Get Your Greens in with This Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Recipe
How Do You Roast Broccoli and Cauliflower?
👉 To make this roasted broccoli and cauliflower dish, you need broccoli and cauliflower florets, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized florets and spread them evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with Parmesan, salt, and pepper, and roast until the veggies are tender and lightly browned.
Preparing healthy and tasty meals that are quick and easy to make on weeknights can be a daunting task. However, roasted broccoli and cauliflower can solve this problem easily! This dish is loaded with nutrients and can be tailored to suit your tastes.
One easy way to bring out the natural flavors of broccoli and cauliflower and preserve their nutritional content is by roasting them. The roasting process also adds a delicious crispy texture that will certainly please your taste buds. Additionally, it’s an excellent method for utilizing any remaining vegetables in your refrigerator before they spoil.
We have a quick and easy roasted broccoli and cauliflower recipe that is perfect for busy weeknights. It requires only a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time. You can also store it in the fridge for a few days, making it great for meal prepping.
Try making this recipe for roasted broccoli and cauliflower as either a tasty side dish or a main course for weeknight dinners. It’s healthy and delicious, so give it a go and you won’t regret it!
Table of Contents
- What Are the Benefits of Oven Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower?
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Recipe
- How to Serve Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Recipe Tips and Variations
- How to Store and Reheat Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Words
What are the Benefits of Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower?
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower are an excellent source of essential nutrients. Both are great for your diet because they have few calories and lots of fiber.
Vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and potassium can all be found in healthy amounts in broccoli. Antioxidants found in abundance in this food help prevent free radicals from damaging your cells. Moreover, broccoli is rich in the compound sulforaphane, which has been linked to both anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.
Furthermore, cauliflower is also a great way to get your daily dose of vitamins C and K, folate, and potassium. It’s perfect for individuals on a ketogenic or low-carb diet due to its high fiber content and low carbohydrate content. Cauliflower contains choline, a nutrient that is important for brain health and development, as well as indole-3-carbinol, a compound that has been shown to have anti-cancer properties.
Roasting broccoli and cauliflower is a simple method to add these vegetables to your diet. They make a great healthy side dish when tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper and baked at a high temperature. To boost the flavor, you can experiment with other ingredients like garlic powder and crushed red pepper.
Both broccoli and cauliflower are nutritious powerhouses that are good for you in many different ways. Incorporating these superfoods into your diet will allow you to enjoy healthy, tasty meals with minimal effort.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Recipe
You can use this delicious recipe for any roasted vegetables, not just garlic and parmesan roasted cauliflower and broccoli. It is a versatile recipe that can be applied to any veggies that can be roasted.
Ingredients
Broccoli and Cauliflower: Cut them into florets of the same size so they all cook at the same rate. You can even roast frozen broccoli and cauliflower for this recipe. Fresh is generally better, but at certain times of the year, it can be too expensive or not good enough. Either way, you can get great results.
Olive Oil: You can use extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
Garlic: To get the best flavor, use fresh garlic cloves, but if you prefer convenience, you can use jarred garlic. If you don’t have them, you can use garlic powder as a substitute for the required cloves in this recipe.
Parmesan Cheese: For optimal results, it is recommended to use grated parmesan cheese instead of shredded. Grated cheese crisps better and ensures every bite of roasted broccoli and cauliflower has a cheesy crunch.
For this recipe, you need the following ingredients:
- 4 cups Broccoli florets
- 4 cups Cauliflower florets
- 1/3 cup Olive oil
- 6 Garlic cloves
- 2/3 cup Grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
To begin, preheat your oven to 400F (204C). Next, line a large baking sheet with foil, or use a high-quality non-stick baking sheet without the need for lining it. If you have two smaller baking sheets that can fit side by side, you can also use those.
In a large bowl, combine the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Pour in the olive oil, garlic, and half of the parmesan cheese. Toss broccoli and cauliflower to coat them thoroughly. Then, add kosher salt or sea salt and black pepper and give it a final toss.
Place the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet(s), ensuring they have ample space around them. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges turn brown. For more uniform cooking, it’s recommended you toss them halfway through.
Just before serving, mix in the remaining parmesan cheese, and add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Nutrition
One serving of this dish contains the following:
- Calories: 187kcal
- Total Carbs: 8.9 grams
- Dietary Fiber: 3.1 grams
- Total Fat: 15 grams
- Protein: 6.8 grams
- Net Carbs: 5.8 grams
How to Serve Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
To create a nutritious meal, complement this broccoli cauliflower recipe with a main dish such as chicken. You could consider pairing the side dish with Chicken Florentine, grilled chicken, or a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a casual, straightforward dinner. Alternatively, for a more romantic dinner for two, you could serve the side dish with the delectable Marry Me Chicken.
For an easy date night meal, you can pair marinated filet mignon, sirloin, or London broil with roasted broccoli and cauliflower, and add garlic herb butter.
For a healthy dinner option, you can try the vegetables paired with either pan-seared salmon or lemon-baked cod fish.
For a fancy dinner at home, consider adding bacon-wrapped scallops, crab legs, or broiled lobster tail to roasted broccoli and cauliflower with parmesan.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Recipe Tips and Variations
To roast veggies perfectly, use sufficient oil, thinly layer the pieces on the pan, and set a high temperature. Ensure the florets are coated with a thin layer of oil. Although 1/3 cup of olive oil may seem excessive in this recipe, it is divided among 8 cups of veggies.
For optimal roasting of your broccoli and cauliflower, it’s important to give them sufficient space in the pan. Arrange the florets in a single layer without overlapping, and try leaving some gaps between them. Overcrowding the pan will result in steamed vegetables instead of the crispy roasted texture you desire.
To ensure that your vegetables roast properly and don’t steam, it’s important to use a high oven temperature. A higher temperature will absorb moisture more quickly, preventing steaming. For firmer vegetables like root veggies, an oven temperature as high as 450 degrees may be appropriate. For this roasted broccoli and cauliflower recipe with parmesan cheese, a temperature of 400 degrees is sufficient to avoid burning the outside too quickly or scorching the cheese.
You can make this simple side dish more interesting by using different seasonings.
For an Italian twist, just sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning over the broccoli and cauliflower before roasting.
To add a spicy Cajun flavor to roasted vegetables, use 1-2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning and skip the parmesan cheese.
To add Ranch flavor to your roasted veggies, you can sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of ranch seasoning and parmesan cheese on them before or after cooking.
To add a tangy flavor, replace the salt and pepper with lemon pepper seasoning. Alternatively, you can also include lemon juice, lemon zest, or both.
How to Store and Reheat Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
Store leftover oven-roasted broccoli and cauliflower in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, place leftovers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing the veggies raw, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes first to prevent a mushy texture after thawing.
To reheat, use an oven set to 350 degrees for the best results. Microwaving is an option but may result in softer vegetables. Alternatively, reheating in an air fryer will help maintain the original texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Steam Vegetables Before Roasting Them?
You can roast vegetables without steaming them as roasting alone is enough to cook them perfectly. However, steaming can partially cook denser vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, reducing the roasting time and ensuring even cooking. The decision to steam vegetables before roasting depends on personal preference and the desired texture of the vegetables.
Is Roasting Vegetables Healthier Than Boiling Them?
Roasting vegetables is a healthier way to cook them compared to boiling because it retains more nutrients. Boiling can result in the loss of nutrients in the cooking water which is often thrown away. Moreover, roasting gives vegetables a satisfying texture and flavor, making them more enjoyable to eat.
Does Cauliflower Take Longer to Cook Than Broccoli?
Cauliflower takes more time to cook than broccoli due to its denser and thicker texture. Roasting cauliflower typically takes 20-25 minutes, while broccoli takes only about 15-20 minutes. It’s worth noting that the cooking time may differ depending on the size and thickness of the cuts.
Final Words
The recipe for roasted broccoli and cauliflower is both delicious and simple to make, making it a great choice for quick weeknight dinners. You only need a handful of ingredients and a short prep time to cook a healthy and fulfilling meal that everyone in the family will love.
Roasting vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower not only enhances their natural flavors but also makes them crispy and irresistible. Moreover, these vegetables are packed with essential vitamins and nutrients that are crucial for maintaining good health.
Including this recipe in your weekly meal plan can help you save money and time, while still relishing a delicious and healthy meal. Additionally, it’s an excellent approach to fulfill your daily vegetable intake without compromising on taste or satisfaction.
If you’re looking for a tasty and hassle-free meal, you should try making the roasted broccoli and cauliflower dish. It’s easy to make and can be modified to suit your preferences. Give it a shot and you’ll see just how delicious and satisfying it can be, all while saving you time and energy.
If you love roasted broccoli and cauliflower, try this beef broccoli stir-fry with cauliflower rice and more keto side dishes.