Mediterranean Lemon Garlic Broccoli
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Make Mediterranean lemon garlic broccoli like a restaurant chef! The oven roasting gives the broccoli a caramelized and crispy texture, while the finish is a fresh lemon flavor! Serve lemon garlic broccoli as a vegetable side dish or a showstopper on your holiday table!
This lemon broccoli recipe will win over the hardest critic
One thing I am sure of: this lemon broccoli recipe will win over the hardest critic. I say that with such confidence because for years, I have been meh on broccoli. It’s either too soft, not seasoned well, or flavorless. So, when I say this recipe is a game-changer, I mean it. There are a few simple techniques and ingredients that make this recipe different:
- The broccoli florets are cut in half, creating a flat side. This flat side provides more space to caramelize.
- The tops of the florets are rubbed in oil, which creates a crispy texture that all the other recipes are missing.
- Using a finishing salt creates a special pop of flavor!
One bite and you will love broccoli (if you don’t already). This is a recipe I often pair with dishes that are delicious but lack veggies, such as lemon garlic pasta or saffron risotto.
Happy Cooking!
– Ruth
Ingredients
Broccoli
For a crispy texture, you must use fresh broccoli. You can use frozen broccoli, but the result will be a steamed vegetable vs. a roasted one.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
It is typical to use extra virgin olive oil when oven-roasting veggies. If you have avocado, grapeseed, or light olive oil, you can use those instead.
Salt
I recommend using two salts with this recipe. First, toss the broccoli in sea salt before cooking. Then, once it’s done, sprinkle it with lemon and finish with Maldon flaky salt for the perfect flavor pop!
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Oven-Roasted Instructions
Step One: Broccoli
Start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C). Wash the broccoli and pat it dry with a tea-towel or paper towel. Next, cut the florets off the stalk and pat the broccoli dry again. Your goal is to get the broccoli as dry as possible.
Cut the florets in half so that one side is flat. Place the florets in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, minced garlic, and sea salt. You want to make sure the top of the broccoli is covered in oil for crispy roasting. Spread the florets directly on the baking sheet, flat side down.
Step Two: Roast
Place the broccoli on the middle rack and roast for 15-20 minutes. Flip the florets halfway through the cook time. For more char, switch the oven to broil on low and roast for two additional minutes. Keep a close eye on the broccoli, as it can go from charred to burnt very quickly.
Step Three: Lemon
Remove the broccoli from the oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Then you will want to gently toss the florets, coating them in lemon juice.
Step Four: Serve
Transfer to your serving bowl and serve immediately. This recipe is best straight out of the oven.
Air Fryer (Alternative Cooking Method)
Making air fryer lemon garlic broccoli is very similar to the instructions above.
- Start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F / 200°C.
- Follow step two, the broccoli preparation, as written above.
- Then place the broccoli in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Space it out as much as possible.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Remove the broccoli from the air fryer.
- Squeeze fresh lemon on top and serve.
Tips and Variations
Space the Broccoli
You want to give the florets as much space as possible. If they are too close together, they will steam instead of roast. If you’re making a large batch, I recommend using two sheet pans.
Add Spice
Sprinkle a 1/4 teaspoon of Aleppo or red pepper over the flakes before roasting. The heat and the lemon pair perfectly together and are very Mediterranean! (I do this when making batata harra)
Serve with Harissa
Dipping lemon broccoli in harissa paste is one of my favorite ways to eat it (as you can tell from the pictures). Put a small amount of harissa paste in a small bowl and dip. This also allows people to skip the dip if they don’t want heat.
Swap the Oil
Olive oil works great here, but if you want maximum crispiness, use avocado or grapeseed oil instead.
Perfect Pairings
Main Dish
Dipping Sauces
Cultural Notes
Garlic and lemon are the foundations of the Mediterranean Diet. Together, they are the flavor backbone found all over the Eastern Mediterranean, from Lebanon to Italy. This dish shows that perfection is often found in simplicity. (Mediterranean Diet source: Oldways)
How Did It Go?
I hope you loved this lemon garlic broccoli recipe as much as I do! Before you go, please leave me a rating and let me know your thoughts.
Mediterranean Lemon Garlic Broccoli
Equipment
- 1 medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb broccoli florets, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- dash Maldon flaky salt, optional as a finishing salt
Instructions
- Prep: Start by preheating your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Broccoli: Wash the broccoli and pat it dry with a tea towel or paper towel. Next, cut the florets off the stalk and pat the broccoli dry again. Your goal is to get the broccoli as dry as possible. Cut the florets in half so that one side is flat. Place the florets in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, the minced garlic, and sea salt. You want to make sure the top of the broccoli is covered in oil for crispy roasting. Spread the florets directly on the baking sheet, flat side down.
- Roast: Place the broccoli on the middle rack and roast for 15-20 minutes. Flip the florets halfway through the cook time. For more char, switch the oven to broil on low and roast for two additional minutes. Keep a close eye on the broccoli, as it can go from charred to burnt very quickly.
- Lemon: Remove the broccoli from the oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Then you will want to gently toss the florets to coat them in the juice.
- Serve: Transfer to your serving bowl and serve immediately. This recipe is best straight out of the oven.
Notes
Lemon garlic broccoli is best served fresh. You can store it in an airtight container for up to three days, but the texture will soften. To restore the crispiness, reheat in the oven for five minutes or in the air fryer for three minutes. This will restore some of it, but it will not be the same as fresh out of the oven.