Easy Seasoned Roasted Broccoli Recipe – Fresh or Frozen
Looking for a simple yet delicious way to enjoy broccoli? This roasted broccoli recipe is just what you need – it’s incredibly easy, seasoned to perfection, and cooks in less than 20 minutes. Learn how to transform ordinary broccoli into a side dish that’s not only healthy but also delicious with cooking techniques for both fresh and frozen broccoli – including the simple trick to creating crisp edges with frozen broccoli.
Looking for easy recipes that this broccoli goes great with? Try this two-ingredient marinated chicken, this potato and caramelized onion frittata, or these mini meatloaves with a quick BBQ sauce!
I’ve mentioned many times that I think roasting vegetables is superior to steaming or sautéing – the high heat seems to bring out the flavor and natural sweetness. And those crisp edges we all fight over!
Broccoli is no different, though for awhile I thought it was too delicate to roast versus heartier vegetables like cauliflower and carrots or cabbage.
Oh how wrong I was! Yes, it takes less time (that’s a good thing!), but done right the insides and stems are tender while the little tree tops have layers of delightful charring.
Oven roasted broccoli won me over so much that other than a good stir fry, this is about the only way I cook broccoli now!
There are a couple of tricks that make roasted broccoli even better – one of which is to season well so that the broccoli stands on it’s own as a side dish. Another is adjusting the oven temperature to the time so you can roast it along with other foods if you’d like (I always like – it makes dinner SO easy!).
Plus, you can roast frozen broccoli, too – simply use the trick I’ve outlined below to make sure your stalks turn out crisp and not soggy.
Roasted Broccoli Recipe – Step by Step
Ingredient Notes
Besides broccoli you need to decide on a seasoning. Here are some of my favorites:
- Amazing Basic Spice Rub for Grilling & Roasting – this is my go-to seasoning because it’s simple and hits all the flavor notes I like and goes with everything.
- Tex-Mex Spice Rub & Seasoning – my second favorite when I know I will serve this to people who enjoy spice. Broccoli seasoned this way is nice served with something like soy sriracha grilled chicken and cumin lime slaw.
- Quick Mediterranean Spice Rub – this is a good option, too, when serving with something like Mediterranean Fish Bake.
- Basic: mix up 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder, and a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
You can roast both fresh and frozen broccoli, but the methods are slightly different.
Roasted Broccoli From Fresh
Step 1: Prep broccoli. Cut up the broccoli into florets and lay on a lined or greased baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and seasoning.
Step 2: Roast. Place baking tray in a 425 degree oven (see recipe card for more options) and cook until fork tender, about 17-20 minutes, tossing at the halfway mark.
Roasted Broccoli from Frozen
- Preheat the pan in oven at 425 degrees. TIP: This is the secret to roasting crisp frozen broccoli – always start with a hot pan.
- Add the frozen broccoli to a medium bowl – if any heads are really big, cut them so that they are mostly the same size for more even cooking (use a sharpe knife and cut down through the frozen floret onto a cutting board). Toss with seasoning and olive oil.
- Remove pan from oven once the temperature reaches 425 degrees and scatter the seasoned, frozen broccoli florets on the hot pan.
- Return to oven and roast 18-25 minutes, or until browned with some edges crispy and fork-test tender, stirring at the halfway mark.
How to Roast Broccoli At Different Temperatures
Roasted broccoli is pretty versatile and adapts to cooking at different temperatures if you’re serving it with other oven-cooked dishes or adding to sheet pan recipes.
While I’ve found 425 degrees to be the best normal temperature to roast broccoli, you can easily roast at 400 or 450 degrees, just by varying the roasting time:
- Roasted broccoli at 400 degrees: cook for 20-25 minutes (add 5 minutes from frozen).
- Roasted broccoli at 450 degrees: cook for 15-17 minutes (add 3-4 minutes from frozen).
Storage
You can store roasted broccoli in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, making this a great meal-prep option. To reheat, simply microwave for 30 seconds or until warmed through or air fry for a minute.
I hope you enjoy making this easy roasted broccoli – if you make it, be sure to leave a rating and review so I know how you liked it and what is your favorite seasoning!
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Easy Seasoned Roasted Broccoli Recipe – Fresh or Frozen
Equipment
- medium baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli about ¾ to 1 pound
- OR
- 12-16 ounces frozen broccoli florets (not cut broccoli)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 to 2 teaspoons all purpose basic seasoning (this recipe or seasoning of choice*)
Instructions
Roasting Fresh Broccoli
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a medium baking sheet with parchment or silicone.
- Cut broccoli into even florets and place on prepared sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with seasoning – toss well (I usually use my hands).
- Roast 17 to 20 minutes, tossing at the 10 minute mark, until stems are fork tender and edges are browning. Serve immediately.
Roasting Frozen Broccoli
- Heat oven to 425 degrees and place an unlined pan inside to heat with the oven (this is KEY for crispy edges on frozen broccoli).
- Add the frozen broccoli to a medium bowl – if any heads are really big, cut them so that they are mostly the same size for more even cooking. Toss with seasoning and olive oil.
- Remove pan from oven once the temperature reaches 425 degrees and scatter the seasoned, frozen broccoli florets on the hot pan.
- Return to oven and roast 18-25 minutes, or until browned with some edges crispy and fork-test tender, stirring at the halfway mark.
Notes
-
- Amazing Basic Spice Rub for Grilling & Roasting is my go-to seasoning because it’s simple and hits all the flavor notes I like and goes with everything.
- Tex-Mex Spice Rub & Seasoning for a little spice.
- Mediterranean Spice Rub & Seasoning.
- Mix up your own: 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder, and a 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Roasted broccoli at 400 degrees: cook for 20-25 minutes (add 5 minutes from frozen).
- Roasted broccoli at 450 degrees: cook for 15-17 minutes (add 3-4 minutes from frozen).
Nutrition
Recipes To Serve This With
- Spiced Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (or Instant Pot) and Grandma’s Baked Tasty Rice.
- Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce & Teriyaki Chicken Recipe and rice.
- Simple Baked Pasta with Cheese
