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sheet pan of best roasted broccoli with Parmesan and lemon

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan

Plenty of people throw out the broccoli stems rather than going to the trouble of trimming off the tough exterior and cooking them. In my opinion, the stems are the best part and worth the fuss. Consider making a double batch of this, since it gets snatched up pretty quickly (and it's nice to have leftover vegetables in the fridge).

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds broccoli
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ lemon
  • 2 heaping tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Put the broccoli on a cutting board and use a chef’s knife to cut the heads off the stems. Cut the broccoli heads into small florets that are about 1 ½ to 2 inches long and about the same across the top.
  3. Lay the stems on a cutting board and slice off the tough outer skin on all sides. Cut the tender flesh that remains into 2-inch-long pieces.
  4. Pile the broccoli onto a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper over the broccoli. Use your hands to toss everything together and spread it out on the baking sheet.
  5. Put the broccoli in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer rings, pull out the broccoli, give it a good stir, and return it to the oven. Continue to roast the broccoli until tender and lightly browned in places, another 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven.
  6. Push the broccoli together on the baking sheet and squeeze enough lemon juice to measure 1 tablespoon. Drizzle it over the broccoli. Scatter on the Parmesan. Stir well.
  7. Serve straight from the baking sheet or transfer to a serving bowl.