Ina Garten’s Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli Recipe on Food52

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Author Notes

In November 2008, Adam Roberts published a blog post with the headline “The Best Broccoli of Your Life”, about a recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. He promised that at least one person liked the broccoli more than steak. This post has since become the most popular in the history of his blog The Amateur Gourmet—one of the first food blogs and, until Roberts quieted the blog in 2015, one of the most beloved. Adapted slightly from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics (Clarkson Potter, 2008).
—Genius Recipes

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Ina Garten’s Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients

4 pounds broccoli (note: if you like to slice and roast the stalks too, you won’t need to buy quite as much)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
6 ¹/₂ tablespoons good olive oil
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons kosher salt
¹/₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
¹/₃ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

In This Recipe

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Directions

Heat the oven to 425° F.
Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets discarding the rest of the stalks Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

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22 Reviews

Tish M. January 16, 2020

This is a delicious recipe, and so far I have used the same ingredients with brussel sprouts, asparagus, and green beans, and all of the roasted vegetable were a hit including the leftovers tossed in a salad the next day.

gravityace November 10, 2019

This was wonderful the night I made it for dinner but it was even better as a cold leftover two days later. I substituted chopped walnuts...no pine nuts in the house and omitted the basil ...same reason. Still very delicious. Just had it for breakfast!

Janet M. May 15, 2019

I'm not sure I like broccoli more than steak, but I do prefer it to most deserts--a fact that never fails to baffle my grandchildren.

Ann April 8, 2019

I made this exactly as written and it was absolutely delicious. I used two cookie sheets and used a convection oven at a slightly lower temperature. Wouldn’t change a thing!

Kelly March 31, 2019

Garlic was burned at 15 minutes and the garlic was deeply browned on the sheet pan side. Tasty but the lemon juice softens the crispy bits that I love so much. I'll adapt in the future.

vrinda March 27, 2019

I peel the stem after taking off the dry part...really NO waste !
just start it on the fat end and pull

Cook March 27, 2019

OH OH - do NOT toss the stalks. Peel, then roast them too without the topping, and then blend them with chicken stock for the best ever simple soup!!! They have a LOT of flavor that you'll miss out if you don't use them in something!!!

Petra L. August 14, 2018

perfect recipe...makes lovers out of broccoli haters. Can use shallot too, and toss on pasta if need more to eat

Carol S. December 31, 2017

Very yummy! I chop up the toasted pine nuts, or give them a whirl in the food processor, and mix with the lemon zest and cheese before tossing with the broccoli. I used two cubes of Dorot basil, dissolved in the lemon juice instead of fresh. Perfecto!

Pimms1967 April 23, 2017

Made this last night as the veggie dish for a friends birthday, 7 of us. I did a blend of broccoli and cauliflower, left pine nuts out because birthday girl allergic. Results were a big hit, had very little leftover. This recipe is a keeper and will remake again. Served alongside Balsamic Cherry Pork Tenderloin (by Clean Eating, May 2016), and the awesome dessert was Red Wine Chocolate Cake (by Smitten Kitchen) topped with powdered sugar and side of sliced strawberries.

Arrxx February 1, 2017

This is a technique and easily adaptable. For <6 people use less broccoli, less gralic (or not if you like roasted garlic, and who doesn't?) drizzle with olive oil etc.

Vicky February 1, 2017

Do 8 cups broccoli fit on 1 sheet correctly??

Maggie January 23, 2017

"If you like to slice and roast the stalks, too . . . " I'm the weirdo scraping off the tops of the florets and using only the stalks! I made it without nuts, out of pantry necessity, and it was excellent. I'm not a fan of pine nuts, but I think I'll try it next time with either chopped walnuts or chopped pistachios.

Donna F. February 8, 2017

I'm the same kind of weirdo. I can happily have stalks as a snack. I use the florets t avoid waste or for my husband for dinner- primarily for broccoli purees or soups- their grassy note is perfect there. My husband is a floret guy and when he made broccolini one night for dinner and there was nothing but tops on the table and stalks in the garbage I was sooooo 😡- both with the waste and the inconsideration. He now gets that stalks at edible and desired too!

Marie E. January 23, 2017

I love this recipe.. I just skip the garlic. Kind of tired of garlic in absolutely everything!! It's overwhelming and gives me bad breath!!

Constanza C. January 22, 2017

So good! Skipped the parm and extra round of olive oil and it was still delicious. Next time will add some red pepper flakes for a kick

Becky January 22, 2017

Could you please suggest some other nuts that could be used? Thanks.

Patty R. January 23, 2017

Sliver almonds, chopped roasted walnuts or pecans. I often just leave the nuts out. Delish.

Becky January 23, 2017

Thank you so much!

SMSF January 20, 2017

"Discard the rest of the stalks" -?? No way! They are the very best part of broccoli. You just need to go at them a bit with a vegetable peeler, well worth the results.

tota January 19, 2017

Just did almost same recipe with cauliflower and fontina baked off in oven after the cauli was roasted. amazingly yummy on this rainy winter evening...

Bevi January 18, 2017

I have made this for years, since it showed up in Ina's book. It's delicious and I have subbed in other nuts with equally good results.