Vegetable sides

Lemon roasted broccoli

Name: Lemon roasted broccoli
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ lb broccoli florets, washed and thoroughly dried; cut into similar 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces; 3 tbsp olive oil; ½ tsp fine salt; ¼ tsp ground black pepper; 1 tbsp lemon juice

A hot oven gives broccoli browned edges while keeping the stems tender. Finish with lemon after roasting for a simple side with a bright lift.

By The Cook’s Brief · Published 2026-10-02
Research-based · Not kitchen-tested by us

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Illustration of roasted broccoli florets with browned edges and lemon wedges on a platter. — AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of a cooked or tested recipe.

PREP10 min

COOK25 min

TOTAL35 min

MAKES4 servings

Estimated from the referenced methods; not timed in our kitchen.

Gather your ingredients

A little prep first.

Check ingredients as you gather them.

1½ lb broccoli florets, washed and thoroughly dried; cut into similar 1½-inch (4-cm) pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp fine salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

Large rimmed sheet pan
Mixing bowl

Let’s get cooking

One step at a time.

0 of 4 steps complete

01Heat the oven and dry the broccoliHeat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Check that the washed broccoli is dry, including between the florets. Cut any especially thick stems in half.
02Coat and spread outToss broccoli with oil, salt and pepper. Spread in one layer on the pan, leaving gaps; use a second pan if necessary.
03Look for browned edgesRoast for about 20–25 minutes, turning once around the halfway point, until browned at the edges and easily pierced through the stems with a fork. Start checking smaller florets sooner.
04Add lemon at the tableTransfer to a serving dish and toss with lemon juice. Serve as four side portions while the edges are still crisp.

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A few useful notes

This is a side dish, not a complete meal.
Avoid piling florets on top of one another; a larger batch needs more pan space.

Behind the recipe

Researched, with credit.

This recipe draws on the published methods below, with instructions written for The Cook’s Brief. We have not cooked or kitchen-tested this version. Our image is an AI-generated illustration of the dish.

Sources checked 2026-10-02. How we work.