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Lemon Roasted Broccoli

I wasn’t always a broccoli fan, but there’s something magical about the combination of broccoli, garlic, and lemon juice that forever changed me.

That sounded a bit dramatic, I suppose, but when you taste this recipe, I think you’ll understand.

If you’ve ever steamed or boiled broccoli and shuddered at the sulfurous smell that fills your house or forced down forkfuls of limp, water-logged broccoli in the name of health, you need to give this recipe a shot.

Roasting makes almost every vegetable taste and smell amazing. Trust me on this.

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

  • 1 lb broccoli
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1-3 large cloves garlic, minced (depends how garlicky you want it!)
  • 1 small onion, sliced thin
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil, coconut oil, or ghee (clarified butter)

Instructions

  1. Cut up broccoli into individual florets. Try to cut them into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
  2. On a large sheet pan, toss broccoli with salt, juice of 1/2 the lemon (save the other half), garlic, onion, and oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
  3. Roast at 425 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until broccoli is tender when pierced with a fork. Turn once mid-way through cooking.
  4. Remove from oven, squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon half over the top and serve.

Recipe Notes

Really take the effort to buy fresh garlic. You know, the kind that you have to peel! Those pre-minced jarred versions lack the same pungent flavor. Alternatively, just use garlic powder.

If they are in season, use Meyer lemons. They are sweeter and juicier than regular lemons. Whatever you do, don’t buy bottled lemon juice. Just leave it out if you can’t find fresh or use a splash of apple cider or balsamic vinegar instead (just don’t call it “Vinegar Roasted Broccoli”, unless of course, you want to eat this whole batch by yourself).

You can use broccoli stems in this as well. If it’s a thick stalk, peel the outermost layer, then slice into ¼ inch cubes and roast with the florets! Tender stalks can be left unpeeled. (Or you can grate the broccoli stem and make broccoli slaw.)

Lemon roasted broccoli is fantastic eaten hot or cold and I actually think the flavor improves overnight. I often eat the leftovers with my lunch the next day.

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

Meyer Lemon Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli facts:

  • 90%of fresh broccoli sold in the U.S. is grown in California.
  • The word broccoli comes from the Italian expression ‘piccoli bracci’, which means little arms.
  • Broccoli contains a compound called DIM (diindolylmethane), which improves estrogen metabolism and hormone balance. Kale, turnips, Brussels sprouts, and other cruciferous vegetables also contain this beneficial chemical.
  • It is a good source of vitamin E, vitamin C, many B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, and vitamin B6) and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium)

Now I’d love to hear from you: Do you like broccoli? If so, what’s your favorite way to prepare it?

This recipe is one of many featured in my book, “Veggies: Eat Them Because You Want To, Not Because You Have To” designed specifically for people who want to learn how to make vegetables taste good. I’ve turned countless veggie haters into regular veggie eaters with the tips and tricks I describe in this information-packed guide.

Get your copy below. It’s FREE!

Until next week,
Lily

Veggies: Eat them because you want to, not because you have to

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Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and unapologetically critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is the author of two bestselling books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes.

13 Comments

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  1. Looks great, Lily! My boys actually do like broccoli so I’m definitely going to give this one a try!

    • Nice, Beth! I think they’ll really like the caramelized onions and lemony flavor. Report back, will ya?

  2. I’m a huge broccoli fan, actually, except for raw broccoli unless it is tossed in a salad in small quantities. I actually love it steamed with a drizzle of olive or coconut oil, and just about any seasoning blend. My favorite spice blend for vegetables right now is Simply Organic Vegetable Grilling Seasons…toss the broccoli with oil of choice, add a dash of the simply organic seasoning, another dash of Bragg nutritional yeast, a splash of lemon, and yummy, yummy!

    • Now that sounds good, Stacey. My dislike of steamed and boiled broccoli is because people usually over-cook it and then forget to season, but if you get the timing right and take a moment to flavor it up (and add some healthy fats), I’m all in.

  3. My parents also had us eating brocoli growing up so I kind of became accustom to the taste… I even secretly liked it! Now I am super excited to try this recipe !!!

    • Enjoy, Brittany!

    • Well I certainly think it is, Elizabeth. It has the freshness of lemon and the richness of caramelized onions. Heaven!

  4. Yum! I love lemon on any roasted veggie. I like broccoli and usually roast or steam it. I’ve been trying to eat it raw a bit more which can be tough on my stomach. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing, Lily!

  5. Looks great Lily… I have to admit, broccoli is our last-minute go-to vegetable and I typically end up steaming it until tender but too mushy. I then remove it from heat and add high quality extra virgin olive oil and sea or pink Himalayan salt. It’s be 6-year old favorite vegetable! I’m going to try your recipe though, thanks for the inspiration!

  6. Broccoli is one of my favorite veggies in the world! I hate it raw but love it steamed, boiled, roasted or baked! Mmm…

    • Cassie, I’m not a huge fan of raw broccoli either. 🙂

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