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Roasted Romanesco Broccoli is a simple and vibrant recipe that celebrates a unique fall vegetable! Beautiful Romanesco florets are roasted with smashed garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice and spices until charred and tender, then finished with grated cheese and toasted hazelnuts. It’s an amazing side dish or appetizer that you’ll love!
What is Romanesco Broccoli?
It may look a bit intimidating and alien-like with its strangely-spiraled, chartreuse colored florets, but Romanesco broccoli (“cavolo broccolo romamesco” as it’s known in Italy) is one of fall’s most delicious, comforting and misunderstood vegetables.
It’s also known as Romanesco cauliflower, fractal broccoli or simply, Romanesco and originated in the Lazio region of Italy around Rome. Cultivated since at least the 16th century, this heirloom veggie’s name reflects its Italian heritage.
Striking but strange-looking, Romanesco is in the brassica family of vegetables and, therefore, a cousin to broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts. Its texture is a bit firmer and more compact than both cauliflower and broccoli when cooked so it holds up well to different cooking methods. And it has a sweet and mild, nutty flavor that’s subtle and delicate.
But, you can certainly substitute this veggie for the broccoli in this broccoli pasta recipe or the cauliflower in this Sicilian cauliflower pasta recipe.
I was first introduced to this bright green veggie in Rome years ago when I spent several weeks there in autumn for a sabbatical. Having never seen it before, I just wrote it off as one of those veggies that you only find in Italy.
Until one autumn, I found some at the Union Square Farmers’ Market in New York City. Ever since, I’ve been seeking it out once chillier days arrive to enjoy it in season! I can generally find it at local farm stands here in southern New Jersey in late October every year.
This simple recipe for Italian broccoli Romano allows its unique shape, color, texture and flavor to shine. After being cut into florets, it’s combined with chunky, smashed garlic cloves and a light lemon/olive oil dressing then roasted until tender. It’s then sprinkled with some parmigiano cheese and roasted a bit more, resulting in the most beautiful char with lots of citrus flavor.
And, although optional, I highly encourage you to combine the citrusy Romanesco with toasted hazelnuts to complement the veggie’s natural nuttiness and add a pleasant crunch to the finished dish.
If you want to try this recipe but can’t find any Romanesco, try it with regular cauliflower or broccoli and you will still have a great side dish. Mangia bene!
How to Cook Romanesco Broccoli
- Cut the Romanesco broccoli into florets as follows:
- First, remove large outer leaves and discard. You can keep any small, tender leaves.
- Then, use a sharp knife to carefully cut off the thick bottom stem and any outer stems and discard.
- Slice the Romanesco head in half from the top to the bottom, through the core.
- Then, slice the halves in half, resulting in large, wedge-like pieces.
- Stand the wedge up and carefully cut off the inner core/spine. Once you do this, the florets should naturally form and fall off. Some pieces will be larger than others. Try to cut them down into mostly uniformly sized pieces so that they roughly need to cook about the same length of time.
- Place the florets in a large bowl and set aside.
Pro-Tip
Be gentle with the florets to preserve their shape. They crumble fairly easily.
The inner spine is tender and can be roasted as well. Cut it down into bite-sized pieces.
- Next, prep the garlic as follows: Separate the cloves from the head, then smash each clove with the back side of a large knife, resulting in still chunky but smaller pieces of garlic. Then, peel the skin off of each clove. Place the smashed garlic in the bowl with the florets and toss together.
- Then, make the marinade. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes together until all ingredients are well-combined.
- Pour the marinade over the floret/garlic mixture. Toss very well, coating the florets with the marinade as much as possible.
- Transfer the coated florets to the parchment-line sheet pan and spread out in an even layer, floret side up. Pour any marinade that is left in the bowl over the Romanesco.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and roast on middle rack of 425°F preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes or until the largest pieces are tender.
Pro-Tip
Actual roasting time will vary based on your oven and the size of the florets, so just monitor the Romanesco and roast until tender.
Some pieces will get a bit more charred than others and this is ok.
- While the vegetable is roasting, toast the hazelnuts in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir them occasionally until they are golden-brown and have a nutty aroma.
- Once the vegetables are tender, pull the sheet pan out of the oven and sprinkle them with the grated cheese. Return sheet pan to oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and taste test–add additional seasonings if necessary. Toss or top the roasted Romanesco with the roasted hazelnuts and lemon zest and serve.
Pro-Tip
Nuts will burn very quickly, so do not walk away from the stove when doing this!
More Italian Vegetables
- Sautéed Rapini with Garlic and Olive Oil
- Green Beans Marinara
- Fried Breaded Eggplant
- Zucchini A Scapece
- Roasted Eggplant with Herbs and Crispy Garlic
- Marinated Mushrooms
- Baked Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Breadcrumbs
- Zucchini Fritters
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can make this recipe with the same amount of broccoli or cauliflower and it will be delicious! Cooking times may vary as well, so just monitor the veggie and roast it until tender.
Choose a head that is firm, bright in color, is heavy for its size and has perky leaves. Avoid heads that are discolored with brown spots or wilted leaves.
Like broccoli and cauliflower, Romanesco florets can be simply steamed or boiled until tender, then drizzled generously with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Or, quickly sauté the steamed florets with some browned butter and sage–yum! (add a couple anchovy filets to the butter if you are up for it.)
You can also top it with some toasted breadcrumbs after sautéing, as in this sautéed cauliflower recipe.
Make it part of a mixed fritto misto by dunking it in a batter and deep-frying it. Or, turn it into a hearty pasta dish! Substitute it for the broccoli in this broccoli pasta recipe or the cauliflower in this Sicilian cauliflower pasta recipe.
Love lemon? Check out this 6-ingredient, 20-minute Creamy Pasta al Limone.
Substitutions and Variations
Roasted Romanesco cauliflower is a fairly simple recipe and technique. You can make it even easier (and a little lighter) by omitting the roasted hazelnuts and lemon zest. Here are a few other options:
- To make this recipe dairy-free and vegan, just leave out the grated cheese and second roasting step.
- For alternative cheese options, toss or top the finished roasted Romanesco cauliflower with some crumbled feta cheese, crumbled blue cheese, gorgonzola, ricotta salata or goat cheese. If you add it to the vegetable as soon as the pan comes out of the oven, it will melt a bit.
- Add some fresh herbs after roasting for a bit of herby brightness. Flat-leaf parsley, basil, oregano and thyme are all great options.
- For a Mexican flavor profile that would make delicious vegetarian taco filling, use lime juice instead of lemon juice, chile powder instead of red pepper flakes, queso fresco or cotija cheese instead of pecorino or parmigiano and add cilantro after roasting. Olé!
- Can’t find Romanesco broccoli but want to make this recipe? Try it with regular broccoli or cauliflower and it will be great!
TOP TIPS for Romanesco Broccoli
- Romanesco Broccoli:
- Choose a head that is firm, bright in color, is heavy for its size and has perky leaves. Avoid heads that are discolored with brown spots or wilted leaves.
- Try to cut it down into mostly uniformly-sized pieces so that they cook in about the same length of time.
- Be gentle with the florets to preserve their shape. They crumble fairly easily.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Be sure to use freshly-squeezed lemon juice and not the shelf-stable product that is in glass or plastic bottles and has an odd taste.
- Serving Suggestions:
- Enjoy as a side to entrees like chicken cutlets, roasted turkey breast, pork shoulder, steak pizzaiola, stuffed peppers and shrimp scampi pasta.
- It can also be a vegetarian main dish in its own right in a larger portion.
- Sometimes, I’ll pair the roasted Romanesco with a dipping sauce like saffron aioli, tzatziki or hummus.
- Pair it with creamy ricotta cheese and toasted bread for a quick and flavorful crostini.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. While roasted Romanesco broccoli can technically be frozen, I don’t recommend it as the quality will not be very vibrant once defrosted. However, if you choose to freeze it, use an airtight freezer container. Hold them frozen for up to 3 months.
Lemon Roasted Romanesco Broccoli
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large head Romanesco broccoli , (See Notes.)
- 1 head garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice, (See Notes.)
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, (optional)
- ½ cup hazelnuts, lightly chopped or crushed (optional; see Notes.)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
- Zest of one lemon, for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉ and arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. (Use the convection option on the oven if you have it.) Line a large, rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Then, gather all ingredients according to specifications above.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Cut the Romanesco broccoli into florets as follows: · First, remove large outer leaves and discard. You can keep any small, tender leaves.· Then, use a sharp knife to carefully cut off the thick bottom stem and any outer stems and discard.· Slice the Romanesco head in half from the top to the bottom, through the core.· Then, slice the halves in half, resulting in large, wedge-like pieces (quarters).· Stand the wedge up (as in the photo above) and carefully cut off the core/spine. Once you do this, the florets should naturally form and fall off. Some pieces will be larger than others. Try to cut them down into mostly uniformly sized pieces so that they roughly need to cook about the same length of time.· Be gentle with the florets to preserve their shape. They crumble fairly easily.· The inner spine is tender and can be roasted as well. Cut it down into bite-sized pieces. · Place the florets in a large bowl and set aside.1 large head Romanesco broccoli
- Next, prep the garlic as follows: Separate the cloves from the head, then smash each clove with the back side of a large knife, resulting in still chunky but smaller pieces of garlic. (See photo above.)Then, peel the skin off of each clove. (You should have roughly ¼ cup or so smashed garlic cloves.) Feel free to use more garlic if you want!1 head garlic
- Place the smashed garlic in the bowl with the florets and toss together.
- Then, make the marinade. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes together until all ingredients are well-combined.⅓ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Pour the marinade over the floret/garlic mixture. Toss very well, coating the florets with the marinade as much as possible. NOTE: If you find that you need or want more marinade, just double or triple the marinade recipe in the proportions indicated in the recipe.
- Transfer the coated florets to the parchment-line sheet pan and spread out in an even layer, floret side up. Pour any marinade that is left in the bowl over the Romanesco. Use two sheet pans if necessary.NOTE: At this point, you can drizzle a bit more olive oil over the Romanesco if you think it seems a bit dry. Use your judgment.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and roast on middle rack of 425℉ preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes or until the largest pieces are tender. Rotate the pan about halfway through the cooking process.NOTE: Actual roasting time will vary based on your oven and the size of the florets, so just monitor the Romanesco and roast until tender. Some pieces will get a bit more charred than others and this is ok.
- While the vegetable is roasting, toast the hazelnuts, if including. Place nuts in a small, dry skillet that fits them easily in a single layer over medium-low heat. Stir them occasionally until they are golden-brown and have a nutty aroma. This will only take a couple of minutes. Nuts will burn very quickly, so do not walk away from the stove when doing this! Set the toasted nuts aside.½ cup hazelnuts
- Once the vegetables are tender, pull the sheet pan out of the oven and sprinkle them with the grated cheese. Return sheet pan to oven for 5 minutes.¼ cup grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
- Remove from oven and taste test–add additional seasonings if necessary. Toss or top the roasted Romanesco with the roasted hazelnuts and lemon zest, if including and serve. You can also squeeze additional fresh lemon juice over the finished dish, if desired. Buon Appetito!Zest of one lemon
Notes
- The size and weight of Romanesco broccoli heads varies greatly. I used one large, heavy head that yielded about 2 pounds florets.
- Be sure to use freshly-squeezed lemon juice and not the shelf-stable product that is in glass or plastic bottles and has an odd taste.
- The nuts are completely optional, but I love how they complement the dish and make it a bit heartier and more festive. Hazelnuts are my first choice, but you can use any nut that you like. Pine nuts and almonds are also great choices.
- For a dairy free option, eliminate the grated cheese and final roasting step.
- You can make this recipe with the same amount of broccoli or cauliflower and it will be delicious!
- To store, refrigerate the roasted Romanesco broccoli in an airtight container for 3-4 days. While this dish can technically be frozen, I don’t recommend it as the quality will not be very vibrant once defrosted. However, if you choose to freeze the roasted Romanesco, use an airtight freezer container. Hold them frozen for up to 3 months.
- Like other roasted vegetables, leftover Romanesco can be eaten cold or at room temperature. If you’d like to reheat it, place them in an oven proof baking dish or on a sheet pan and bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until and heated. You can also reheat them in a small pan with a splash of water over medium low heat until hot.
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The simple flavors of this Italian veggie really shine through here. And the hazelnuts bring the recipe over the top!