Roasted Broccoli with Chili-Garlic and Lime Sauce

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.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love this Roasted Broccoli Recipe
• Recipe Ingredients
• The Directions
• What to Serve with Roasted Broccoli
• Storage and Reheating Tips:
• More Delicious Broccoli Recipes to Try:
• Roasted Broccoli with Chili-Garlic and Lime Sauce

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!