Vegetarian Grilled Broccoli with Parmesan & Lemon
There’s so much flavor in our grilled broccoli recipe, you must give this a try. The charred edges on these pieces of bbq broccoli is fantastic.
Grilled Broccoli Recipe
Sure, broccoli isn’t the first thing you’d think of when you’re grilling. But if you’re looking for a great vegetable side dish for the bbq try broccoli. The charred flavors are fantastic. Our popular grilled cauliflower steaks are a huge hit with readers so we took the same concept to broccoli. It’s always a hit when we have this at a gathering. Everyone is always so surprised as they gobble up each bit of broccoli.
Can You Use Frozen Broccoli?
- No. Use fresh broccoli, not frozen for this grilled broccoli recipe.
- Frozen broccoli is cut into small tiny bits, which won’t work on the grill.
- You want to use fresh broccoli so you can cut the head of broccoli into thicker slices. You have some looser pieces of broccoli florets but they’ll be much bigger than frozen
Video: Vegetarian Grilled Broccoli with Parmesan & Lemon
How to Grill Broccoli on BBQ (Tips)
- When buying and choosing fresh broccoli, the larger heads of broccoli are better. This will make it easier to cut the broccoli into slices.
- We grill the broccoli using 2 methods –
- Blanching the Broccoli then then Grilling: Par-boil the fresh broccoli after cutting. This will make the broccoli a little softer and more tender when eating. When it comes time to grilling, you’re essentially cooking it quick to get the char and crust.
- Grilling without Blanching. Everyone preferred the former, but if you like a firmer and more crunchy broccoli, then grilling without blanching is great way to go.
- Can you par-boil the broccoli the day ahead of time? Yes! This is great for prepping and when it comes to the day of grilling, all the cutting and par boiling is finished.
- Make ahead the marinade. If you make the dressing ahead of time, this will make it easier as well.
- If you are unable to get the broccoli into slabs then use these Grill Baskets – Some days we just don’t want to bother with carefully managing every single slab of broccoli. Throw them all into a grill basket and grill from there. Easy-peasy.
Happy Summer! Hope you enjoy our grilled broccoli recipe!
diane and todd
Grilled Garlic Broccoli w/ Parmesan & Lemon
When slicing the head of broccoli, try to have as much stem included as possible in each slice. The stem helps keep the slices into “slabs” making it much easier to manage and flip on the grill. There will always be some small broken pieces, but hopefully you’ll have at least several slices that are whole “slabs or steaks”. We grill the broccoli using 2 methods - 1. Blanching the Broccoli then Grilling or 2. Grilling without Blanching. We always preferred to blanch first, but if you like a firmer broccoli, then grilling without blanching is a delicious and easy way to cook the broccoli.Grill Baskets - If you’d rather not have to carefully managing every single slab of broccoli. Throw them all into a grill basket and grill from there. Easy-peasy.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) broccoli , cut into thick slices
- 1-2 lemons , sliced into 1/2-inch thick circles
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable or olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried thyme (or herbs of choice)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder , or 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) kosher salt , or more to taste
- black pepper , to taste
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated fresh parmesan
Equipment
Instructions
- Optional if you prefer a more tender broccoli - *see head note: In large pot of boiling water, quickly blanch the broccoli slices for about 1 minute. Drain the broccoli and rinse with cold water to keep the broccoli from cooking further. Blot broccoli with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Pre-heat grill to medium-high to high heat. Scrape the grill grates to make sure they are clean.
- In a bowl, whisk together the oil, Worcestershire sauce, thyme (or other dried herbs), onion powder, and garlic powder (or minced garlic).
- Lay out the broccoli and lemon circles onto a baking sheet pan or large plate. Brush the marinade on both all sides of the broccoli & lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Grill the marinated broccoli and lemon circles. Cook for about 2-4 minutes each side, or until nicely charred with crispy edges.
- Place the broccoli on platter and top with parmesan. Serve with the grilled lemon circles to squeeze over the broccoli. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition Information per Serving
Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 413mg, Potassium: 472mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 724IU, Vitamin C: 117mg, Calcium: 73mg, Iron: 2mg
More Easy Broccoli Recipes:
- Roasted Broccoli Salad
- Saucy Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Broccoli and Cheese Galette – A Fancy Favorite
- Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe- A not so skinny version
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I’m no longer able (due to worsening medical problems) to use my charcoal kettle barbeque or my gas grill or my smoker. I tried to think of a way I could make this recipe some other way inside, but it would be too exhausting. I have ordered an induction burner so perhaps I could figure a way to grill with that somehow. We are in the midst of a heat wave here so turning on my oven to grill the broccoli is out of the question as it simply adds more heat to the kitchen which is 31 C at the moment.
I’m not able to open any windows if I did try to use my oven because the smoke from the British Columbia wild fires mixed with the California wild fires have created a smoke warning as well as hazy skies for us.
I have had your cookbook for quite some time. love it, made more than a few of your recipes. but I do have to question the amount of Worcestershire sauce ( two tablespoons) you call for in your broccoli recipe.
I was born in Manchester England, Worcestershire sauce was a common staple in our home and pretty well every other household. When we came to Canada by ship ( Mother was a War bride as my sibling and I were referred to as War children when we landed in Canada. ) Worcestershire sauce was one of the first things Mother bought when shopping for groceries.. But, it was always used in moderation as in giving the stew or other dishes being prepared a nice boost. it was never used in larger amounts where it could easily overpower the food being prepared.
So, my dears, after my long winded note, I am very curious as to why you would call for two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce in your grilled broccoli recipe.
Thank you
Stay well Stay safe
This is a great broccoli recipe. So glad I grilled this for my cookout.
I’ve never tried grilling broccoli before. What a great idea. With warmer weather coming it’s definitely time to start thinking about grilled and salad. What a great celebration of both!