Roasted Broccolini – The Almond Eater

This Roasted Broccolini recipe turns an everyday veggie into an irresistible vegetarian side dish. The broccolini is cooked with fresh garlic, then tossed in a mouthwatering lemon and parmesan sauce to pump up its flavors and make it the best side for almost any main dish.

I know a thing or two about taking an ordinary vegetable and making it the star of the meal. Corn has never been better than in my vegan corn chowder; I’ve transformed cauliflower into a chewy pizza crust; and in this Roasted Broccolini recipe, I’m using everyday ingredients to turn this broccoli look-alike into a grown-up, unforgettable side dish. Who said vegetables had to be boring?!

 

And no, that’s not a spelling mistake… broccolini is not the same as its cousin, broccoli! This longer, thinner, and sweeter look-alike vegetable takes less time to cook in the oven but is just as versatile as the green veggie you already know and love.

To make this simple side dish, I roasted the broccolini pieces with garlic cloves until they were tender-crisp, then tossed them in a sauce made from fresh lemon, parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. With some seriously amazing flavors and a quick and easy process, you’ll be making roasted broccolini and garlic again and again!

Recipe features

• It’s one of the easiest roasted vegetable side dishes ever! Roast the broccolini until tender, toss it in the tasty lemon-parmesan sauce, and enjoy.
• Lemon, parmesan, and garlic make the oven-roasted broccolini feel grown-up and fancy!
• The seasonings are versatile, and the ways to serve it are endless. From baked parmesan chicken to quinoa crusted salmon, there’s not much you can’t pair with roasted broccolini with garlic.

Ingredients

Broccolini – Broccolini, or baby broccoli, is essentially broccoli’s younger, more slender cousin. It looks almost the same as broccoli, except the stalks are longer and thinner, and the florets are smaller. What’s really special, though, is that both the broccolini florets and stalks are tender, which means you get to enjoy the entire vegetable and produce less food waste. Win-win!

Olive oil – I tossed the broccolini with oil before roasting to help it brown and tenderize in the oven. Try not to skip the oil, or else the florets will burn.

Garlic – Cooking the broccolini pieces with minced garlic cloves makes this simple vegetarian side dish completely irresistible.

Lemon parmesan sauce – This cheesy, tangy, and savory sauce is tossed with the broccolini right after it comes out of the oven. To make it, you need lemon juice, lemon zest, parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, oil, and salt.

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the broccolini. Cut off and discard the bottom inch or so of the broccolini, then slice any thick pieces in half vertically.

Step 2: Season, then roast. Toss the sliced broccolini in a large bowl with oil and salt until coated. Transfer the broccolini to a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Make the sauce. Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, remaining olive oil, and remaining salt together.

Step 4: Add the garlic. Take the broccolini out of the oven and sprinkle the minced garlic overtop. Roast it again for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 5: Dress and serve. Once it’s done, toss the roasted broccolini pieces with the sauce in a bowl until combined. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and FAQs

• Don’t chop off the stems! If you’re used to chopping off and discarding broccoli stems in roasted broccoli recipes, remember that broccolini stems are super tender and just as tasty as the florets.
• The best temperature for baking broccolini is 425ºF. Roasting it on the top rack of your oven at this high temperature gives you tender and slightly charred results every time.
• If you have even more fresh vegetables in the fridge to use up, go ahead and combine them with the broccolini. Make sure they’re fast-cooking veggies, like asparagus, quartered brussels sprouts, or thinly sliced carrots, to help them all cook in the same amount of time.

Variations

Broccolini is incredibly versatile and goes well with all kinds of different flavors. Whether you mix and match the toppings or play around with the ingredients in the sauce, you can have a lot of fun with this recipe. Here are some variation ideas to get you started:

• Vegan option – Just omit the parmesan cheese from the sauce, or swap it out for nutritional yeast or your favorite vegan parmesan substitute.
• Parmesan substitute – Make the sauce with shredded Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese instead.
• Add dried herbs – Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of your favorite dried herbs in the sauce, like oregano, thyme, basil, or parsley.
• Garnish ideas – Before serving the roasted broccolini, garnish it with fresh herbs (like parsley or basil), chopped nuts or seeds (like sliced almonds or pepitas), crumbled cheeses (like goat cheese or feta), lemon zest, or a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

Serving suggestions

Seasoning the broccolini with roasted garlic, lemon, red pepper flakes, and parmesan pumps up its flavors and makes it a perfect side dish to pair with your favorite savory main dishes. 

Serve it on the side of these braised boneless short ribs when you really want to impress your dinner guests. On those nights you really don’t feel like cooking, use the broccolini for a pop of green next to your plate of air fryer chicken tenders. And if you’re like me and practically obsessed with garlic, there’s no better meal than my Whole30 garlic salmon or creamy garlic chicken with garlic broccolini on the side.

Are broccolini and broccoli the same?

They’re related but aren’t quite the same! Broccolini tends to have longer and thinner stalks, smaller buds (florets), and tastes a little sweeter (like a cross between broccoli and asparagus). Broccoli has a milder flavor, bigger crowns and buds, and much thicker stalks.

What’s the best way to cook broccolini?

I’m personally a huge fan of roasting broccolini in the oven with delicious seasonings because it’s a hands-off way of treating yourself to a perfectly tender-crisp vegetable in about 30 minutes. Other popular cooking methods are sautéing, boiling, and steaming.

Storage

Refrigerator: Once it’s cool, transfer the leftover broccolini to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating: Reheating the broccolini in a 375ºF oven, toaster oven, or air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes will make it tender-crisp again. If you’re in a rush, feel free to quickly zap it in the microwave instead.

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If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!