Simple Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

If you think broccoli is boring, this citrusy roasted version will change your mind! Our roasted broccoli with lemon is the easy vegetable side you’ve been needing. Instead of steaming broccoli, which is the way we grew up eating it, we roast it in a hot oven with lemon juice and red pepper flakes, letting the florets get a little crispy on the edges. Then we add lemon zest to the roasted broccoli to brighten up its earthy flavor. The result is a healthy, weeknight side dish that you can add to any main meal. 

Why You’ll Love Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

• Healthy and flavorful. Broccoli is loaded with nutrients, making it a healthy addition to any meal. It’s low in calories and relatively high in vitamins C and K, and is a good source of fiber and a decent source of protein. Broccoli has an earthy, cabbage-like flavor, which gets milder and sweeter when roasted.
• Roasted, not steamed. Often veggie sides get destined for a boring steam cook and end up watery, flavorless, and floppy. But you can get so much toasty flavor by throwing them in an oven with a little oil to crisp them up and finishing with lemon for brightness.
• Just 4 ingredients (plus s+p). This dish is made with broccoli (obviously), lemon, plus a couple of pantry staples like crushed red pepper flakes, olive oil, and salt and pepper. That’s it. No frills, no fuss.
• Great for meal prep. If you’re a meal prepper, this is definitely a recipe to keep on hand! Make a big batch of this roasted broccoli with lemon and portion it out for lunch bowls or dinners for the week.

How We Went From “Just 3 More Bites” to Craving Broccoli

Although we love broccoli now, we grew up like many kids in the United States and absolutely hated eating our vegetables. We remember the days of our parents telling us “3 more bites!” of vegetables (this was particularly horrible when it came to peas, which we still hate) at the dinner table. One-by-one, family members would finish and excuse themselves, but one or both of us was often left trying to gulp down the required 3 bites of green things. We would have been happy surviving on meat and cheese alone, but thankfully, our parents had other plans.

Now we can’t get enough veggies. This roasted broccoli with lemon is so tasty that we crave large portions of the little florets on our plates now. It’s full of flavor that adults, and hopefully kids, will like. And if not, you can always use the 3 bites rule too.

Ingredients in Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

• Broccoli – we use only the florets, but you can also dice up the stem into smaller pieces to roast too.
• Lemon – this recipe uses zest and juice. For ease, zest the lemon first before juicing it.
• Olive oil – a touch of olive oil helps the broccoli roast nicely and get a little browned in the oven.
• Red pepper flakes – crushed red pepper flakes add a touch of heat to the broccoli that makes it even more irresistible.
• Salt and pepper – all you need is simple seasoning for this roasted broccoli with lemon recipe.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. 
2. Toss the broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½ tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. 
3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, tossing halfway through. Note: for a lighter roast, bake closer to 15 minutes, and for broccoli that has some charred bits, bake closer to 18 minutes. 
4. Remove the broccoli for the oven and top with lemon zest.

Serving Suggestions

This roasted broccoli with lemon dish is super simple and versatile. We like to pair it with: 

• Roasted salmon (try it with our Sweet and Smoky Salmon dish!)
• Grilled or baked chicken (it would be great as a side next to our Moroccan Inspired Spiced Chicken)
• Any pasta dish (it would be a nice, simple accompaniment to our Spaghetti and Chicken Parmesan Meatballs recipe)

Storage & Reheating Ideas

If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat any leftover roasted broccoli in the oven for best results. You can also add leftover broccoli to scrambled eggs in the morning, or toss it into fried rice for an easy dinner.

Simple Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

5 from 1 vote

This simple roasted broccoli with lemon is healthy and super easy. Fresh broccoli gets roasted in a hot oven with lemon and red pepper flakes for a bright, earthy, and craveable weeknight side dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:5 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Total Time:20 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy, Quick, Weeknight

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound broccoli cut into florets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
• Toss the broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½ tablespoons of lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
  1 pound broccoli, 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, tossing halfway through.
• Remove the broccoli for the oven and top with lemon zest.
  Zest of 1 lemon

Notes

Tips

• Cut broccoli florets evenly for even roasting.
• Use parchment paper for easier cleanup later.
• For a lighter roast, bake closer to 15 minutes, and for broccoli that has some charred bits, bake closer to 18 minutes.
• Add lemon zest right after baking for maximum brightness (plus, zest can burn in the oven, so adding it after baking avoids that).
• Double the recipe if you want leftovers for bowls or salads.
• Don’t overcrowd the sheet pan or the broccoli might steam. If we’re making a double batch of this, we’ll spread the broccoli out over 2 trays.

Final Thoughts

This simple roasted broccoli with lemon is proof that veggie side dishes can be easy and bursting with flavor. If you make this dish, let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment below!