Roasted broccolini is impressive with little effort! A hot oven is the best way to cook this veggie: it comes out even more delicious than its cousin broccoli.

Here’s our new very favorite easy side dish around here: roasted broccolini! Alex and I avoided broccolini for a while because honestly: it seemed like it was trying a little too hard. Hi, I’m broccolini: broccoli’s much cooler and more sophisticated cousin. But guess what? After trying it roasted, we’re solidly on the broccoli train. It’s even more delicious than roasted broccoli (if that’s possible!), with a sweet flavor and tender crunch. Even better: it looks fancier and takes less time to cook. Here’s how to cook broccolini into the very best side dish.

What is broccolini, exactly?

It might look like baby broccoli, but it’s actually not: though it’s sometimes labeled that way in the grocery store. Here’s what to know about broccolini:

• Broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has both the long stems of Chinese broccoli and the florets of broccoli, and has a milder flavor than broccoli.
• Broccolini was invented in 1993! Doesn’t it seem like an Italian ingredient with hundreds of years of history? Nope, it’s not even 20 years old.
• How to find it: It’s not available at all grocery stores, but it’s becoming more widely carried. It’s usually by the broccoli, so look for the small bunches of broccoli with long stems.

The keys to roasted broccolini

Making roasted broccolini is quick and easy, but it looks like a fancy side dish! It’s so irresistible that we ended up eating most of it right off of the roasting pan. This is SO good, I kept exclaiming. Something about the sweet flavor makes it hard to stop eating. It doesn’t have that slight bitter taste like broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables like kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts).

There are only a few things to know about making roasted broccolini: it’s so simple! Here’s what to do:

• Chop off about 2 inches of the ends of the broccolini. The ends can be tough, so chop them off before roasting. Then mix with olive oil and salt, and lay the stalks in a single layer on the baking sheet.
• Roast at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes. All you need is 15 minutes for broccolini, vs 20 to 25 minutes for standard broccoli. Roasting in a very hot oven makes it crispy and browned at the edges.
• Spritz with lemon and add grated garlic. Our favorite way to flavor broccoli: just fresh lemon juice and a little fresh garlic. It takes it from good to life changing!

How to cook broccolini

There are of course other ways to cook broccolini: but none as delicious as roasting, in our minds! Here are the basic ways to cook it:

• Roasted in a hot oven. See the recipe below!
• Stir fried! Try our Broccoli Stir Fry.
• Sauteed. Use the instructions in Simple Sauteed Broccoli.
• Add it to pasta! It’s delicious in our Vegan Pasta Primavera.

Ways to serve roasted broccolini

Roasted broccolini pairs with all sorts of main dishes! It’s especially perfect for entertaining, and makes any dinner party entree seem that much fancier. Here are some ideas on how to serve it:

• Salmon or shrimp. Try it with Garlic Butter Shrimp, Baked Shrimp, Baked Salmon or Salmon with Capers.
• Pasta. Serve alongside Roasted Eggplant Pasta, Vegan Lasagna, Fettuccine Alfredo, or Mushroom Pasta.
• In a bowl meal. It’s great to add to a grain bowl! Substitute it for broccoli in Easy Sheet Pan Dinner, or make a bowl with quinoa and chickpeas and top with tahini sauce.
• In a stir fry. Try it in our Stir Fry Vegetables or substitute for broccoli in this Teriyaki Vegetable Stir Fry.

This roasted broccolini recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Print

More roasted vegetables!

Roasting is our very favorite way to cook vegetables! Here are some more of our favorite easy and healthy side dish recipes:

• Favorite Roasted Cauliflower Roasting it makes this veggie irresistibly good, you can’t stop eating it.
• Roasted Kale Baked until tender and crispy at the edges! It’s a unique and delicious way to eat kale.
• Roasted Carrots Bake these carrots until tender with lemon wedges and fresh thyme…they turn out amazing.
• Perfect Roasted Eggplant Baking eggplant until it’s tender makes for unreal flavor.
• Roasted Asparagus Bake it for 10 minutes then spritz with lemon: the perfect side dish!
• Roasted Radishes A unique easy side dish, roasted radishes come out vibrant and juicy, with a sweet, mild flavor.

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes