Roasted Broccolini with Lemon
on Oct 24, 2018, Updated Aug 13, 2023
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This is a simple side, but a real powerhouse of nutrition and flavor. Just a few ingredients, and the oven does all the work.
Broccolini is a variety of broccoli, with smaller heads/florets, and longer thinner stalks. There might be some little leaves on the sides; those are edible, too. What so nice about broccolini is that—besides that great, slightly mild broccoli flavor—the stalks are more slender and therefore more tender (sorry—not intentional). It’s actually a man-made cross between Chinese broccoli and regular old supermarket broccoli, which I did not know, until now.
You can cook broccolini any number of ways, but I think roasted broccolini is my favorite variation. I am a huge fan of roasting almost every vegetable, especially during colder months. In my house this (and all roasted vegetables) have to be made shortly before we sit down if they are intended to be present at the table during the meal. Otherwise little vultures (and I include myself) tend to pick at the warm caramelized little vegetables directly from the baking sheet, and suddenly there are about 10 little bites left when it’s dinnertime.
This is a simple side, but a real powerhouse of nutrition and flavor. Just a few ingredients, and the oven does all the work.
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Which is why two sheets are the way to go. Not only does it ensure there is enough when you actually sit down for dinner, but it allows the needed space for the broccolini to roast in a single layer, and get nicely browned in spots. This roasted broccolini recipe gets a double hit of lemon from the tiny pieces of the fruit roasted alongside the vegetable in the oven (which you can eat if you’re a citrus maven, or just allow to flavor the greens), and the sprinkling of lemon zest at the end. A dusting of Parmesan adds extra savoriness.
I’m always pleased with myself if I remember to line the pans with foil. Gary is even more pleased with me.
More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes:
- Simple Sauteed Spring Greens
- Romaine, Kale and Broccoli Salad
- Roasted Broccoflower and Shiitake Mushrooms with Rosemary and Garlic
Roasted Broccolini with Lemon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds broccolini ends trimmed and separated into smaller stems
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon cut into about 20 tiny pieces
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray, or lightly oil the foil. Divide the broccolini between the two baking sheet, and drizzle over the olive oil. Sprinkle the lemon pieces between the two sheets, season with salt and pepper, and toss to get everything well coated with the oil. Spread out the broccolini in single layer on both sheets.
- Roast the broccolini in the oven for 15 minutes, on two racks, switching the sheets between the racks if you are cooking both batches at once. It should be lightly browned and crisped on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle over the lemon zest and Parmesan. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.
