Ina Garten's Broccoli Method Turns A Simple Veggie Into A Showstopper

The days of mushy, limp, overcooked broccoli are long over — or at least, they should be. With so many excellent ways to prepare this fibrous vegetable, there's really no reason to dread eating the power-packed cruciferous plant. One of the best examples is Ina Garten's scrumptious Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli. This roasted recipe elevates the simple veggie into a showstopper that will have you and your guests reaching for a second helping of these flavorful, parm-tastic florets.

Although grated parmesan cheese is the star of the Barefoot Contessa's popular recipe, it's really the flavorful technique of roasting and the handful of supporting players that set this dish apart. Culinary co-stars like garlic, citrus, fresh basil leaves, and toasted pine nuts play nicely off one another and highlight the earthy and caramelized quality of the broccoli. 

Trimming the broccoli down to bite-sized florets, Garten leaves on some of the stalk, before drizzling everything with "good" olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Finally, she tops them with thinly-sliced garlic, and roasts the broccoli in the oven for about 25 minutes until somewhat tender and browned. Once out of the oven, she tosses them in more olive oil, lemon juice, basil, pine nuts, and last, but not least, grated parmesan. 

There's no doubt that Ina's take on broccoli can steal the show at dinner parties with its layered notes of flavors that all work in perfect "parm-ony." But, should the thought of toasting pine nuts, picking and julienning basil leaves, and zesting lemons is stressing you out, try our simplified roasted garlic parmesan broccoli recipe, instead. 

All you need is olive oil, a bulb of fresh garlic, sea salt, black pepper, and some grated parmesan cheese — and the broccoli, of course. The garlic is the main attraction for this roasted recipe dupe. But, don't worry as there's no peeling or slicing involved. Just cut off one end of the bulb, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings, and wrap it in foil to bake. Next, squeeze the garlic cloves out from the softened bulb into a bowl and mix with parmesan and oil to coat the broccoli before it goes into the oven. Then, finish with more grated parmesan. 

You can also add a touch of complexity with fresh-squeezed citrus juice, honey, red pepper flakes, or pesto. Or, if you're short on time, dial things back by skipping the baked garlic bulb and use time-saving frozen garlic cubes to give the roasted broccoli a quick infusion of flavor.