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If you’re looking for the most flavorful way to enjoy broccoli, this Roasted Broccoli with Chili-Garlic and Lime is a must-make. Crispy and caramelized, tossed in a savory-sweet sauce, and finished with lime and cashews, it’s the apex of veggie side dishes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Roasted Broccoli Recipe
This roasted broccoli recipe excels in flavor and in texture. The tips of the florets are perfectly crispy, the stems are tender, and the sauce is truly next-level.
If roasted veggies are your jam, I highly encourage you to check out the recipes I have on Dishing Out Health. Including the famous Moroccan-Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini-Honey, and these Coriander Roasted Carrots.
Or, if sautéing is more your thing, this recipe for Perfect Sautéed Broccoli is ready in just 15 minutes.
Whichever veggie path you chose to follow, I hope all roads lead to trying this recipe!
This recipe starts with broccoli florets and ends in a truly transcendent side dish.
While roasting broccoli seems like a seamless process, there are some tricks and tips that will really elevate the veg. The size, temperature, and amount of oil all makes a difference in the end result.
But let’s first start with what you need.
Recipe Ingredients
- Broccoli: You need 8 cups of florets, which usually amounts to two medium heads of broccoli. Alternatively, you can purchase the bags of pre-cut broccoli florets for convenience.
- Onion: I prefer using shallot or red onion because they’re slightly sweeter than other varieties. Just make sure you slice the onion into large enough chunks so they don’t burn.
- Oil: You can use olive or avocado oil here. Just make sure the florets are well-coated with enough oil so that they do not burn.
- Fish Sauce: If you’re not familiar, fish sauce is a fermented condiment typically made from anchovies with a super savory, umami punch. A little goes a LONG way in terms of saltiness and funky flavor, however it really creates the aromatic backbone of this dish. Red Boat is my favorite brand.
- Sweet Chili-Garlic Sauce: Another staple Thai condiment in my kitchen, sweet chili sauce does some heavy lifting in terms of flavor.
- Garlic: For an aromatic backbone, fresh garlic invigorates the roasted broccoli.
- Red Chili Pepper: Look for a red Fresno chili, which is slightly spicier (and less earthy) than a jalapeño. If you can’t find any red chiles, just add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Garnishes: The finale of this roasted broccoli recipe is lime zest + juice and roasted cashews. The citrus adds a fresh lift, and the nuts add quintessential crunch. Alternatively, you can use roasted, chopped peanuts.
The Directions
Step 1: Roast Broccoli and Shallots. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Cut the crowns into large, flat florets. It’s best to cut the florets into larger rather than smaller pieces, which tend to burn faster.
Pro tip: The larger the pieces of roasted broccoli you cut, the more surface area you have for caramelization. The inside of the broccoli will have plenty of time to caramelize and soften before the florets darken.
Roast broccoli at 425ºF for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Prepare Chili-Garlic Sauce by combining sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and red chili in a small bowl; mix to combine.
Step 3: Add sauce to broccoli and shallots. Toss well to coat all of the florets, and place broccoli back in the oven for another 5 minutes, until caramelized.
Step 4: Garnish with lime zest + juice and cashews.
What to Serve with Roasted Broccoli
- Salmon: A supercharged-nutrition combo! Enjoy this 5-Ingredient Curried Maple-Mustard Salmon, or my favorite Miso-Maple Salmon.
- Shrimp: These Crispy Thai Shrimp Cakes uses a few of the same ingredients as this roasted broccoli recipe.
- Tofu: Basically ANY tofu recipe on my site would be a fantastic pairing, however I would definitely start with my famous Black Pepper Tofu.
- Fried Rice: For a plant-based option, try my Mushroom Fried Rice with Red Curry Peanut Sauce.
- Other Proteins: Chicken, steak, pork, or essentially any baked or grilled protein you fancy!
Storage and Reheating Tips:
- To Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: Rewarm broccoli on a baking sheet in the oven or toaster oven at 375ºF. Alternatively, you can toss broccoli in a skillet and heat over medium until warm.
- Avoid reheating in the microwave, if possible, as broccoli will become mushy.
More Delicious Broccoli Recipes to Try:
If you give this roasted broccoli recipe a try, snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates! I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review!
Roasted Broccoli with Chili-Garlic and Lime Sauce
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet
- Small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 medium broccoli crowns, cut into large florets*
- 2 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. Thai sweet red chili sauce
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small Fresno chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (sub chili pepper of choice, or use 1/4 tsp. dried chili flakes)
- 1 tsp. fresh grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp. ground ginger)
- 1 tsp. lime zest, plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves (I prefer using Thai basil)
- 3 to 4 Tbsp. roasted chopped cashews
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.Arrange broccoli and shallots on a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil and salt. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine sweet red chili sauce, fish sauce, garlic, Fresno chili, ginger, and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl; mix to combine.Remove broccoli and shallots from the oven and spoon the sauce overtop. Toss well to evenly coat, and place back in the oven for 10 more minutes, until caramelized.
- Transfer broccoli and shallots to a serving plate and top with lime zest and juice, basil, and roasted cashews.
Notes
- Avoid cutting the broccoli into small florets, which are prone to burning and drying out when roasting. You really want BIG florets here.
- To Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat: Rewarm broccoli on a baking sheet in the oven or toaster oven at 375ºF. Alternatively, you can toss broccoli in a skillet and heat over medium until warm.
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
The flavor is great! The recommended time made the broccoli a little too soft but other than that highly recommend!
This was a huge hit for an Asian theme birthday celebration and partnered nicely with bulgogi and rice. It was deeeelish! Parchment paper helped with cleanup too. Used jalapeños bc AmazonFresh didn’t have Fresno peppers and would totally use it again.
So happy the recipe was a hit! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Very easy to make and a real healthy and flavorful treat. The chili-garlic sauce is sooooooo good! I ate the entire amount myself that’s how good it was.
Hi Claudia – I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review!