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Key takeaways
- Dry the boiled florets on a towel before you smash them. Wet broccoli steams on the pan instead of browning.
- Smash to about 1/2 inch and keep the pieces 2 inches apart. Thin, spaced pieces brown at the edges.
- Go by color, not the clock. Check at 15 minutes and take the pan out when the cheese is deep golden.
In this post4 sections
Why this version works
We read six versions of smashed Parmesan broccoli. Five roast at 425°F and one at 400°F, for anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, so the time is a range and the cue is color: golden cheese and browned edges. Steps before the oven differ more: boiling times run from 2 to 4 minutes up to 8 to 10, and some versions steam or microwave instead. The tips repeated across pages were the same ones we built around: dry the florets well after cooking, do not crowd the pan, use freshly grated Parmesan, and watch the cheese near the end. The pages we could read had star ratings but almost no written comments, so we have no reader complaints to quote, and we fixed what the recipe texts warn about. Everything not stated on those pages (the exact boil time, the oil, the pan size) is ours and gets tested in our kitchen.
There is no sugar added in this recipe.
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Tested recipe
Smashed Parmesan Broccoli
Broccoli florets boiled until just tender, dried well, smashed flat, topped with Parmesan and roasted at 425°F until the edges and cheese are deep golden. About 35 minutes, one sheet pan.
Ingredients
Broccoli
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into about 16 florets, each about 2 inches across; trim the stem ends flat
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt, for the boiling water, in a large pot (about 3 quarts) of water
On the pan
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, from a wedge, finely grated; not the green-can kind
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Steps
Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle. Line a large rimmed baking sheet (about 18x13 inches) with parchment.
Bring the pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the florets 3 to 4 minutes, until the thickest part of a stem gives to a knife tip with a little resistance and the florets are still bright green. Do not boil until soft, or they fall apart when smashed.
Drain well. Spread the florets in one layer on a clean kitchen towel for 5 minutes so the steam can escape, then pat the tops dry.
Set the florets on the parchment, florets up, about 2 inches apart. Lay a second piece of parchment over them and press each one flat with the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup, to about 1/2 inch thick. Some will crack; press the pieces back together.
Drizzle the oil over the florets, sprinkle with the pepper, then press the Parmesan on top, a rounded teaspoon per floret, covering the edges.
Roast 18 to 22 minutes, checking at 15, until the cheese is deep golden and the edges of the broccoli are dark brown. If the cheese darkens before the broccoli browns, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
Let the pan stand 2 minutes so the cheese firms up, then lift each piece with a thin spatula. Serve hot.
Notes
- Dry broccoli is the whole trick. Wet florets steam instead of crisping, so rest them on a towel and pat them dry before you smash.
- Do not crowd the pan. Pieces that touch steam each other; use two pans if you have to.
- Grate the Parmesan yourself and finely. The reel and the versions we read use fresh-grated cheese.
- The reel says 400°F for 20 minutes. Five of the six versions we read use 425°F, so ours does too, with a check at 15 minutes. Tell us which worked better in your oven.
- The Parmesan is salty, so we add no salt to the pan; salt only the boiling water.
Swaps
- Add 1/4 tsp garlic powder with the pepper; untested.
- Squeeze a little lemon over the finished pieces; untested.
- Use a different hard cheese such as Pecorino; untested.
- Steam or microwave the florets instead of boiling them, as several of the versions we read do; untested here.
Storage and reheating
Storage: Cool completely, then refrigerate in a covered container within 2 hours. It keeps up to 3 days, but the crisp softens. We have not tested freezing.
Reheating: Reheat on a rack on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until hot all the way through (165°F) and crisp again. The microwave will make them soft.
Where this recipe comes from
- Inspired by Parmesan Smashed Broccoli from 12 Tomatoes, Parmesan Smashed Broccoli from Lillie Eats and Tells and 3-Ingredient Smashed Broccoli With Parmesan from Cup of Yum.
- The idea came from this reel by @nutrition.is.king.
What to serve with smashed Parmesan broccoli
These make an easy side for roast chicken, baked fish or a pot of soup. A squeeze of lemon and a bowl of warm pasta or rice round out a weeknight plate.
Every recipe from Diane's reels in one printable book: the Healthy Recipes Cookbook.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to boil the broccoli first?
Our version does. The reel boils it, and boiling softens the florets so they flatten without crumbling. Several other versions steam or microwave them instead; we have not tested that.
Why isn't my broccoli crispy?
Usually the florets were still wet when they went on the pan, or the pan was crowded. Let them dry on a towel after draining, pat them dry again, and space them 2 inches apart.
Can I use pre-shredded Parmesan?
We use freshly grated, which is what the versions we read call for. We have not tested the pre-grated kind.
