Savoring Today

Clean eating recipes for a healthy lifestyle.

Tuscan Roasted Broccoli: Thanksgiving (or Anytime) Side Dish

Published . Last updated by 33 Comments

Pin518
Share50
Tweet
Flip
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

 

Roasted broccoli tossed with sliced garlic, fresh lemon, savory Parmesan and pistachio nuts brings just the right balance to rich holiday meals.

 This healthy, deliciously simple recipe is an ideal Thanksgiving side dish.

Roasted broccoli spears tossed with roasted garlic, lemon zest and Parmesan, served in a white bowl with red edges.

Tuscan Roasted Broccoli is a worthy holiday side dish.

Throughout the year I try new side dishes looking for the “wow” factor, something worthy of Thanksgiving or any holiday dinner.

Turkey, homemade egg noodles, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and pumpkin dream pie are sacrosanct, but when it comes to the vegetable sides, I can slip in something new.

This vegetable side dish got our attention because it made the steaks better.

Rich, sumptuous meals benefit from a balance of bitter, slightly sour, or lighter textures to cleanse and refresh the palate.

A bit of lemon and Parmesan does its job deliciously, which is why it will be on our Thanksgiving table.

Oven space is prime real estate at a holiday gathering, but the broccoli isn’t picky about oven placement so it can go on the bottom rack while the dinner rolls bake.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: It can also be cooked in advance until almost done and reheated (in the oven at 400°F for 5 minutes, not microwave) before tossing with the other ingredients.

Roasted until crisp-tender, it’s a quick toss and on the table in no time—easy enough for anyone wanting to “help” too.

A roasted broccoli side dish fit for any feast.

While the original recipe included pine nuts, my friend’s version included pumpkin seeds that were also good.

I used pistachios because it’s what I had on-hand and it turned out to be my favorite.

Walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds—you can get creative with the texture all sorts of ways. I also add crushed red pepper for complexity without seeming spicy.

Check out even more simple holiday recipe ideas at the end of this post …

Tuscan Roasted Broccoli is a delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipe. It brings balance to the flavors of any rich, holiday meal.

Adapted from Ina Garten’s Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

4.96 from 22 votes
Print
Tuscan Roasted Broccoli
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 
Roasted broccoli tossed with sliced garlic, fresh lemon, savory Parmesan and pistachio nuts.
Course: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4 -6 servings
Calories: 192 kcal
Author: Judy Purcell
Ingredients
  • 8 cups broccoli cut into bite-size spears
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3-4 tablespoons avocado oil or melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 rounded cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup roasted & salted pistachios -- shelled , coarsely crushed
  • 2 teaspoon lemon zest -- approximately 1 large lemon
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice -- approximately 1 large lemon
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F Divide and trim the broccoli florets and stalk into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, toss the broccoli with the sliced garlic, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and 1/2 tsp. pepper flakes. 
  2. Drizzle 4-5 tablespoons of oil over the broccoli and mix with your hands, rubbing a thin coat of oil onto the broccoli and garlic. Spread the broccoli in a rimmed baking sheet in an even single layer and roast for 15-20 minutes, until crisp-tender and the edges of the broccoli and garlic are browned.
  3. In a mortar and pestle, crush pistachios until some are the size of bread crumbs mixed with larger, coarse pieces (or put the pistachios in a bag and use a meat mallet). Toss the Parmesan, pistachios, lemon zest, and lemon juice, with broccoli and garlic and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Tuscan Roasted Broccoli
Amount Per Serving
Calories 192 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 759mg 32%
Potassium 247mg 7%
Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 1g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin A 44.1%
Vitamin C 25.4%
Calcium 10%
Iron 11.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Simple Thanksgiving Side Dish Favorites:

A healthy, vegetable side dish perfect for grilled and roasted meats. Tuscan Roasted Broccoli is an ideal recipe for Thanksgiving or any holiday dinner. #cleaneating #ketosidedish #holidaydinner #sidedish #vegetablesidedish #savoringtoday

Comments

  1. This is our favorite way to serve broccoli – there is something about roasting it that concentrates the best flavors in it – and I mean, what doesn’t get better with Parmesan cheese!?

    Reply

  3. Oh wow! Now these are some super fixed up roasted broccoli florets! I LOVE this recipe! The pistachios, lemon and parmesan add such wonderful flavors. I can see why this is such a yummy addition to steak and I bet it’s the perfect side dish for any meal.

    Reply

  4. What a great idea to add nuts to roasted broccoli! I actually have a huge bag of roasted & salted pistachios from Costco that I need to use up so I’ll bookmark this for later. 🙂

    Reply

  5. I adore roasted broccoli, but your spin with the pepper flakes and pistachios sounds soo much better! Delicious. I am definitely making it pronto.

    Reply

  19. This looks amazing – do you have advice if one needs to make it ahead? I’m looking for a roasted broccoli recipe that I can bring to Thanksgiving but they all say ‘serve immediately’ and I need one that can stand up for a few hours before serving…

    Reply

    • I think this would be just as good as a room temp dish as it is hot, but that is a personal preference. The broccoli will not wilt any further if it sits and the cheese doesn’t melt so there wouldn’t be any issue with that. Once it sits for a couple hours, I would toss it a little just before eating just to fluff it and redistribute any oil that may have settled, if possible.

      Reply

  20. It would not have occurred to me to roast broccoli before I read this post today. Your photo makes this side dish very appealing. Plus I love pistachios, lemon, and the other additions to the broccoli. Will have to try this one sometime soon!

    Reply

  21. Judy, this looks mouthwateringly good! I think I just coined a word, but really it does. I would never think of cooking broccoli in the oven for fear of overcooking, but I’m sure you’ve tested that out. And with Thanksgiving, one must have a green side dish. I like broccoli and garlic flavors too, so def pinned.

    Reply

  26. We’ve roasted Brussels sprouts three times in the last two weeks so I know we will love this! Never thought of seeds and nuts, sounds so good!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Savoring Today is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright  •  Disclosure Policy  •  Privacy Policy

Visit Our Store!

Join Me on Facebook

Follow on Instagram

Get Ideas on Pinterest

Contact Directly