Roasted Broccolini with Garlic, Lemon and Parmesan

Chef's Notes

This is also delish if you have leftovers and throw it on top of some pasta, in a quinoa bowl, or just re-heat it in the oven for a few minutes and add it to some chicken bolognese!
 

Tips and Tricks

1. High heat! Make sure your oven is at 3 degrees F! And it doesn’t hurt to get a cheap internal oven thermometer to make sure your oven is running properly! Trust me – it’s the best $7 you’ll spend.

2. Space. Don't crowd the broccolini on one baking sheet. They need to have room to breathe and really roast and develop flavor.

3. Olive Oil. Toss the broccolini in olive oil before roasting. Just enough, you don’t need to douse them and you don’t need to skimp, but enough to evenly and lightly coat everything. I usually do 3 tablespoons per pound of vegetables.

4. Seasonings. Before I throw the broccolini into the oven it gets a healthy dose of kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and some red pepper flakes. When they are done roasting, I hit it with a cheesy, garlicky, lemon dressing to give it a touch of acid and really pump up the flavors.

5. Location. Heat rises, so roast the broccolini on the top baking rack in your oven.

6. Timing. Roast the broccolini, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes before peeking into the oven. After 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet, give everything a quick toss to ensure even roasting, and place the baking sheet back into the oven to finish off for 5, 10 or 15 minutes. You’re looking for golden brown edges because that’s where the flavor really develops!

7. Parchment – roasting can sometimes make your pans a little dirty and tough to clean, so I ALWAYS roast on parchment. I keep the pre-measured sheets on hand at all times and they are the best!