" because it IS magic how a little roasting and a drizzle of lemon juice can transform broccoli!
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Servings:4
Hover over "Servings" value to reveal recipe scaler
Author:Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Course:Side, Vegetables
Magic Broccoli - the best damn broccoli you will ever have. 4 ingredient magic.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium heads of broccoli (see notes)
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely sliced or finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , separated
  • 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to your taste)
  • Black pepper
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Cut broccoli into florets and piled onto baking tray.
  • Drizzle with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, scatter with garlic, salt and pepper. Use your fingers to toss, then spread out over tray in a single layer (or use tongs or massage in a large ziplock bag). Adjust salt to your taste.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tips of the florets are slightly browned. The broccoli should be "tender crisp", meaning just cooked through, not overcooked and floppy.
  • Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle over the lemon juice and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Toss to combine. Scatter over lemon zest and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes:

1. You need enough broccoli florets to fill a baking tray in a single layer. The broccoli shrinks while baking.
2. Reserve the stalks to use in stir fries or finely dice them and use in soups, fried rice, casseroles or even hide them in things like pasta sauces.
3. Please don't cut down on the oil. You simply won't get the caramelisation when roasting!
Magic Broccoli Nutrition

Nutrition

Serving: 203gCalories: 194kcal
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WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Magic Broccoli recipe video!

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106 Comments

  1. Just made this for the whole family and empty plates all round!! Absolutely delicious and will definitely be using this recipe again and again. Thank you

    Reply

  2. Good day I am so grateful I found your blog, I really found
    you by mistake, while I was searching on Aol for something else, Nonetheless I am here
    now and would just like to say cheers for a incredible post
    and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design),
    I don’t have time to go through it all at the minute but I have saved
    it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a
    lot more, Please do keep up the awesome b.

    Reply

  3. WOW!!! This broccoli is magic indeed!! I made it last night and it disappeared real fast. I’ll have to double the amount next time. Thank you

    Reply

  4. I do this on the charcoal grill too. It was a favorite of my kids when they were pre-teens.

    Reply

  5. This recipe is the definition of delicious. I suggest combining the reserved olive oil with the lemon juice via a whisk to form a vinaigrette with the two ingredients for ease of finishing the dish. This change doesn’t negate any lemon flavor in the finished product, and takes a step off the end when everything is coming together. I love this recipe, thanks for opening my eyes to the possibilities of baked broccoli.

    Reply

  6. This should be called ‘crack broccoli’ – it is so addictive! The first time I made it I used two heads of broccoli thinking my daughter was going to be home for dinner, and she wasn’t. I ate two broccoli heads in one sitting and was so sad when it was gone! I make this at least once a week now, sometimes even if I’m just having a lazy dinner of peanut butter on toast LOL

    Reply

    • Isha, I have made this lots of times and never once used the parmesan – I like parmesan but I don’t think it’s necessary in this recipe. It’s perfect without!

      Reply
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