Crispy Garlic Broiled Broccoli

This Crispy Garlic Broiled Broccoli recipe is the simplest way to get a delicious side dish on the dinner table in 15 minutes. Toss broccoli spears with olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Then broil for 5 minutes for the best smokey and charred broccoli dish.

Recipe review

A quick look at this recipe

• Recipe Name: Broiled Broccoli
• Ready In: 10 minutes prep, 5 minutes cook time
• Serves: 4
• Calories: 71 per serving
• Main Ingredients: Broccoli, olive oil, garlic powder
• Difficulty: Easy

When I'm scrambling to decide what side dish to serve with dinner, this broiled broccoli recipe is one I make over and over again. It's the best broccoli dish.

I love to serve this healthy side dish with my Stuffed Salmon, Mom's Meatloaf, and One Pan Lemon Chicken. It's also delicious with scrambled eggs. Try it chilled and tossed with my easy Caesar dressing.

This isn't one of those soft, mushy and overcooked broccoli recipes. With it's charred crispy edges, garlicky flavor and al dente texture, this simple side dish goes with any entree. And it's ready in 15 minutes. It'll be your new favorite way to make broccoli.

Why you'll love this recipe

This easy recipe is a keeper, and one you'll love for many reasons.

• Easy to make ~ With only a handful of ingredients and few minutes of prep time, this recipe is super simple to whip up Just like my roasted carrots and cauliflower.
• Ready in minutes ~ The high heat of the broiler and hot oven cook the broccoli florets and stems in only 5 minutes.
• Robust flavor ~ The intense heat of the broiler adds crispy, smoky, charred and concentrated flavor to the fresh broccoli. No more mushy, limp and flavorless broccoli.

Ingredients & substitutions

Gather just a few ingredients to make the crispiest broccoli. If substitutes can be made to the recipe, they're listed. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of the ingredients.

• Fresh broccoli ~ Skip frozen broccoli for this recipe. It won't achieve the crispy golden edges and al dente texture that makes this dish amazing. About a pound of broccoli or 8 cups of fresh broccoli pieces are used in the recipe.
• Olive oil ~ Substitutes include avocado or safflower oil.
• Garlic powder ~ Stick with the powdered form of garlic for this dish. Fresh garlic tends to burn and taste bitter when cooked at such a high temperature.
• Kosher salt ~ The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
• Fresh ground black pepper ~ Grinding your own pepper is more flavorful than already ground pepper.

How to make broiled broccoli

Combine the simple ingredients using everyday kitchen tools to make this broiled broccoli recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete instructions and a step by step video.

1. Place the broccoli in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil.

2. Sprinkle the broccoli with garlic powder.

3. Grind fresh black pepper over the broccoli.

4. Generously sprinkle the broccoli with kosher salt. Toss the broccoli to completely coat with the oil and seasonings.

5. Transfer the broccoli to a preheated rimmed baking sheet. Make sure the vegetables are in a single layer.

6. Broil for 3 minutes. Rotate the pan and broil for 2 more minutes. Serve.

Hint 1: Cut the broccoli into pieces that are relatively the same size. That way they'll broil at an even rate.

Hint 2: Preheat the baking sheet before adding the broccoli. The hot pan will give the broccoli pieces a cooking jumpstart. Both the top and bottom will get the caramelization that adds intense flavor.

Variations

Try some of these creative ways to make this broiled broccoli recipe one of your favorites.

• Spicy ~ Along with the other seasonings, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
• Sweet ~ After broiling the broccoli, drizzle the broccoli with balsamic glaze.
• Asian inspired ~ Combine 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Drizzle the mixture over the hot broccoli and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
• Cheesy ~ As soon as the broccoli comes out of the oven, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Citrus twist ~ After broiling the broccoli, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some lemon zest.
• Add veggies ~ Substitute some of the broccoli with cauliflower florets or green beans.
• Italian ~ Along with the other seasonings, add 1 teaspoon of Italian herb blend.
• Chilled ~ Serve chilled broiled broccoli tossed with Caesar dressing, Parmesan cheese and croutons for a tasty broccoli salad.

Storage and heating

• Storage ~ Completely cool the broccoli. Transfer to an airtight container. These are the meal prep containers I use for my personal chef clients. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Heating ~ To reheat, place in a microwave safe dish. Lightly cover and heat at 60% power for 30 seconds. Continue heating at 10 second intervals until the vegetables are heated through.

Expert tip

Watch the broccoli closely after 3 minutes for broiling. The vegetable can quickly go from delicious, toasty and smokey to burnt broccoli in a matter of a minute or so.

Frequently asked questions

The best fresh broccoli is bright to dark green with tightly closed buds. A head of broccoli should feel heavy for its size and the stems are firm.

This broiled broccoli recipe has so much more flavor the texture than boiled broccoli. It's also quicker and easier to make too.

What to serve with broiled broccoli

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this recipe:

• Smothered Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy
• Capicola Chicken in White Wine Sauce
• Baked Teriyaki Salmon Recipe (With Hoisin and No Marinating)
• Homestyle Turkey Meatloaf with Mushrooms