Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

This is my go-to recipe for Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower – two of my favorite cruciferous vegetables, delicious alone and even better together. This makes a perfect side dish to most any main and is satisfying and delicious as a meal on it’s own when you have the urge to fill your belly with vegetables, as I sometimes do.

This is the easiest recipe you’ll find for roasting broccoli and cauliflower – just douse the pair of florets with olive oil, season with a little salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon (if you like), roast in a hot oven and serve.

Ingredients You Need to Make Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower

• Broccoli: Look for broccoli with firm stems and uniformly deep or bright green, tightly closed buds. 
• Cauliflower: Look for a bright white, tightly compact head of cauliflower without brown spots or loose or crumbly florets.
• Olive Oil: good quality, extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Lemon: fresh lemon juice for serving, optional

I find that many recipes for roasted broccoli and cauliflower call for a temperature too hot and cooking time too long, resulting in mushy cauliflower. No thanks. The taste and texture are so much better with the right temperature and time, leaving the broccoli and cauliflower with a little bite.  And this might surprise you, but to get those delicious, crispy edges you should skip the toss midway through cooking that many recipes call for. 

Optional Sauce Ideas

Drizzle or toss roasted broccoli and cauliflower with one of the following:

• Miso Butter – mash together 2 tablespoons room temperature butter with 1 tablespoon miso and toss with hot roasted broccoli and cauliflower just before serving.
• Anchovy Butter – combine 1 minced clove garlic, 2 tablespoons butter and 4 anchovy filets in a small sauce pan over medium heat; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant and anchovies have melted. Drizzle over just before serving.
• Fresh Lemon Juice and Crushed Red Pepper – squeeze the juice from half a lemon over hot roasted broccoli and cauliflower and sprinkle with a pinch or two of crushed red pepper just before serving.
• Sesame Soy – combine 1 tablespoon each of Soy Sauce and Toasted Sesame Oil in a small bowl along with several grinds of black pepper; drizzle over just before serving.

Pair With

Most often I serve this simply with a squeeze of fresh lemon, often to balance out rich side dishes like Cornbread Dressing, Cornbread Pudding, Twice Baked Potatoes, Cheesy Potatoes, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, or Skillet Potatoes.

Or indulgent main courses like Garlic Butter Steak Bites or Pan Fried Lamb Chops.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat spread on a rimmed baking sheet in an oven preheated to 350˚F for 6 to 10 minutes, until hot. Or reheat on the stove top, cooking and stirring in a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes.

How to Roast Broccoli and Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange broccoli and cauliflower florets in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt.

Roast broccoli and cauliflower for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender with charred edges.

Serve drizzled with more olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a final sprinkle of kosher salt or other flavor enhancer as listed above.