Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Drizzle
The ultimate roasted broccoli recipe, featuring golden Parmesan cheese and tangy balsamic vinegar! Make this easy broccoli side dish for your next dinner.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 9, 2024
Broccoli has never tasted better. Truly, I have never been this excited about broccoli, and I’m a big broccoli fan!
Broccoli florets are roasted until they’re irresistibly caramelized and crackly on the edges, with golden, bubbling Parmesan on top. A drizzle of tangy balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of lemon zest rounds it out.
This delicious side dish recipe looks sophisticated and it’s easy to make, too. The only hard part about making this recipe is not eating it all straight off the pan!
Make this simple side dish recipe on busy weeknights and special holidays. No matter the occasion, this broccoli will disappear quickly.
This Parmesan and balsamic broccoli is a delicious variation on my perfect roasted broccoli recipe. This recipe would pair beautifully with your favorite Italian or Mediterranean entrées.
It would be lovely with eggs, too, for brunch or a simple breakfast-for-dinner situation.
Looking for recipes to pair with this broccoli side dish?
You can roast this broccoli in the oven while you cook pasta on the stove. Here are a few of my favorite pasta dishes that would play well with this roasted broccoli:
You could also roast this broccoli while you’re baking hearty Italian casseroles. Just bake the broccoli on the rack below. Here are my picks:
Let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! Your feedback and ratings are so important to me, and I’m eager to hear what you think of this broccoli.
Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Drizzle
The ultimate roasted broccoli recipe, featuring golden Parmesan cheese and tangy balsamic vinegar! Make this easy broccoli side dish for your next dinner and everyone will love it. Recipe yields 4 generous side servings.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces) broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces (from 2 pounds or about 1 ½ bunches of broccoli)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese*
- 1 to 2 tablespoons thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze**
- Lemon zest from ½ to 1 lemon, preferably organic
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (omit if sensitive to spice)
- Pinch of flaky sea salt or kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper so you don’t end up with cheese stuck to your pan.
- On the prepared baking sheet, toss the broccoli with the oil until all of the florets are lightly coated. Arrange them in an even layer across the pan, then sprinkle salt lightly on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. Toss the broccoli with a spatula and arrange it in an even layer across the pan again. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the broccoli, then return the pan to the oven. Bake for 10 more minutes, or until the florets are turning deeply golden on the edges and the Parmesan is golden and bubbly.
- Drizzle balsamic lightly over the broccoli and grate lemon zest on top, to taste. Sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes and flaky salt. This side dish is best served warm, but you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for several days. Gently reheat in the microwave before serving.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Simply omit the Parmesan, or sprinkle on vegan Parmesan after baking.
*Parmesan note: Most Parmesans are not technically vegetarian (they contain animal rennet), but Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese.
**Balsamic vinegar note: For the vinegar to stick to the broccoli, you’ll want to use a high-quality, thick balsamic vinegar (I love Napa Valley Naturals’ Grand Reserve Vinegar—it’s about $15, make sure you get the bottle with “25 stars” on it) or store-bought balsamic glaze/reduction (DeLallo and Alessi make them). You can use regular runny balsamic for less beautiful results, or make your own balsamic reduction by following the note below.
How to make balsamic reduction: Bring 1 cup (or more) runny balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small, thick-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until the vinegar is reduced by half, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow the reduction to cool, then transfer to an air-tight jar and store in the pantry. Balsamic vinegar is great on everything from pizza to ice cream, Caprese and green salads, and more.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
if you make Balsamic reduction and store in airtight jar, how long is the shelf life of it?
Hi Patti, I think the shelf life would be the same as regular balsamic vinegar—so it should last quite a while!
Looks fantastic!! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you.
Thank you, Amy! Hope you love it.
Loved the Parmesan Roaster Broccoli…..will be making it a lot. And like you….I love my Dog as well! My family enjoys your meals!
Thank you very much, Tina! I’m so glad you all are enjoying my recipes. Cookie says hi!
I’m excited about this recipe! Roasted broccoli has been my new love this Spring. Thank you!
Thanks, Jessie! I hope you absolutely love it!
Follow Your Heart makes an excellent vegan parmesan. That’s what I’m going to use when I make this!
I’m glad to know that! Thanks, Shari!
I love roasted broccoli (I put spices and olive oil on mine), but I have never tried it with parmesan! Will be doing that soon! This looks SO good! :)
I am so sure you’ll love it with Parmesan! It’s crispy and addictive. :)
I was just contemplating what to do with my Costco-sized bag of broccoli when this recipe arrived in my inbox. Thank you Kate! OMG this was phenomenal! I think even the veggie-averse would devour this dish and broccoli lovers rejoice!
Thank you so much, Lori! I’m glad you got to put your broccoli to good use. :)
this looks great, yum! plus I just bought tons of broccoli at the store and was wondering what to do with it. do you think this recipe would be okay with white cheddar instead? I don’t have parmesan on hand right now.
Definitely! Hope you love the outcome. I think you will. :)
I can’t believe that I am the first one to comment that I made this for tonight’s dinner and my toddler is devouring it as I type. I didn’t even add the balsamic as didn’t have any! Thanks so much for this well rounded recipe. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect:) Happy Women’s Day to you!
Thank you so much, Pallavi! Delighted to hear that your family enjoyed the broccoli. Belated Happy Women’s Day to you, too!
Broccoli never sounded SO good!
Right!
Roasted broccoli is a definite favorite of ours, and I like that the balsamic doesn’t overpower it – it gives it a nice subtle base flavor. Thanks, Kate!
I agree! Thanks, Nelly for trying it and sharing your thoughts. If you would want to leave a star review since you like it so much, I would really appreciate it!
Hi! I love your blog and plan on making this dish soon. I have a question I hope you can answer. I only eat fish, shrimp and crab. No eggs or dairy. That’s pescatarian right? I cannot find a pescatarian blog that doesn’t include eggs and dairy. Do you know of one? Thank you so much.
Hi Linda! That’s a good question. I’m guessing that most pescetarians simply don’t eat meat. I tried to find a suitable blog for you and nothing popped up, I’m sorry! All that said, I have lots of vegan (dairy and egg-free) recipes that you might want to top with fish or shrimp.
Could frozen broccoli florets be used?.
Hi Linda, yes you can roast frozen broccoli, just don’t thaw beforehand.
Thank you for this recipe!
You’re welcome!
Kate – I just made this recipe. It’s incredible! Thanks for such an easy and tasty recipe — it’s a keeper.
Thank you, Tammy! If you would want to leave a star review, I would really appreciate it.
Super tasty! Best way to make broccoli. My only slight change from recipe was tossing the cut pieces in a separate bowl with the oil and salt for even distribution. Then transferring to cookie sheet. Thank you!
Thanks for the review, Sarah!
Hey kate! I dont have olive oil on hand.. can i sub with coconut oil? Cant wait to try this! Looks amazing! Love all your recipes! ❤️
You can use coconut oil, if needed. It will of course not have as neutral of a flavor, but will work. Make sure you melt it first. Let me know what you think!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was phenomenal. I especially appreciate all of the cooking tips. It was so good. My husband was eating it right off the pan and he’s doesn’t eve like parmesan cheese. The balsamic added a nice light sweetness. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks!!
Eating from the pan is so easy to do with this one! Thanks for sharing, Eileen.
Hi – tried recipe last night. My wife told me the parmesan grated cheese would burn if cooked at 400F for 10 minutes. I didn’t listen to her but she was right. Recipe still good though, although I would sprinkle the cheese on at the end or perhaps use shaved or minced parmesan. In Canada we have a balsamic reduction with brand name “Nonna Pia”, superb.
The parmesan is meant to get crispy, but not burn. That is what makes this so great! I love the crispy. Hope this helps!
I’m glad to see this recipe, as I just started making roasted veggies — from your suggestion with one of your tahini-based salad dressings (to which I am totally addicted, by the way!), to drizzle it over roasted veggies. What a revelation!
Kate, you are truly gifted. Since you have a Buddha bowl amongst your creations, here’s an appropriate quote. (I collect quotes that help with life.) Buddha said, “Your work is to discover your work and with all your heart give yourself to it.”
Awww, thanks so much! What a great quote. I’m happy you enjoy both recipes.
I made this last week for the first time and I’m not ashamed to say I ate the entire pan of it MYSELF!!! It’s absolutely ah-mazing! It’s my absolute new favourite way to serve broccoli :)
It’s so good! I’m glad it’s your new favorite. I appreciate the star review.
Made it tonight . It was delicious . The only problem is that we ate it all , so no leftover!
Looks like you just need to make another! Thank you, Francoise for your review.
I made this last night and it was everything you promised! A mix of sweet and tangy, soft and crunchy. Basically a party in my mouth and irresistible!
Wonderful! Thank you, Carol.
This recipe is amazing. Thanks so much for sharing! Pretty much my new favorite way to eat broccoli. Also I bought your cookbook recently and am enjoying that too. You are making healthy eating just a little more easy and accessible for me <3
You’re so sweet, Lauren. Thank you! I appreciate your support and for your review.
Just made this for dinner tonight! SO GOOD. Highly recommend. I tasted the broccoli before and after adding the lemon zest and it’s crazy how much one ingredient changed the whole dish – transported the flavors from winter to spring :)
The lemon is key! I’m glad you think so too Sydney. I appreciate the review.
I just pulled this out of the oven. It is simply wonderful and so very easy to make. I even reduced the vinegar, a first for me! Thank you for the tip about the parchment paper. It worked like a charm.
I’m so happy to hear that, Barb! Thanks for sharing.
Made this last night, delicious! Thank you for another winner.
Great to hear, Julie!
Great recipe. Good depth of flavors. After the first ten minutes of baking, I added a partially cooked, diced Yukon Gold potato, and a sliced pre-cooked chicken breast. The dish turned out delicious. Will make this again.
Thank you, Sandie!
This is the only way I’ll eat broccoli. I’ve made it several times now, and I add pine nuts at the same time as the Parmesan. The balsamic glaze makes this dish. Don’t skimp!
Love that! Thanks, Sara!
Made this tonight to go along with veggie burgers. SO EASY and SO DELICIOUS! We are really enjoying many of Kate’s recipes we have made! We made 3 just this week! Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear this was easy for you and that C+K is on the menu at your house this week! Thanks for your review, Karen!
SO FREAKING GOOD. I eat this broccoli as its own meal!!!
It’s so good!! It’s so hard to stop eating it. Thanks for sharing, Mackenzie!
What a wonderful recipe. Just the right amount of everything. It rates a ‘10’with my family
Thanks for sharing!
LOVED this broccoli recipe! We’ve been moving more to plant-based eating and this recipe is definitely one I’ll be making often. Thank you for making it so easy to make with the printable recipe and the photos!
You’re welcome, Dana!
Delicious and super easy
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m glad you liked it.
Delicious!
Thank you, Peggy!
I love roasted broccoli and make it often, but this is easily the best it’s ever tasted. The balsamic with the lemon zest was perfect!
I had some balsamic glaze and fresh broccoli, and was wondering if it was a good combination. I searched for recipes and found this one! I have made it twice now and it is like heaven. We are cutting down our meat intake and my husband absolutely loves it too! We legit make this as our meal and think its fantastic. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hooray! Thanks for letting me know you loved it, Carrie. I appreciate your review.
This was great for a little pre-dinner appy to share, thanks for the lovely recipe!
You’re welcome, Nicole! Thank you for your review.
I finally liked broccoli now after your recipe! Thank you so much Katie!
I have roasted broccoli before, but with lemon, I could eat this right off the pan before dinner is served! I wish I made a whole lot more!
I don’t tend to tinker with your recipes, but in this case I did. I discovered my local olive oil and vinegar store a while ago, but have not cooked with the products much. Instead of using lemon juice and zest, I used lemon infused olive oil when roasting, and Sicilian lemon balsamic vinegar in place of regular balsamic vinegar, along with the parmesan cheese. Thank you for your inspiration of cooking broccoli with lemon.
I love to hear that, Anita! I appreciate your review.
Love all your recipes!
I had everything made from your recipes to a beautiful Thanksgiving lunch.
My husband and I love this recipe. It helped us love broccoli again. I have a hard time getting the reduction right but it’s still very tasty!
This recipe looks amazing! Is there any way to make it with frozen broccoli, or will that ruin the flavor?
Hi, You can but it may cook slightly different. I would suggest thawing first before putting it in the oven.
My favourite way to eat broccoli!
This is a delicious option! Thank you for sharing, Megan.
This was wonderful!
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Tami!
Made it for valentines… sorry, didnt care for it.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one, Tracy.
Why only add the balsamic, salt, paper at the end?
Hi! You don’t want the balsamic to bake. I hope you try it!
Is there nutritional info available for this? (it’s not showing up like on the other pages)
Hi Jen, are you still having issues? Try closing out of your browser and trying again.
Really enjoyed this, and the thick balsamic is such a treat.
All my favorite flavors, thank you!
Kate!!!! This is a wonderfully delicious dish!!! I love roasted veggies anyway but the drizzle of balsamic elevates it to a higher level!!! Now, I’ll always drizzle a bit of balsamic. The only changes was I use cayenne and I only had lavender balsamic in hand. So good, again thank you!!!!
You’re welcome, Katherine!