Fitness / March 26, 2024

Roasted Frozen Broccoli

Easy Peasy! Er… Frozen Broccol-eezy!

Table of Contents

Toggle

Life moves pretty fast! If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might not realize you don’t have a vegetable side-dish to go with your dinner entrée! We all could use a break but, even on our days off, we end up so busy we forget our greens! With typically short cook times and pre-cut florets, frozen vegetables are the hero of any dinner in a rush.

However, one of the biggest pitfalls of the readily available vegetables in your freezer is that they often lack flavor on their own! There’s no need to worry about having bland vegetables accompanying one of FoodFaithFitness’s entrées – even frozen broccoli can stand on its own beside baby back ribs or sirloin steak. With the proper seasoning and the right cooking technique, you can imbue any frozen veg with fresh flavor!

Roasted frozen broccoli sounds like an oxymoron but, in truth, it’s the perfect last-minute addition to any dinner table with easy-peasy prep! It’s as easy as tossing the ingredients in a bowl, spreading them on a sheet, and roasting to delicious decadence! If your oven is already hot, why not?

Is Roasted Frozen Broccoli Healthy?

While nothing compares to fresh vegetables for your health, frozen vegetables are a close second! With the convenience of a frozen dish and the health benefits of the fresh stuff, frozen vegetables give you all of the perks without all the chopping and cleaning prep! If you’re worried about any amount of sugar in your dinner, just subtract sugar from our recipe. Frozen vegetables roasted with seasonings like red and black pepper are vegan and keto friendly, making them a suitable addition for any of FoodFaithFitness’s vegan and keto dinner options.

What seasonings can I use for roasted frozen broccoli?

A better question might be what seasonings can’t you use! The freedom and flexibility of roasted vegetables makes seasoning them appropriately to pair with your main course a breeze! If your meal has heavily spiced elements like curry and turmeric, you can incorporate 1/4 teaspoon of each to give your broccoli florets extra flavor! If you want your broccoli to pair perfectly with red meat, you can roast them with steak seasoning to give them that subtly savory pallet! The possibilities are nearly endless – just consider your main course when adjusting our recipe for a perfect fit!

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces frozen broccoli florets
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 small lemon, halved

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat

Set your oven to a high temperature and prepare your baking sheet.

Season

Toss the frozen broccoli with oil and seasonings in a bowl.

Roast

Lay the broccoli on the hot baking sheet and roast until tender.

Broil

For an extra crispy finish, broil the broccoli briefly.

Serve

Squeeze lemon over the roasted broccoli and serve hot.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Frozen vegetables are easy to prepare and cook, but frozen vegetables often don’t keep for long after cooking unless stored and reheated properly. Re-roasting your refrigerated roasted frozen broccoli can run the risk of dehydrating your florets too much. I advise baking your florets in the air fryer with a spritz of olive oil to return that roasted flavor to your sublime side-dish.

Just how much prep is left for frozen broccoli?

Frozen broccoli is typically pre-cut into florets for the convenience of freezing and, commonly, gets a precursory wash during processing; however, it’s advised to defrost your frozen broccoli before roasting and, for safety and peace of mind, washing your vegetables before seasoning.

How do I prevent my vegetables from burning?

Controlled heat is the key to any roasting, regardless of the substance! If you keep the oven at a reasonable temperature and monitor it regularly (without opening the oven too much and letting heat escape) you can get perfectly roasted vegetables.

Do I have to oven-roast my roasted frozen broccoli?

We suggest broiling your vegetables after a proper roasting to get an extra crispy finish; however, the air-fryer is a miracle product in getting the desired results for roasted frozen broccoli. You can use the same temperature you would use in the oven (and even the same broiled finish) for an air-fryer technique – add a dash of oil to the veg for a perfect roast!

Serving Suggestions

These roasted frozen broccoli florets are the perfect side dish to any entrée you’re looking to serve up! Be it a delicious keto steak dinner or vegan curry, roasted frozen broccoli makes an accommodating accompaniment to any dietary dinner from keto to vegan. Broccoli, of course, is gluten-free making it a perfect pair for gluten-free, high-protein meals like stuffed chicken breasts!

Roasted Frozen Broccoli

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 95kcal

Author FoodFaithFitness

Ingredients

16 ounces frozen broccoli florets
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar optional
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes optional
1 small lemon halved

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F with one rack in the lower third and another in the upper third. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place it on the lower rack to heat.
In a large bowl, combine the frozen broccoli florets with olive oil, optional sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Toss well to coat.
Carefully remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven. Spread the broccoli in a single layer on the sheet, ensuring the flat sides of the florets are in contact with the pan for better crisping.
Bake on the lower third rack for 16 to 18 minutes until the broccoli is tender and the edges are browned. For extra crispness, broil on the upper rack for 1 to 2 minutes.
Take the broccoli out of the oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy your perfectly roasted side dish. DEVOUR!