Baked smashed broccoli are an easy, quick, and light side dish. Grandma Benedetta often prepares them.
SEASON
#broccoli – from September to May
romanesco broccoli or #romanesco cabbage – from October to April
Homemade recipe WITHOUT béchamel, breadcrumbs, eggs. A simple side dish for everyone.
RECIPES with broccoli
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 56.03 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.80 (g) of which sugars 1.93 (g)
- Proteins 3.47 (g)
- Fat 2.39 (g) of which saturated 0.27 (g)of which unsaturated 0.06 (g)
- Fibers 2.95 (g)
- Sodium 59.63 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 90 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Simple Baked Broccoli
- 2 broccoli (about 25 oz of broccoli florets, romanesco cabbage, or cauliflower)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or peanut oil)
- 5 g gomasio (or salt and herbs: dill, coriander, fennel, nutmeg, oregano, rosemary, thyme)
Tools
- Aluminum baking sheet
- Pressure cooker
Baked Smashed Broccoli
Cut the broccoli (or cauliflower) florets and wash them.
Blanch them al dente, in a pressure cooker (for 2-3 minutes after it whistles) or in a covered pan (for about 8 minutes).
Evenly grease the baking tray with oil, place the florets on top, smash them with a spoon, and season with gomasio (or salt plus mixed herbs) and a drizzle of oil.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 400 °F (200 °C), on the middle rack, for about 15 minutes.
VEGAN Additions for Baked Broccoli
To make this side dish richer, enhance with:
– olives and/or capers
– sun-dried tomatoes
– seeds and/or chopped nuts
– minced garlic, spices (curry, chili pepper, mustard seeds, ginger) or mixed herbs
– sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes
Serve with slices of boiled al dente potatoes, smashed and seasoned on the tray together with the broccoli.
To make the vegetables crispier, sprinkle with breadcrumbs (or cornmeal for celiacs) before baking.
VEGETARIAN Alternatives for Baked Broccoli
Add:
– grated cheese (without animal rennet), before baking
– during the last minutes of cooking, enrich with diced mozzarella or cheese slices
OMNIVORE Variations with Baked Broccoli
To turn this side dish into a main course, add sausage balls to the tray of vegetables.
