Smashed Broccoli
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 398kcal
This crispy Smashed Broccoli is about to revolutionize the way you eat your vegetables! Roasted with Parmesan, olive oil, and a zesty homemade ranch seasoning, it's an easy and flavor-packed snack, side dish, or appetizer you’ll be making repeatedly as a new favorite!
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Steamer basket optional
- Glass
Ingredients
- 1 pounds broccoli cut into florets (about 6 cups)
- 8 ounces Parmesan cheese grated (2 cups)
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Ranch Seasoning:
- 2 Tablespoons dry buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoons dried dill
- 1 teaspoons dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Sriracha Ranch Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons dry ranch seasoning from recipe above, or packet
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk or water
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1-2 Tablespoons sriracha depending on how spicy you like it
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Steam Broccoli
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place broccoli in a steamer basket set in a large saucepan. Add water to just below the basket. Bring the water to a boil, then add the broccoli. Reduce heat and cover and steam until just tender, 5-7 minutes. Or, see the notes below on more suggestions for steaming your broccoli.
Make Ranch Seasoning & Sriracha Ranch Dressing
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the ranch seasoning ingredients.
- In a second small bowl, add 1 TBSP of the prepared ranch seasoning, along with mayo, milk, sour cream, sriracha and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Place the dressing in the refrigerator until the broccoli is finished.
Spread Broccoli on Sheet Pan
- Spread Parmesan in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Arrange broccoli florets in a single layer over cheese, leaving about an inch between pieces. Using the bottom of a glass, smash each broccoli floret until flattened. Sprinkle broccoli and cheese with the remaining ranch seasoning, lemon zest and drizzle with the olive oil.
Bake and Serve
- Bake until crispy and golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Break broccoli mixture into pieces and drizzle with sriracha ranch. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
More ways to prepare broccoli for this smashed broccoli recipe
- Microwave: Place the broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of water. Cover the bowl with a lid or plate and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, or until just tender.
- Stovetop Boiling: Place the florets directly in a pan with about ½ inch of water. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 4-6 minutes, checking that the water doesn’t evaporate completely.
- Instant Pot: Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot and place broccoli on a trivet or in a steamer insert. Set the pressure on HIGH for 0 minutes (yes, zero!), then do a quick release.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper, foil or a Silpat for easy cleanup.
- Don’t stress about pressing the broccoli down flat - the crispiest smashed broccoli florets are the messiest ones. All those extra bumps and ridges will add to the total surface area for maximum crunch.
- Reduce the recipe time by steaming the broccoli florets ahead of time and then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. When ready, smash and season the broccoli to crisp in the oven.
- To ensure a crispy texture, roast the smashed broccoli at a high temperature, such as 425 degrees F. I’ve found that roasting broccoli at this temperature for about 20 minutes gets it to that perfect golden color and makes it nice and tender, yet perfectly crispy.
- Avoid using frozen broccoli florets for this recipe as it’ll be too mushy and won’t crisp up enough.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese directly on the pan instead of on top of the broccoli. The heat from the pan melts the Parmesan well and helps the cheese stick to the broccoli better.
- Dry the freshly steamed broccoli as best as you can before transferring it to the pan. Any excess moisture will prevent the broccoli from becoming crispy.
- I highly recommend using a vegetable steamer to steam the broccoli. Boiling the broccoli, while still an option, can lead to overcooking the florets with an excess of moisture that will prevent them from turning crispy in the oven.
- Switch up the dressing - Try my Restaurant Style Ranch Dressing for a milder version. This Jalapeño Ranch dressing is a great alternative if you still want a little kick of heat without sriracha in the mix. Lemon tahini dipping sauce or Mojo sauce are two other favorite condiments you should try with smashed and roasted vegetables.
- Use cauliflower - Make a mixture of smashed broccoli and cauliflower or just use cauliflower florets without having to change the recipe at all!
- Change the flavors - Try switching up the flavors of these crispy smashed broccoli by sprinkling on some cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, rosemary, thyme, paprika, or cayenne pepper. You could also use this homemade Italian Seasoning mixed with garlic powder instead of the ranch seasoning.
- Smashed broccoli will always be the crispiest immediately after baking in the oven. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, keeping in mind that the broccoli will start to lose that crispy texture over time.
- You can reheat your smashed broccoli in the oven at 400 degrees F for 5-10 minutes, in the air fryer, or in a lightly oiled and heated skillet.
Nutrition
Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 920mg | Potassium: 371mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1425IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 536mg | Iron: 1mg