Lemon and garlic. Two ingredients that when used in combination will knock your taste buds straight to the middle of the Mediterranean. I particularly think of Italy when it comes to lemons, and my fridge is never not without a few on hand. The Amalfi Coast specifically is known for its abundantly growing lemon trees. If you’ve ever had limoncello, Italy’s lemon liqueur, chances are it’s sourced from the Amalfi Coast.
I struggle to find things you couldn’t roast alongside lemon and garlic and have them be delicious, but roasted broccolini certainly doesn’t disappoint. I tried growing broccolini for the first time in the garden this year. Spring in Nashville can be hot, so isn’t always the best for growing brassicas. These guys however, turned out A-okay.
Lemon and Garlic Roasted Broccolini
- 2-3 bunches broccolini
- 2 lemons, halved
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Chopped parsley to garnish
To start, preheat oven to 400. Rinse the broccolini and trim the tough bottom third of the stems. Cut lemons in half and peel & smash garlic. The garlic should remain mostly intact but release its oils and flavors.
Place lemons, broccolini, and garlic on a baking sheet (or two baking sheets if you’re broccolini are larger, because you don’t want to overcrowd them while roasting). Add olive oil, salt, and paprika. Stir to combine, making sure to really rub the garlic into the broccolini.
Spread into a single layer on the baking sheet, placing the lemons cut side down and nestling the smashed garlic cloves on top of the broccolini stems to avoid burning.
Roast at 400 for 15 minutes, or until the broccolini florets have just started to brown but the stems still have some snap to them.
While my broccolini was roasting away, I re-heated some grains I had already cooked and was storing in the refrigerator. I added chopped sun dried tomatoes along with fresh basil and parsley. I had cooked the grains in chicken broth (vegetable broth would work too), so to flavor all I needed was a little olive oil and lemon juice along with salt to taste.
Once the roasted broccolini is done, squeeze the roasted lemon juice over the top and serve immediately either as a standalone side or overtop a grain salad like the one above. The lemon in here would make this a delicious side to a fish dish.
Bon Appétit!
- 2-3 bunches of broccolini
- 2 lemons halved
- 4-5 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- Preheat oven to 400
- Trim broccolini, halve lemons, peel & smash garlic
- Place broccolini, lemon, and garlic on a baking sheet
- Add olive oil, salt, and paprika and stir to combine
- Be sure to massage the garlic into the broccolini when combining and place lemons cut side down
- Roast at 400 for 15 minutes
- Serve alongside fish, grain salad, or as a standalone side
