Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli

Name: Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 27 min
Ingredients: 1 head broccolini (ends trimmed about ¼ inch); 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin); 4 cloves garlic (lightly crushed, in their skins); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; fresh black pepper (to taste)

Roasted tenderstem broccoli (also known as broccolini or baby broccoli) is delicious when cooked until just crisp with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

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Roasted tenderstem broccoli and garlic are shown on a white plate with a light pink linen in the background and a silver fork in the foreground.

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What You'll Need
How to Make
Variations
How to Store
FAQ
Expert Tips
How to Pair
Recipes You'll Love
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This broccolini is ready in under 30 minutes, almost all of which is hands-off time in the oven. It's a perfect side for pan-fried fish, really tasty mixed into some cooked pasta, or excellent alongside a grilled steak.

Even my few vegetable-averse friends enjoy this crispy, salty, earthy, and (best of all) garlicky treat.

What You'll Need

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Tenderstem Broccoli also known as baby broccoli or broccolini
Fresh Garlic You'll smash this lightly to get some of the olive oil and salt under the skin and expose the garlic a bit to the heat of the oven. The result is a lightly golden, savory addition that you can chop up and mix into the broccoli or sprinkle over many different dishes.
Olive Oil The highest quality extra virgin olive oil that works within your budget is perfect for this dish. You will definitely taste the difference. However, if something super high quality is not in the cards, this will by all means still be an incredibly delicious side.
Kosher Salt If you use a table or sea salt in the place of kosher salt, be sure to reduce the amount used or you will have a very salty end product.
Fresh Black Pepper I love a good pepper mill that can grind fresh peppercorns to preserve their flavor. Here is a whole article on this year's best pepper mills.

An overhead shot shows broccolini, kosher salt, pepper, 4 garlic cloves in their skin, and olive oil on a white marble counter.

How to Make

Step One Wash broccolini and trim the ends. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

The cut end of a stem of baby broccoli is shown in the foreground over a white marble counter.

Step Two Lightly crush the garlic.

Four cloves of crushed garlic sit on a wooden cutting board with a kitchen knife on a white marble counter.

Step Three Place broccolini and garlic cloves (skins on) on a sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Tenderstem broccoli and garlic cloves in their skin sit on a quarter sheet pan drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Step Four Once the oven is up to temperature, place the sheet tray on a middle to upper oven rack. Let roast for 25 minutes, checking around 15 to 20 minutes to ensure the garlic is not too dark.

When the broccolini is fully cooked, the leaves are crisp, and the garlic is lightly golden, remove from the oven and serve right away.

Roasted broccolini and garlic cloves are shown on a white plate with a light pink linen with two forks.

Variations

You can use regular broccoli florets or thin broccoli steaks in this preparation, too. Just be sure to cut florets into bite-sized pieces and check often for doneness as they may take a bit more or less time.
Add different dried or fresh herbs to the broccoli. Try some rosemary, chili flakes, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Add other veggies to the tray. I love roasted tomatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, jalapeños... the list goes on. Any combination of these is excellent.
Serve the broccoli alongside some Italian Chicken Cutlets, Pasta Aglio Olio e Peperoncino, or Calabrian Potatoes.

How to Store

This broccoli is best eaten right when it is finished cooking for a crispy texture. However, cooked broccoli will store for 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Move to the fridge within 2 hours of cooking for food safety reasons and store in an airtight container.

FAQ

What is Tenderstem broccoli?

Tenderstem broccoli is a brand name for baby broccoli or broccolini, a cross-breed of broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has longer, thinner, less fibrous stalks than broccoli.

Can you freeze this recipe?

I don't recommend freezing roasted broccolini as the texture will suffer. It is, however, possible. This will last in the freezer for 2 to 3 months because of the garlic. If only freezing the broccolini, it can last up to 8 months.

How do you reheat this?

You can reheat the baby broccoli in the oven at 450°F or 232°C for about 5 minutes, or you can reheat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. The texture will be preferable in the oven, but the taste will be great either way.

Expert Tips

To ensure your baby broccoli comes cooks completely and becomes crispy without burning the garlic, purchase a reliable oven thermometer to ensure your oven heat is accurate. Oven temperatures can vary by 50°F or more.
To keep broccolini warm while you finish the other elements of your meal, heat your oven to its lowest setting, usually 170 to 200°F, and place your veggies in the preheated oven in an oven-safe dish.
You can store the garlic in or out of its skin - this will not impact its taste or the length of its safety to eat.
If you find your broccolini is more bitter than you would like, try removing some of the outer leaves along the stem.

How to Pair

Roasted tenderstem broccoli works in so many different recipes. Try:

With Italian Chicken Cutlets. Squeeze lemon over the whole dish for some added brightness.
Mixed into or serve alongside Pasta Aglio Olio e Peperoncino. You will be in garlic lovers' heaven.
Served on Calabrian Potatoes with a runny egg (poached, fried) to create a rich coating with the yolk.
With this deliciously spiced Lebanese Shawarma.
Alongside these tender Asian Short Ribs.
Eating this with your fingers. Maybe this is just for the serious vegetable lovers, but I will eat this right off the sheet tray. It's salty, crispy, and fulfills a certain craving like potato chips and french fries do.

Recipes You'll Love

More delicious roasted vegetable ideas:

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Red Peppers

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