Cheesy Smashed Broccoli
This smashed broccoli recipe is an irresistible riff on regular roasted broccoli! It's cheesy, tender, and makes a great snack or side dish.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 28, 2024
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Here’s a fun take on roasted broccoli! Regular roasted broccoli is forever and always one of my go-to side dishes, but this cheesy smashed broccoli recipe takes it up a few notches in the flavor and texture departments. Smashing the broccoli tenderizes it and provides a flatter surface for loading up with cheese. The method is slightly more involved, naturally, but it’s not too fussy.
Basically, we roast the broccoli until tender, smash it, top it with Parmesan cheese, and bake it for a few more minutes. The broccoli is tender, craggy and golden with crispy bits around the edges where the cheese meets the pan. A little sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional) and a squeeze of lemon juice ramp up the flavor.
The results are not super crisp like French fries, but they’re nearly French fry-like in irresistibility. I have to stop myself before I eat the whole batch!
If you are a broccoli lover, this recipe is most certainly for you. If you have any broccoli-averse family members, this recipe might win them over. Serve it with dinner tonight?
How to Make Smashed Broccoli
Most recipes suggest steaming the broccoli until tender, then smashing and roasting it. I found it works just as well to roast the broccoli until tender, then smash it directly on the pan. This streamlined method saves a pot!
You’ll find a short video and the full recipe below. Here’s a brief rundown with tips:
- Line your large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. You must use parchment paper for this recipe to prevent the cheesy bits from sticking to the pan.
- Take care when cutting your florets. Ultimately, the florets should be about 2 to 3 inches wide and 1 inch thick or less.
- Toss the broccoli with olive oil, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. These simple seasonings offer a ton of flavor.
- Roast until the broccoli is easily pierced through by a fork, about 20 minutes. In the meantime, find a sturdy, heavy, flat-bottomed jar or glass to smash the broccoli with. I prefer to use a working jar for this purpose.
- Smash each broccoli until the stems splay out, then slide the jar forward to release the broccoli. Distribute the cheese over each floret and sprinkle the pan with red pepper flakes (optional) and black pepper. Be sure to use hand-grated Parmesan to avoid any additives that could interfere with melting.
- Bake until the cheese is nicely melted and turning golden around the edges. For a final blast of flavor, drizzle the broccoli with lemon juice. Serve while warm!
Watch How to Make Smashed Broccoli
More Irresistible Broccoli Recipes
Here are just a few of the top broccoli recipes on the blog.
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Favorite Broccoli Salad
- Lemony Broccoli, Chickpea & Avocado Pita Sandwiches
- Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Drizzle
- Perfect Roasted Broccoli (check out the variations, too)
Please let me know how your smashed broccoli turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Cheesy Smashed Broccoli
This smashed broccoli recipe is an irresistible riff on regular roasted broccoli! It’s cheesy and tender, and makes a great snack or side dish. Recipe yields 4 to 6 side servings.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds) or 16 ounces broccoli florets
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Scant ½ teaspoon fine salt, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 ounces (¾ cup) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a kick)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cheese from sticking (parchment paper is key for this recipe!).
- To prepare the broccoli, cut the florets generously, using some stems to keep the little guys intact. First, trim the stalk, then find a natural separation, then cut and turn and find another natural separation, and ultimately the florets should be about 2 to 3 inches wide and 1 inch thick or less. You might need to halve the really big florets to make this work.
- Place the broccoli florets on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the broccoli and sprinkle with the salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Toss until evenly coated (if you don’t have enough oil to lightly coat it all, add another small splash). Arrange the broccoli in an even layer across the baking sheet.
- Roast the broccoli for 18 to 21 minutes, until the stems are easily pierced by a fork, then place it on a stable heat-safe surface. Use a sturdy, flat-bottomed jar or glass to smash each piece of broccoli, to the point that the stems splay out a bit. It works best to smash and then slide the jar forward to release the broccoli.
- Once each floret has been smashed, arrange them evenly across the pan again. Distribute the cheese over the broccoli, trying to center the cheese on each smashed broccoli. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if using, and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper.
- Bake until the cheese is melted and the cheese on the pan is turning golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drizzle the lemon juice all over the warm broccoli, and promptly serve while warm. Leftovers will lose their crispness over time but will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the Parmesan and finish the dish with a hearty sprinkle of Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese.
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.
Ha! The pictures make the broccoli look like the florets were floating in a thick cheddar sauce…BUT, after a closer look, the “orange” color was actually parchment paper!!
Haha! Whoops. You are correct—it’s parchment paper, and that paper is really key to this recipe!
I thought that too!
Very keen to try this- looks/sounds yum xx
Hello Kathryn!
Have you ever used frozen broccoli and if so, was the method different?
Thanks and I love your recipes!
Hi Melissa! I haven’t tried roasting frozen broccoli. I believe you’d need to let it thaw completely and drain it well/pat it dry. It might even be tender enough to smash at this point, but I’d follow the recipe as written to be sure. I’m not sure if either of the cooking times would need adjustments—I think it would work as written but I’d keep an eye on it while baking!
I tried roasting thawed Brussel sprouts and it was a fail! Too wet and soft. I wouldn’t try broccoli after my experience.
Hi Kate…this recipe looks fabulous, and I can’t wait to try it. One question that I didn’t see addressed in the article: why do we smash the broccoli? Why not just sprinkle the cheese, etc. on the florets without smashing them? Sorry to ask, but I’m a scientist and I always need to know why! Thanks for all you do…keep up the great work!
Hi Paul! That’s a good question and I’ll edit the post to address it. Smashing the broccoli tenderizes it a little more and provides a flatter surface for loading up with cheese (and the cheese bakes more evenly). It’d be very good without smashing the broccoli, too, but this is just a fun flavor/texture alternative.
I can’t wait to try this! I was wondering- what is the benefit of smashing the florets before adding the cheese?
Hi Pam! Smashing the broccoli tenderizes it a little more and provides a flatter surface for loading up with cheese (plus the cheese bakes more evenly). It’d be very good without smashing the broccoli, too, but this is just a fun flavor/texture alternative.
I am all in for anything broccoli, so this is in my near future. Your roasted broccoli is sensational. This must be even more so. Thank you.
Hope you love it, Linda!
I was going to make plain old roasted broccoli for dinner last night, and then this recipe fortuitously appeared in my feed. It was delicious! My kids shared a similar recipe that doesn’t smash the broc and uses fresh garlic. It was good, but this was better because the broccoli crisped up better and the garlic didn’t burn. Loved it! Thanks much.
So glad you all enjoyed this one!
Thanks much…and that makes sense. Can’t wait to try it. And by the way, I’ve now made your vegetable soup twice for my wife, and it’s easily the best vegetable soup EVER. Thanks for all you do!
You’re welcome, Paul! Thank you for your kind comment.
Made this tonight. Delicious and will make it again. Thank you
You’re welcome, Rebecca!
I just made these and they were super-yummy and so easy. I didn’t measure anything, just eyeballed amounts, and tried two different types of cheddar and parmesan. The lemon makes all the difference, don’t skip it! I’ve nearly eaten the entire batch on my own in one sitting!
I’m almost ready to put these into the oven. Am I not seeing what the oven temperature should beB????
Hi Barbar, see the first step. It’s listed first. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
I love vegetables but broccoli has never been a favorite. I thought I’d give this recipe a try and it was FANTASTIC!! Matter of fact, I liked it so much that a few days later I bought more broccoli and froze individual portions! I plan to try this with other vegetables … maybe cauliflower or brussels sprouts. Thanks Kate!!!
Can the smashed broccoli recipe use frozen broccoli florets instead of fresh broccoli?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, let me know!