Smashed Broccoli Parmesan

If you like crispy vegetables roasted with cheese, this is the recipe for you! This smashed broccoli parmesan recipe is broccoli that is roasted into a crispy cheese crust. This recipe is perfect for vegetable lovers and vegetable skeptics alike. It also includes a third secret ingredient that pairs perfectly with broccoli – cheddar cheese! Serve this with some ranch dressing, caesar dressing, or eat it plain.

Broccoli and Parmesan

I love green vegetables with parmesan cheese. First I made roasted brussels sprouts with parmesan, and then I made roasted asparagus with parmesan, and now I give you roasted broccoli with parmesan. I love smashing the broccoli so that it becomes flatter and cooks perfectly into the cheese crust.

Broccoli pairs so well with cheese. I remember broccoli and cheddar soup being one of the first ways I started to enjoy broccoli. I must have ordered it at one of those restaurants like Ruby Tuesdays or Panera Bread or something and was very pleasantly surprised to know that I actually do like broccoli. If you like broccoli and cheddar soup, you will definitely like this smashed broccoli parmesan recipe.

And who doesn’t like a crispy cheesy crust? I mixed the parmesan cheese with a little of my favorite aged cheddar cheese to balance out the flavors a little bit. Parmesan is also a little more salty than the cheddar cheese so it gives it a nice balance when you mix the cheese.

Parmesan Broccoli Chips

I love creating fun ways to serve vegetables. Roasting vegetables until they are crispy is usually my favorite way of making them but when you add crispy cheese to the mix they become even better. Here is how you make smashed broccoli parmesan:

INGREDIENTS  

• 16 oz Broccoli Florets fresh, not frozen
• 3 oz Shredded Parmesan
• 3 oz Shredded Aged Cheddar Cheese I used “Unexpected Cheddar” from trader joe’s which has a little parmesan cheese in it
• Olive Oil Spray or Avocado Oil Spray
• Garlicky seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Boil the broccoli for 3 minutes. Do not let it get too soft or it will be difficult to smash it. You want to use medium size forest so do not make the florets too small. You can split up really big pieces into two.
• Preheat the oven to 400F
• Remove the broccoli from the water and add them to a plate.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and then distribute the shredded cheese evenly around the parchment paper.
• Spread out your broccoli over the cheese, leaving a little space between each piece so that it has room to spread out. Using the bottom of a flat glass or jar gently push down on each piece of broccoli until they are flattened.
• Spray with a little oil spray and then add a light coating of seasoning. 
• Bake for 22-25 minutes. You want the cheese to be dark golden brown, but not burnt. And you want the broccoli to look roasted. 
• Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes on the sheet pan without moving them.

Ingredients for my Lemony Caesar Dressing dipping sauce is as follows:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese shredded
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper