Roasted Broccoli with Meyer Lemon and Garlic Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you stop broccoli from burning when roasting? ›

The tender, fuzzy “tree” tips of roasted broccoli florets are the most delicious, but they are also quick to burn. Make sure the florets are well-coated with olive oil to keep this from happening. Don't Crowd the Pan. If the florets are too close, they will steam instead of roast.

Wash AND dry your veggies.

After you wash your head of broccoli, make sure to dry it off before you toss it with the oil. A little moisture is ok, but if it's too wet when it goes in the oven, it won't get brown and crisp.

Note: Using the lemon juice will turn the broccoli a little bit brown. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Cook the broccoli until it turns dark green, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and put the broccoli in ice water to prevent it from cooking.

If you like it light, leave it in the oven for 15 minutes, if you like it cooked, 20 minutes. After removing from the oven, wait until the first temperature is reached and serve.

Why is Broccoli Bitter? Broccoli contains several compounds which some people perceive as bitter. Proper growing, storage, and cooking can replace that bitter flavor with an earthy, almost sweet taste. Broccoli is best grown when the temperatures are cool and there is less sunlight.

tips for making the best Roasted Broccoli

DRY DRY DRY your broccoli! Obviously you have to wash the broccoli first, but the problem is that broccoli really tends to hold water in all of those little florets. However, the drier the broccoli, the crispier it will get when you roast it; wet broccoli steams.

Sautéed Broccoli Serving Suggestions

The lemon and garlic in this recipe give the sautéed broccoli a bright, fresh flavor, but if you want to punch it up more, drizzle on some vegan ranch, tahini dressing, or lemon vinaigrette. Some everything bagel seasoning or grated Parmesan cheese would be a yummy topping too.

To draw the “broccoli worms” out of the broccoli trees, you need to soak it in a sink of cold water to which you've added 1/4 cup of salt and 2 tbsp of vinegar. You will need to keep the broccoli heads submerged in the water for at least 20 minutes.

Steaming broccoli is quick and easy, and it's considered one of the healthiest ways to prepare the vegetable. Instead of submerging the florets and stem into boiling water or roasting them in the oven, the broccoli is placed in a steamer basket over simmering water and covered with a lid.

Do use a squeeze of lemon in pan sauces to add a bright note once a dish is off the heat, but don't add lemon while the sauce is cooking as the lemon can become acrid. Do enliven cream-based savory recipes with a squeeze of lemon, but don't add too much or the dairy will curdle.

How does the use of lemon juice affect the color of broccoli? ›

Lemon juice contains citric acid, the acidic "elements" of which, called hydrogen ions, alter the green pigment chlorophyll in broccoli to a grey-green derivative. This happens especially quickly if the vegetable is cooked in the presence of acid.

Blanching is a quick dip in boiling water, followed immediately by cooling. You can also preserve both nutrients and the enzyme needed to form protective isothiocyanates if you steam broccoli for three or four minutes (just until crisp-tender) or microwave for less than one minute.

After just 15 minutes in the oven, the florets come out crisp and browned at the edges with tender stems. Roasted broccoli makes a great weeknight side served on its own, but this cooking method also works well if you're adding it to a grain bowl or simple pasta dish.

Cooking broccoli in this way retains most of its colour, nutritional value along with that crunch that results in a delicious side dish that even my youngest and pickiest eater enjoys. Boiling or over-cooking the broccoli florets turns the texture into mush and also draw away much of its cancer-fighting goodness.

Cook the broccoli uncovered for 1 to 2 minutes, COVER it, and continue cooking for about 6 more minutes (8 minutes total). Lift the lid occasionally (every 1 to 2 minutes) to stir the broccoli and prevent burning. You want the florets to lightly char, which adds depth of flavor to the veggie.

Swich tip: the smaller the vegetable pieces, the higher the oven temperature needs to be. This may sound counter-intuitive. But here's why: smaller vegetables take less time to cook throughout. On the other hand, harder and bigger vegetables are better cooked at 350-400 to prevent the vegetables from burning.

Food positioning

If foods are positioned too close to the heating element, they can scorch and smoke.

**Use the Right Temperature:** The ideal roasting temperature for most vegetables is between 375°F to 425°F (190°C to 220°C). Higher temperatures can cause burning on the outside before the inside is cooked.