Grilled Broccoli with Lemon & Parmesan

5 from 1 vote

Grilled Broccoli with Lemon & Parmesan

Broccoli tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, grilled it to smoky, savory perfection, and finished with a squeeze of lemon and a layer of freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Grilled, Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine: American, vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 117kcal

Author: Judy Purcell

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound broccoli florets (5-6 cups) halved or quartered into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon lemon zest about 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese , plus more shaved for garnish

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Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, toss broccoli with oil to coat. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper; toss again.
Heat grill to at least 400 degrees with vegetable grill pan in place during pre-heat. When ready, spread the broccoli over the grill pan and grill over high heat (med-high if grill runs hot) for 6-8 minutes, stirring and turning after a couple of minutes, until well browned in spots and fork-tender. Save the mixing bowl for the broccoli to go back into after being grilled.
Remove from grill and transfer back to the mixing bowl. Toss with lemon zest and grated Parmesan. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with shaved Parmesan for garnish, as desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Recipe Tips

Smaller bite-size florets work best when using a grill pan, as shown in the photo.
Larger florets are easier to turn on the grill if you don't have a grill pan, stick to about the size of a clementine orange. These larger florets can then be cut into smaller pieces once grilled.
If the broccoli head has a nice long stem, prep that too! Cut off the bottom inch of the stalk, peel the outer layer of the stem, and slice the stem into 1/4-inch slices. You'll find the stem pieces taste slightly sweeter than the florets.

Pre-heating the grill pan will help the broccoli brown and cook more quickly.

Recipe Variations

Substitute the avocado oil with either coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Substitute orange zest for the lemon zest and add a few orange segments on top for an orange-forward twist.
Substitute a teaspoon of your favorite spice or herb blend for the crushed red pepper flakes.
Substitute chevre, asiago, feta, or cotija cheese for the Parmesan.
Toss in sliced garlic with the broccoli before grilling.
Add some extra crunch with toasted walnuts or almond slivers sprinkled over the finished dish.
Make it vegan with a grated plant-based cheese alternative.
Add other vegetables to the mix like cauliflower florets, carrots coins, mushrooms, etc. Don't be shy with your vegetables. Just be sure to cut them into similar sizes for grilling.

Nutrition