I grew up not being a huge fan of vegetables. They were usually steamed and it was just something I could not get behind. Once I got married, I made it one of my life’s MANY missions to make vegetables enjoyable. And this my friends, is very enjoyable. In fact, this roasted broccoli and cauliflower recipe is so good that my 5 year old son requested it for his special birthday dinner one year. And he is very picky. You can thank me later.
When my relationship with veggies was only made strong by the fact ranch dip existed (and yes, I was still an adult at this time), I knew I had some searching to do. Seriously, I am not a huge fan of raw vegetables. And neither are my kids. So the idea of eating every meal with a chunk of broccoli or slice of cucumber on the side seemed just, honestly not good.
Then I decided to roast my vegetables. Roast them with salts and juices and garlic and spices and… it changed everything. My kids started happily eating veggies. I started ENJOYING eating veggies. AND it is so good for you!
Why Roast Veggies?
The act of roasting vegetables works to enhance their natural flavours while also transforming their texture into something more enjoyable and tasty. This is what makes a hard potato, soft, a leafy brussel sprout, crispy and a strong garlic, creamy.
Did you also know that there are many health benefits from roasting vegetables?! YES, it is true. Certain foods extract a variety of health benefits from simply being heated up or combined with ingredients such as salts, fats or acids. Let’s take a look!
- Antioxidants: Vegetables that are roasted in a heat of at least 375 degrees, extract many antioxidant properties, aiding in gut health and anti-inflammation of your body overall. This multiplies when cooked alongside an acid such as lemon juice.
- Healthy Fats: Since roasting requires the use of oils, this is a great way to get in healthy fats. I really enjoy healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado oil, butter and lard. There are also many fat-soluble vitamins found in vegetables such as vitamins A and K. This basically means that your body can take in these vitamins present in the vegetable easier when paired and cooked alongside healthy fats!
- Digestion: Raw vegetables are so good for you (of course they are!) but roasting vegetables will lend a helping hand to your digestion. It will break down their otherwise fibrous, rough cell walls, letting your digestion rest easy and readily absorb nutrients.
- Easy To Eat: I find myself much more willing to chow down on a variety of veggies in a large amount once they are roasted that to eat that same amount raw. Personal preference here, but I mean can you really say no to any vegetable heated with oil, garlic and spices?
Roasted Broccoli & Cauli Ingredients
- Broccoli: Of course! I wash these well before slicing and preparing. Use anything from your traditional broccoli to broccoli florets.
- Cauliflower: Use fresh cauliflower. This won’t crisp up the same if using frozen.
- Garlic Cloves: Any type of garlic from your regular white to red Russian works great here.
- Olive Oil: Both a dark or light olive oil really help with the flavour profile. If you prefer another oil, I also enjoy using avocado oil. Want something even heartier? Lard is amazing too.
- Lemon: This adds some acid and tang to our usually bland veggies.
- Pepper: To help bring warmth to the dish.
- Smoked Paprika: YES, it has to be smoked. It gives a smoky, tender flavour to these veggies.
- Garlic Powder: More garlic, yes please and thanks.
- Salt: I always use sea salt for both the flavour and health benefits!
Sweet potato tastes so good incorporated into this dish! Cube some small sweet potatoes and add it to the veggie mix.
How To Make Roasted Broccoli & Cauli From Scratch
This comes together easily and on one pan, making it perfect for busy days. We love making this, getting my husband to BBQ some chicken breasts and serving everything alongside a white sticky rice. Yum!
If you do prefer the vegetables to have a bit of a steamed quality to them, simply pour a 1/4 cup of water onto the pan before putting them in the oven!
STEP 1: CHOP
Chop up your broccoli and cauliflower and throw them onto your sheet pan. Add your garlic cloves, chopped in half, to the pan too!
STEP 2: FLAVOUR
Onto your veggies, add the olive oil and lemon juice then stir to coat well. Sprinkle and shake on the remaining dry ingredients for even flavour and then once again, stir to combine everything.
STEP 3: ROAST
Bake for 20 minutes, stir and bake another 20 minutes until the veggies are well roasted. Sometimes, I may keep this in the oven for an hour depending on the size I cut my veggies.
STEP 4: SERVE
Serve these alongside your favorite dinner! My kids also enjoy adding pinch of parmesan on top!
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How To Store
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. To reheat, I highly recommend broiling them to refresh that crisp.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to share and tag me @sarahthereseco on Instagram and come back here to rate and leave a comment!
Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 3-4 Cups Small to Medium Sized Fresh Broccoli
- 1 Head Cauliflower
- 5-10 Cloves Garlic
- ½ Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Small Lemon Juiced
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- ¾ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°.
- Chop up your broccoli and cauliflower into small “tree” like pieces and throw onto a pan or sheet (with edges). Peel your garlic cloves, chop them in half and add to the pan too! I love the garlic here ESPECIALLY once it gets roasted.
- Onto your veggies, add the olive oil and lemon juice then stir (I use my hands here) to coat well. Sprinkle and shake on the remaining dry ingredients for even flavour and then once again, stir to combine everything.
- Ensure your pan has enough space to have the veggies lay on one layer for even roasting.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, stir and then bake for another 20 minutes or until crispy and well roasted. I will sometimes cook these for up to an hour, depending on the size I chopped my veggies.
- Serve alongside any dinner or on top of rice with protein.
- Keeps up to 7 days in the fridge.
Yes, thank you so much for adding this! I used this recipe a couple years ago and then the recipe disappeared and I couldn’t remember everything that went into it. I’ve been trying to figure it out since but thank you thank you! I love this recipe so much and so do my kids so bonus! 🙂