This is the perfect side dish! You can forget about that boring regular broccoli and replace it with this tasty Crunchy Baked Broccoli, a great pairing for any meal.
Crunchy Baked Broccoli has multiple level of flavor and texture in just 30 minutes. Are you ready for the secret on how this crunch gets so zesty?
Why You’ll Love This Baked Broccoli
Crisp-tender broccoli that is perfectly seasoned and pairs well with almost anything- what’s not to love!
- Easy to make – From start to finish, you can have this broccoli ready in only 25 minutes and with only 7 ingredients.
- Great for picky eaters – If you need a creative way to add more veggies to your kiddos diets, the flavor of this broccoli is loved by even the pickiest of eaters.
- Pairs well with anything – No m atter what you’re having for dinner, this baked broccoli can be served with just about any main meal.
- Secret Ingredient(s)– Two, actually. Dijon mustard helps it stick, but pepperoni is blended right into the crunchy coating giving it a unique flavor and slightly chewy texture.
Ingredients
These simple ingredients to make this baked broccoli can easily be found at your local grocery store.
- Broccoli – You will want two heads cut into broccoli florets. Cut off the main stem and separate into bite-sized pieces.
- Pepperoni – Because we’re crumbling it, you’ll want your pepperoni to be sliced thin. You can use regular pepperoni or turkey pepperoni.
- Garlic cloves – You will want this to be thinly sliced. This will be combined with the pepperoni and panko to make the crunchy coating.
- Panko – Panko breadcrumbs add the perfect amount of crunch to this broccoli when mixed with the pepperoni and garlic.
- Salt and pepper – I prefer to use fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper. It’s the perfect seasoning for this broccoli.
- Olive oil – I like to use light extra virgin olive oil. We need this to bake the broccoli and also to crisp up the topping.
- Dijon mustard – To add a little bit of tang and extra flavor to this broccoli, we toss it in a little bit of dijon mustard.
How to Make Crunchy Baked Broccoli
You are going to love how easy it is to make this tender yet crunchy broccoli.
- Toss broccoli in olive oil. Lay broccoli in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing in light virgin olive oil. Place in oven until ends should start to char, but broccoli will hold its shape.
- Make topping. In a small food processor combine pepperoni and garlic. Pulse until the mixture has made small bits. Add panko and a light seasoning of fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper before pulsing a few more times to combine and all pieces are relatively similar size.
- Crisp topping. Meanwhile, heat remaining light extra virgin olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. When oil is hot add panko mixture. Stir for a few minutes or until mixture is crisp and olive oil as been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Toss in mustard and panko. In a large mixing bowl, smear Dijon mustard around the sides. This prevents it from clumping to one piece when you toss it. Add broccoli, tossing to lightly coat in mustard, then toss in panko mixture and return to rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake again and serve. Bake for an additional few minutes, remove and serve.
Variations
There are plenty of ways you can make roasted broccoli recipe your own. Here are a couple suggestions:
- Cheese – To add even more flavor, you can sprinkle a little parmesan cheese or even cheddar cheese over the baked broccoli.
- Different veggies – You can use this cooking method and seasoning blend for other vegetables too. Try using sweet potatoes or roasted asparagus.
- Make it spicy – If you need a little spice in your life, try adding some red pepper flakes or extra black pepper to the broccoli.
- Drizzle – You can add extra flavor with lemon juice. A squeeze of lemon juice or even some lemon zest is a great way to brighten up this dish. Use fresh lemon juice instead of the bottled version. You could also try adding a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
What to Serve with Baked Broccoli
This easy roasted broccoli recipe can be served with just about anything. It’s a great side dish for any protein from baked chicken breasts to salmon.
It also pairs well with other side dishes too. Try adding a grain like garlic bread, rice or quick rolls. You can also serve with another veggie like pearl onions or roasted carrots.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: You can store any leftover baked broccoli in an airtight container. It will stay in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Freezing: In order to freeze, flash freeze on a sheet pan first. After an hour or two, you can transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
More Broccoli Recipes
Looking for more side dish recipes and broccoli recipes? We’ve got you covered!
Crunchy Broccoli Slaw
This Crunchy Broccoli Slaw Salad is made with a bagged broccoli slaw and a few extra ingredients for a quick, easy and tasty side salad!
See The Recipe!
Garlic Parmesan Broccolini
Making broccolini couldn't be easier than with the BEST Garlic Parmesan Broccolini Recipe! You only need 5 ingredients and 15 minutes!
See The Recipe!
Crunchy Baked Broccoli Recipe
Crunchy Baked Broccoli Recipe- baked broccoli tossed in a crunchy, tangy mix with 2 secret ingredients that will make this broccoli recipe your favorite side dish recipe.
Servings:
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli , trimmed to florets in similar size
- 10 slices thin pepperoni you can use turkey or regular
- 1 clove garlic , thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups panko
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Lay the broccoli in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing in 1 tablespoon of the the olive oil. Place in oven for 10 minutes, ends should start to char.
- In a small food processor combine the pepperoni and garlic. Pulse until the mixture has made small bits. Add the panko and a light seasoning of salt and freshly ground pepper before pulsing a few more times to combine and all pieces are relatively similar size.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the panko mixture. Stir for about 5 minutes or until mixture is crisp and olive oil as been absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, smear the Dijon mustard around the sides. This prevents it from clumping to one piece when you toss it. Add the partially cooked broccoli, tossing to lightly coat in mustard, then toss in the panko mixture and return to rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes, remove and serve.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 349 kcal, Carbohydrates: 37 g, Protein: 13 g, Fat: 18 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Sodium: 481 mg, Potassium: 1034 mg, Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 6 g, Vitamin A: 1895 IU, Vitamin C: 271.4 mg, Calcium: 191 mg, Iron: 3.6 mg
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
NIce flavor, but I thought the panko would stick more to the broccoli. It was basically oven-roasted broccoli with panko bread crumbs sprinkled on top. I thought the mustard was a bit heavy considering that it wasn’t necessary since the panko mixture didn’t adhere anyway. I would fix it again, with less mustard and just sprinkle the panko on after it comes out of the oven. No need to mix the panko and re-roast that.
Thanks for the feedback!
Can you use Italian bread crumbs instead of panko?
Yes, you can! Seasoned or unseasoned, both work.
What an amazing idea!!!! sounds delicious!