Broccoli
It’s No Surprise That Ina Garten Made Our Most Popular Broccoli Recipe Ever
Featuring basil, parmesan, and pine nuts.
Crisp, tender, and coated in Parmesan, basil, pine nuts, and lemon—of course Ina Garten’s Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli is our most popular broccoli recipe of all time. As is the case with all her dishes, Ina’s broccoli combines sound technique with well-curated ingredients to create a flavor that is excitingly complex, but comfortably familiar.
The technique is a masterclass on roasting vegetables: As the recipe indicates, to properly roast your broccoli (or any vegetable for that matter), it’s essential that your stems and florets are organized into a single layer on a baking sheet. If the broccoli is stacked upon itself, it will steam and never achieve the texture you’re looking for. However, when you do organize your broccoli correctly, coat it in oil, and roast it at a high temperature, your broccoli will develop a crisp crust reminiscent of a golden French fry or perfectly seared steak.
While boring and broccoli are two words all too familiar with each other, Ina’s broccoli is anything but that. Once properly roasted, you’ll toss the veg in lemon, basil, garlic, and freshly toasted pine nuts—giving the broccoli all the bright and bold flavor it absolutely deserves. Even better, you’ll mix these ingredients right on the sheet pan, meaning you’ll coat the broccoli in all the delicious, crunchy, toasted bits left on the tray and avoid using (and washing) extra dishes.
Ever resourceful, Ina’s recipe also reminds you that you should never throw away your broccoli stalks. Afterall, the stalk is half of what you’re paying for—and when prepared well, it can be the sweetest, most tender part of the vegetable. In this case, you’ll peel the stalk, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and roast it alongside the florets.
As always, don’t just take my word for it. While this recipe has accrued many compliments in the comment section and a recurring place in our managing editor’s weekly dinner rotation, nothing summarizes its brilliance quite like this “warning” from community member Olivia: “Only make this if you’re ready to make it all the time for every occasion…it’s always a huge hit at any party.”
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Written by: Paul Hagopian
Popular on Food52
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