Broccoli, tossed in olive oil, lemon juice and salt, roasted and served with parmesan cheese and lots of black pepper.

Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

Kids don’t usually beg for broccoli, at least not the kids I know.

So I was quite pleasantly surprised when my goddaughter and her sisters not only raved about roasted broccoli, but insisted on making a batch for me during a recent visit.

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If this were how broccoli was always served, I would beg for it too.

Tender florets, tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, roasted at high heat until nicely browned around the edges and stems (with some crispy bits), and then sprinkled generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese—yes, this is broccoli that anyone could love!

You can even skip the lemon and cheese if you want. The broccoli is great roasted on its own with some olive oil and salt. But don’t skip the black pepper. Broccoli loves pepper!