How To Cook Broccoli 4 Ways For Meal Prep

Tired of boring broccoli in your meal prep?  Yes, broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse and a great addition to a clean eating diet because it is low in calories and rich in essential vitamins, protein, and fiber. BUT it can get boring! In this post, I’ share 4 super easy roasted broccoli recipes you can use for meal prep during the week.  

Broccoli is a star in the clean eating world. And for very good reason.  Rich in vitamins, fiber, and protein, broccoli is low in calories and can be eaten raw or cooked.  To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of raw broccoli, but I love it when it’s cooked, especially when it’s roasted because something magical happens in the oven and it add so much flavor and texture.  

For me, roasting broccoli is the best way to cook broccoli. At the end of this post, you’ll know everything about how to cut broccoli, how to prep broccoli, how to cook fresh broccoli vs how to cook frozen broccoli, how to roast broccoli, and how long to roast broccoli for the best texture. And you’ll get 4 delicious broccoli meal prep recipes for easy broccoli sides during the week.

Sounds like a good plan? Great! Then let’s begin!

HOW TO MEAL PREP WITH BROCCOLI

Meal prep broccoli once and don’t worry about dinner sides for a week. It’s a good idea, isn’t it? That’s why I love to meal prep so much. Just follow these simple steps for how to meal prep broccoli:

1. break down broccoli into florets (unless you have broccoli that’s already broken into florets in which case you can skip this step);
2. roast broccoli as recommended in the how to roast broccoli section down below;
3. when cooked through and golden brown, remove the broccoli from the oven and serve as a side dish;
4. or allow to cool and transfer to meal prep containers for later use.
5. you can store broccoli meal prep in the fridge or in the freezer.

HOW TO CUT BROCCOLI

How to cut broccoli is a common question I get every time I talk about broccoli. I gotta admit — broccoli looks a bit complicated to cut. But it’s actually easy to cut broccoli into florets. Here’s what you have to do:

1. wash the broccoli and then pat dry;
2. remove the leaves and stems (as close to the crown as possible);
3. with a paring knife or a chef knife, start to break the florets apart by simply slicing them off the stem (slice the stem, not the brushy part of the broccoli);
4. and, since we’ll be cooking broccoli, make sure the florets have roughly the same size.

Tip: Avoid cutting through the top, bushy part of the broccoli if at all possible.  Doing so will mess up the look of the florets and will make a mess.  Instead, turn the crown over and cut through the stem and then pull apart using your hands.

HOW TO ROAST BROCCOLI

There are many healthy ways to cook broccoli, roasting broccoli just happens to be my favorite. Whenever I have broccoli in the fridge, I try to think about new or different ways for cooking broccoli. Somehow, most of the times I end up roasting it because it’s so flavorful and easy — plus hardly any clean-up.

Tips for how to roast fresh broccoli:

1. First, make sure the broccoli florets have roughly the same size so they can cook evenly – broke them down further with a paring knife if necessary;
2. drizzle broccoli florets with olive oil;
3. toss with broccoli toppings – I have 4 recommendations for you today;
4. spread broccoli as evenly as possible on the lined baking sheet to make sure all florets cook at the same time;
5. roast broccoli in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes – the broccoli is golden brown and mostly tender when ready.

COOKING WITH FROZEN BROCCOLI VS FRESH

We already established that the best way to cook broccoli is to roast it. I have great news! If you learn how to roast broccoli, you can use both fresh broccoli and frozen broccoli. No defrosting necessary! This will save time and it’s one of my favorite cooking hacks. And it makes life a little easier.

For cooking frozen broccoli, you should follow the steps for how to roast broccoli, but allow it to roast a little longer – -usually double the amount of time does the trick.

How long to roast broccoli from frozen broccoli:

1. roast broccoli florets for 15 minutes;
2. toss;
3. then roast for additional 10-15 minutes. So about 25-30 minutes total time.

ROASTED BROCCOLI TOPPINGS

Broccoli toppings are key to making delicious roasted broccoli. With a few simple ingredients, you can create so many different flavors. Try them all for broccoli meal prep.

GARLIC PARMESAN ROASTED BROCCOLI

Made with olive oil, garlic, parmesan, salt, and pepper, garlic parmesan roasted broccoli is a classic in my house. I’ve been doing this side dish for years and I love it every time.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Just a few simple ingredients required for this roasted garlic parmesan broccoli meal prep and you’ve got so much flavor and yumminess. Garnish with a little more parmesan and you’re all set.

• 2 lbs fresh broccoli (about 3 med/large crowns), (broken into florets)
• 3 cloves garlic, (thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, (grated)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. Lay broccoli florets evenly out onto our lined baking sheet.

2. Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, thinly sliced garlic and grated parmesan cheese.

3. Lightly toss the broccoli to sort with the seasonings and then spread the broccoli back out as evenly as possible.
4. Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until the broccoli begins to turn golden brown and is mostly tender.
5. You can eat this straight from the oven or allow to cool and place into a meal prep container to be used as a fantastic garlic parmesan broccoli meal prep side during the week. This broccoli will last in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for longer storage. When ready to eat, just pop in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

SESAME GINGER ROASTED BROCCOLI

Made with sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, pepper, and red pepper flakes, sesame ginger roasted broccoli is a little spicy and totes delicious. Garnish with sesame seeds to add more crunch.

Sesame Ginger Roasted Broccoli

This Sesame Ginger Roasted Broccoli is a little spicy and totes delicious. Top with some sesame seeds and then pack it on up to be enjoyed all week in the fridge.

• 2 lbs fresh broccoli (about 3 med crowns), (broken into florets)
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 clove minced fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1. Lay the broccoli florets evenly out onto another lined baking sheet.
2. Then, drizzle with sesame oil, low sodium soy sauce, minced garlic, minced fresh ginger, ground black pepper, and some crushed red pepper flakes.
3. Lightly toss the broccoli to sort with the seasonings and then spread the broccoli back out as evenly as possible.
4. Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until the broccoli begins to turn golden brown and is mostly tender.
5. Top with some sesame seeds and then pack it on up to be enjoyed all week in the fridge. This broccoli goes great with some steamed brown rice and teriyaki salmon.

LEMON ROASTED BROCCOLI

Made with olive oil, lemon juice & zest, lemon slices, sea salt, pepper, the lemon roasted broccoli is very lemony, vibrant, and refreshing.

Lemon Roasted Broccoli

There’s something so delicious about combining broccoli and lemon and roasting it in the oven so our next broccoli meal prep recipe is Roasted Lemon Broccoli and it is so vibrant and delicious.

• 2 lbs fresh broccoli (about 3 med crowns), (broken into florets)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice plus zest
• 1 whole lemon, (thinly sliced and seeds removed)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. To get started, lay out the broccoli florets evenly out onto a lined baking sheet.
2. Then, drizzle with olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, thinly sliced lemon, sea salt, and ground black pepper.
3. Lightly toss the broccoli to sort with the seasonings and then spread the broccoli back out as evenly as possible.
4. Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until the broccoli begins to turn golden brown and is mostly tender. The lemon slices will also start to get all goldenly-looking and delicious.
5. To serve, add a few lemon wedges for good measure and then you’re good to go with this delicious and fresh lemon roasted broccoli recipe which is a great meal prep side for any protein.

SPICY ROASTED BROCCOLI

Made with olive oil, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Sriracha, sea salt, pepper, this spicy roasted broccoli is flavorful, tasty, and slightly creamy.

Spicy Roasted Broccoli

Spice things up and make a spicy roasted broccoli recipe! This spicy roasted broccoli is such a tasty way to roast broccoli and is also slightly creamy, thanks to some greek yogurt.

• 2 lbs fresh broccoli (about 3 med crowns), (broken into florets)
• 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Sriracha or chili paste
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Lay out the broccoli florets evenly out onto a lined baking sheet.
2. For this recipe, we need to make a quick spicy sauce so in a small mixing bowl, combine plain Greek yogurt, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, Sriracha or chili paste, sea salt, and ground black pepper, and stir to combine.
3. Drizzle this mixture over the broccoli florets and toss to coat. You could also do this in a large mixing bowl, but then you’d have a large mixing bowl to clean up.
4. Then spread the broccoli back out as evenly as possible.
5. Place in the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until the broccoli begins to turn golden brown and is mostly tender. The spicy yogurt sauce will start to thicken as it cooks as well.
6. To serve, garnish with sliced green onions, which is a nice fresh flavor that goes great with the spicy roasted broccoli.

WHAT TO PREP WITH BROCCOLI

Broccoli meal prep works great as a dinner side. I  like the broccoli meal prep with…

• steamed brown rice and teriyaki salmon;
• shredded chicken;
• cilantro lime chicken.

For chicken recipe inspiration, you can take a look at my favorite chicken recipes.

HOW TO STORE BROCCOLI MEAL PREP

Now that you have the 4 different broccoli meal prep sides, you have to store them properly so you can enjoy them for dinner throughout the week.

• To store broccoli meal prep in the fridge, use airtight containers. The broccoli will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• To further extend the shelf life of roasted broccoli, you can store the broccoli meal prep in the freezer. It will last for up to 12 months this way.  Try to lay out the cooked broccoli on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then freezing initiially to allow the florets to freeze individually.  Then, once frozen, transfer the frozen broccoli to a freezer safe container.

TIPS FOR BROCCOLI MEAL PREP

If you’re planning to meal prep your broccoli, follow these tips for some added goodness:

• If you store the broccoli meal prep in the fridge, microwave for 1-2 minutes when you’re ready to eat.
• If you want to freeze roasted broccoli, use freezer-safe airtight containers or freezer bags.
• To thaw frozen roasted broccoli, transfer the broccoli meal prep from the freezer to the fridge and allow to thaw overnight. This is the best way to maintain the texture. And you can store defrosted roasted broccoli in the fridge for 3-4 days. However, if you’re in a hurry, you can thaw broccoli in the microwave. You’ll have to eat it immediately though.
• How to tell if broccoli is bad  – if broccoli isn’t kept frozen at a constant temperature, it can go bad – the best way to tell is to smell it. Trust me, you’ll know if it’s bad.

OTHER VEGGIES YOU CAN ROAST

Roasted veggies are great side dish options for dinner. And perfect for meal prep. When you’ve finished the broccoli meal prep, you can try roasting other veggies. I like to roast…

• Carrots – try this Thyme Roasted Carrots recipe;
• Cauliflower – my Easy Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower recipe is waiting for you;
• Asparagus – you can make this Lemon Roasted Asparagus in only 10 minutes;
• Green Beans – my Parmesan Roasted Green Beans requires only 5 ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes;
• Brussels sprouts – these Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts are very yummy, BTW;
• Sweet Potatoes – try these easy and delicious Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

3 MORE HEALTHY MEAL PREP RECIPES

With the broccoli meal prep and all the other veggies you can roast, you have plenty of options for side dishes. However, meal prep doesn’t have to stop here. There are other side dishes you can meal prep but you can also meal prep mains or full meals.

EASY SWEET POTATO MEAL PREP – BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES 4 WAYS

Try this Easy Sweet Potato Meal Prep – Baked Sweet Potato Fries 4 Ways – it is similar to my broccoli meal prep since you get 4 different flavors for the sweet potato fries: garlic herb, Cajun, spicy chile, and cinnamon sugar.

I know everybody loves fries so this meal prep recipe will definitely be a success! Get the recipe.

SLOW COOKER SHREDDED CHICKEN MEAL PREP

As previously mentioned, this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Meal Prep is a great main dish for the roasted broccoli you just made.

With this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Meal Prep, you get 4 flavors as well: buffalo shredded chicken, BBQ shredded chicken, Mexican shredded chicken, and plain shredded chicken. Get the recipe.

EASY VEGETARIAN MEAL PREP: CHIPOTLE CHICKPEA TACO BOWLS

The last meal prep recommendation for today – Easy Vegetarian Meal Prep: Chipotle Chickpea Taco Bowls.

These Taco Bowls are so easy to put together but they are so full of flavor and amazing textures. Delicious too. Get the recipe.

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