Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon

Short answer: Toss broccoli florets with olive oil and salt, roast them on a preheated sheet pan at 425°F for about 15 minutes, add sliced garlic for the last 5 to 8 minutes, then finish with lemon zest and a squeeze of juice.

This recipe was developed by the ProstateFoods team from standard techniques and measurements.

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 23 min Total time: 33 min

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 1/2 pounds broccoli (about 2 medium heads)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1 lemon, for zest and about 1 tablespoon of juice
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Steps

1. Put a rimmed sheet pan on the middle rack and heat the oven to 425°F, so the pan gets hot too.
2. Rinse the broccoli under running water, then dry it well with a clean towel, as FDA advises for fresh produce [1]. Wet florets steam instead of browning.
3. Cut the heads into florets about the same size. Peel the thick stalk, slice it into coins and keep it; it roasts just as well.
4. Toss the florets and stalk coins with 2 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, the salt and some pepper.
5. Carefully spread them on the hot pan in a single layer, cut sides down. Roast for 15 minutes.
6. Toss the garlic with the last 1/2 tablespoon of oil, scatter it over the broccoli and roast 5 to 8 minutes more, until the edges are deep brown and a knife slides into the stalks easily.
7. Zest the lemon right over the pan, squeeze on about a tablespoon of juice, add the pepper flakes if you like, and serve.

A few notes on technique

425°F or 400°F? Both work. We went with 425°F because the edges brown faster before the stems go soft. At 400°F, plan on a few extra minutes.

Don't crowd the pan. If the florets are touching all over, they trap steam and come out soft and olive green instead of browned. If your pan is small, use two. A heavy rimmed half-sheet pan is the right size for 1 1/2 pounds.

Garlic goes in late. Thin slices burn fast at 425°F, and burnt garlic tastes bitter. Adding it for the last few minutes keeps it golden.

No need to boil first. Roasting from raw is the whole point here; blanching first just adds a pot to wash and makes it harder to get crisp edges.

Oil matters a bit. You're using enough that you'll taste it, so a decent extra virgin olive oil is worth it. Lemon and garlic do the rest.

Nutrition notes

Our estimate for one serving (a quarter of the recipe) is about 150 calories, 5 g protein, 11 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate, 4.5 g fiber and roughly 150 mg of vitamin C, not counting the added salt. We worked this out from USDA FoodData Central values for raw broccoli, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice [2]. Because the USDA figures are for raw broccoli and we haven't measured the cooked dish, treat these as rough numbers.

For a sense of scale, one cup of chopped raw broccoli (91 g) has about 81 mg of vitamin C in the same USDA data [2]. Broccoli is one of the vegetables on our cruciferous vegetables list.

Serve it with

It goes with nearly anything. Try it next to baked salmon with lemon and dill, since both use a hot oven and lemon, or stir leftovers into pasta with our simple tomato sauce with olive oil. More ideas are on our recipes page.

Storing and reheating

Get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and should be reheated to 165°F [3]. A hot oven or skillet brings back more of the crisp edges than a microwave does.

Sources

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 7 Tips for Cleaning Fruits, Vegetables. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/7-tips-cleaning-fruits-vegetables
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Broccoli, raw (FDC ID 170379); Oil, olive, salad or cooking (171413); Garlic, raw (169230); Lemon juice, raw (167747). Accessed October 19, 2026. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
3. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safety

ProstateFoods writes about food, not treatment. Nothing here is medical advice or a claim that any food treats, cures or prevents a disease. Talk to your doctor before changing how you eat, especially if you take medication or have a health condition. See our medical disclaimer. Photo: Close-up photo of broccoli, via Pexels (Pexels license).