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Tuscan Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Lemon, & Pistachios

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

This healthy vegetable side dish transforms boring broccoli into a canvas of rich, layered flavors the whole family will love. 

roasted broccoli with shaved parmesan, lemon zest, and pistachios in a white bowl set over a towel

Roasted broccoli with parmesan and lemon borrows a lesson from food science: it balances broccoli’s bitter flavor with salt/umami (parmesan) and acid (lemon). 

We use this same technique when roasting asparagus, and it turns out delicious every time. Along with the parmesan and lemon, there is a touch of red pepper flakes to awaken the palate without being spicy, and crushed pistachios for a textured twist.

Rich, sumptuous meals like grilled steak or buttery fish benefit from a balance of bitter, slightly sour, or lighter textures to cleanse and refresh the palate. This is why we love serving this Tuscan Roasted Broccoli recipe at holiday dinners like Thanksgiving—it makes every dish it’s paired with even more satisfying.

roasted broccoli ingredients labled

Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?

When broccoli is frozen (like any vegetable), the cells rupture, so it will not be as crisp as fresh broccoli. Frozen broccoli also has more moisture than fresh broccoli, but with a few adjustments, it is a suitable option.

Follow these tips for using frozen broccoli instead of fresh broccoli:

  • Reduce moisture—Place the frozen broccoli in a colander and set a plate over the top. Hold the plate and colander together with your hands and shake it to release as many of the ice crystals as possible. (Don’t be tempted to rinse the broccoli with water, just shake off excess ice crystals.)
  • Kick up the heat—Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
  • Preheat the baking pan—This will help to evaporate even more moisture. (Do this carefully.)
  • Give it room—Creating space between the pieces will allow it to roast instead of steam.
  • Check it after 15 minutes to make sure the garlic isn’t burning.
Broccoli on a sheet pan that has been roasted with sliced garlic.

Can I roast the broccoli in an air fryer instead of the oven?

Yes, roasting broccoli in an air fryer gives it beautifully browned edges and works well for this recipe. If you do use an air fryer instead of the oven, here are the adjustments you need to make:

  1. Hold the sliced garlic back until the last half of the cooking time.
  2. Set the air fryer temperature at 400°F.
  3. Set the time for 7 minutes.
  4. After 7 minutes, shake the bin or stir the broccoli a little; Brush the garlic with a bit of oil and sprinkle over the broccoli.
  5. Continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes until the broccoli is crisp-tender and the garlic is roasted.
  6. Continue with the recipe as written.
step by step image collage for making roasted broccoli

RECIPE STEP BY STEP:

  1. MIX the broccoli, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes with avocado oil, using your fingers to rub a thin coating of oil onto the broccoli and garlic. 
  2. ARRANGE the broccoli in an even single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and ROAST for 20 minutes, until crisp-tender and the edges of the broccoli and garlic are browned.  
  3. CRUSH pistachios until some are the size of bread crumbs mixed with larger, coarse pieces.
  4. TRANSFER the roasted broccoli and garlic mixture to a serving bowl and TOSS with the Parmesan, pistachios, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Serve immediately. 
A hand holding a plate of roasted chicken, broccoli, and mashed sweet potatoes

TIPS & VARIATIONS:

  • MAKE AHEAD TIP: The broccoli can be cooked in advance for 15 minutes at 425°F until almost done and reheated in the oven at 425°F for 5 minutes (not microwaved) before tossing it with the other ingredients.
  • Substitute pine nuts, cashews, pepitas, or sunflower seeds—you can get creative with the texture in all sorts of ways.
  • Substitute feta or cotija cheese for the parmesan.
  • Use grated parmesan instead of shaved.
  • Make a quick meal and serve with hot rotisserie chicken.
Roaste broccoli in a serving bowl with a spoon

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broccoli, parmesan, and pistachios tossed together in a serving bowl
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Tuscan Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan, Lemon, and Pistachios

Roasted broccoli and garlic tossed with fresh lemon, savory Parmesan, crushed red pepper, and pistachio nuts.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Vegetable
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 servings
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
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , shaved or grated
  • 1/4 cup roasted & salted pistachios shelled, coarsely crushed
  • 2 teaspoon lemon zest about 1 large lemon
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice about 1 large lemon
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Heat 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 1/4 tsp. pepper flakes. Drizzle 2 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.
  • 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).
  • Transfer the broccoli and garlic to a serving bowl and toss the Parmesan, pistachios, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1511IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 1mg
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    1. Cheryl Geer says

      5 stars
      Just made this but used the chili lime pistachios from Costco. It was so good I’m making for thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing. Do you think it makes a difference to use avocado or coconut oil for roasting instead of olive oil?

      Reply

      • Judy Purcell says

        Hi Cheryl, that sounds so good! And a great question. I recommend avocado oil because it has a higher smoke point than coconut oil or olive oil, however, you can safely use olive oil if you reduce the cooking temp to 400°F instead of 425°F.

        Reply

    4. Katherine G Beck says

      5 stars
      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

    6. Emily says

      5 stars
      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

    7. Elaina says

      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

    8. Astrid says

      5 stars
      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

    22. faithisbeautifulblog says

      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

      • Judy Purcell says

        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

    23. Donna Regen says

      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

    24. Florence says

      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

    29. Brenda says

      5 stars
      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
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