The Most Common Roasted Broccoli Mistake And How To Avoid It

Maybe you grew up eating broccoli because your parents made you, or maybe you genuinely loved it. Either way, cooking broccoli as an adult can unlock the potential of a surprisingly delicious vegetable with a range of tasty ways to enjoy it -- take our crispy roasted parmesan broccoli recipe, for example.

However, if you're planning to roast your broccoli, there's one common mistake to avoid. While roasting lends itself to ample flavor, if you aren't beginning with a proper chop, you may end up with a crunchy or mushy outcome. Luckily, this is an easy error to correct with a refined approach to slicing your florets.

While many recipes advise you to separate your broccoli head into pieces and then spread them on a roasting pan, they aren't taking into consideration the tree-like shape of each floret or the fact that their bushy tops don't lie flat on a tray. This can create an uneven distribution of heat in the oven, resulting in over- or undercooked broccoli. The solution to this is simple: Cut your broccoli into wedges -- not florets -- to create more surface area for even contact with the roasting pan.

Read more: Mistakes You're Making With Your Corn On The Cob

How To Chop Your Broccoli For A Better Roast

To create an even surface for your broccoli to rest on its tray, simply cut your floret down the middle — from the stem to the head — and create a flat edge. By slicing each piece in half, you'll avoid a round broccoli head that may not receive equal heat distribution in the oven. Alternatively, if your recipe calls for larger pieces of broccoli, you can cut your head into wedges (instead of individual florets). These equally-wedged quadrants will (again) create a flat exterior to lay on your pan.

As a bonus tip to ensure the deepest, most even roast, we recommend coating your broccoli with oil and seasoning before spreading the pieces across the baking tray. This will guarantee that all sides are evenly coated for the most balanced browning effect possible.

While proper chopping will enhance your roasting process, there's more than one way to cook your broccoli. If you're seeking an extra-crispy outcome, we recommend that you try smashing your broccoli.

Read the original article on Mashed