If you’re looking for a recipe that proves that vegetables don’t have to be boring, then look no further than this one. My Lemon Parmesan Smashed Broccoli is my new favorite way to prepare broccoli – and I know that it will be yours, too. Made with only 5 simple ingredients, this recipe is vegetarian-friendly and perfect for serving alongside your favorite chicken or fish dishes, or simply snacking on alone!
If you have littles that hate eating their vegetables, then this recipe is going to be a game changer for you. While my boys do eat some vegetables, they’re at the ages where they’re becoming pickier and pickier by the day, which means that they change their minds about foods, often. One food that they’ve recently changed their minds about? Broccoli.
Broccoli is one of those vegetables that people either love or hate. Personally, I love it, but I can see why people don’t! If not prepared the right way, broccoli can be bland and lack flavor and texture. Or worse, even become a little rubbery. In an effort to get my boys excited about broccoli again, I was thinking of ways to make it more exciting for them. The solution? Add cheese!
Well, not just cheese, but also lemon juice, olive oil, and tons of seasoning to give this broccoli flavor. The combination of all these flavors is so simple, yet it will make you crave broccoli on the daily. I can easily eat a whole tray of this recipe on its own! And the best part is, my boys LOVED it, too.
I love to keep this smashed broccoli in the fridge for a healthy midday snack, but it’s also delicious when served aside a perfectly juicy chicken breast or a baked salmon fillet. However you decide to enjoy it, you truly can’t go wrong!
The 5 Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
All you need are four ingredients (plus some seasonings) in order to make this recipe. It’s so simple and easy, and you may already have the ingredients sitting in your kitchen!
- Broccoli: Of course, you will need broccoli in order to make this smashed broccoli! I recommend using fresh broccoli for this recipe, but you can also use frozen, if you prefer. Just make sure that the broccoli is completely thawed before following the recipe steps below.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is a true kitchen staple for me. It’s filled with healthy fats and adds a delicious flavor to any recipe! My favorite olive oil is by Graza.
- Lemon: You’ll need the juice of one lemon in order to give the broccoli it’s perfect lemony flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: I always recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese, if possible, because it yields the best flavor.
- Seasonings: We’ll be seasoning this broccoli with a combination of garlic powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Yum!
How to Make This Perfect Vegetarian-Friendly Recipe
To make this smashed broccoli, start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil, on the stove. Once the water is boiling, add in the broccoli crown and allow it to boil for approximately 4-5 minutes. Do not allow the broccoli to cook for longer than that, as it will be mushy otherwise. After the broccoli has been cooked, remove it from the water and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then, set it aside.
Next, preheat the oven to 400 F. While the oven is preheating, prepare the dressing for the broccoli by whisking the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the broccoli crown on top. Cut or break the broccoli crown apart, into florets, and line the florets up evenly across the baking sheet.
Then, use the bottom of a drinking glass to smash the broccoli down, until it’s as flat as possible. Repeat with each floret. Once the florets are smashed, brush the dressing across evenly across them. Then, add a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top of each floret.
Finally, bake the broccoli, in the oven, for 20-22 minutes until the edges of the broccoli are crispy and the cheese has fully melted. Once they’re done, serve them and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Gayle McLeod
Ingredients
For the Broccoli:
- 1 Large Crown Broccoli, washed
- ⅓ Cup Parmesan, freshly grated
For the Lemon Viniagrette:
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- To make this smashed broccoli, start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil, on the stove.
- Once the water is boiling, add in the broccoli crown and allow it to boil for approximately 4-5 minutes. Do not allow the broccoli to cook for longer than that, as it will be mushy otherwise.
- After the broccoli has been cooked, remove it from the water and run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then, set it aside.
- Next, preheat the oven to 400 F.
- While the oven is preheating, prepare the dressing for the broccoli by whisking the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set it aside.
- Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the broccoli crown on top.
- Cut or break the broccoli crown apart, into florets, and line the florets up evenly across the baking sheet.
- Then, use the bottom of a drinking glass to smash the broccoli down, until it's as flat as possible. Repeat with each floret.
- Once the florets are smashed, brush the dressing across evenly across them.
- Then, add a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top of each floret.
- Finally, bake the broccoli, in the oven, for 20-22 minutes until the edges of the broccoli are crispy and the cheese has fully melted. Once they're done, serve them and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.
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What others are saying
Easy and great recipe!! Thanks Added bonus, I had left over dressing and I used it on arugula with parmesan. simple and tasty 🙂
That sounds delicious, Lauren! Thank you so much for your review!
This sounds brilliant! I’m gonna do it, but I think the whole boiling process might be less than optimal. If you’re not anti-microwave, I think it would work better and be less mess to just break the florets by hand into a bowl and steam them in the microwave. Specifically, it seems like a pain to try to cut it up while still hot, or to wait until it’s lukewarm. I would also suspect that the microwaved florets would be much less wet, and therefore hold all the sauce and cheese much better.
Hi Lee, you can definitely use a microwave, if you prefer!
i also did this with cauliflower and it turn out great