If you've never grilled broccoli you are in for a treat! Grilling this delicious green vegetable gives it the same flavors as roasting without heating up the kitchen.
"Eat your broccoli!"
We have probably all heard that, and for those of us with kids, we have probably said that. "Eat your broccoli!" What horrible emotions it probably stirs within many of us. But here's the deal. If we prepare broccoli in a new and delicious way, we will have people yelling at us. "We want more broccoli!" Wouldn't that be cool? Well, it is, and here is how to achieve that. Grilled broccoli!
How to grill broccoli
If you are looking for an easy side dish for your meal. Here it is. Cut up your broccoli head into large spears. You can keep a little bit of stem, but we mostly want the florets. The stem is there to hold the florets together. Once the broccoli is cut, lightly drizzle with olive oil then season with salt and pepper.
Once your grill is hot, place the broccoli on the grill and cook over low to medium heat. Turning the broccoli over as it cooks so that you don't char too much of it. You want a little char, but burnt broccoli tastes horrible. Knowing if your grill has hotspots and avoiding them is key. Once the broccoli is cooked, remove it from the grill and place it on a serving platter, and put it out for your guests.
A tip on grilling broccoli and other grilled vegetables
Vegetables have a strong propensity for falling between grill grates. It might look like it is fine, but then as it cooks, shrinks, and softens, the chance of you losing a veggie to the fiery bowels of the grill increases. I recommend using either a grill basket or one of these high-temperature grilling sheets. You are able to still get the lines, char, and flavor, but you eliminate the risk of losing your veggies.
Some variations
We love tasting different flavored olive oils and kinds of vinegar. You can easily swap out your go-to extra virgin olive oil for several others. I have a red pepper oil that I enjoy and can easily substitute that or even just add a little more drizzle as it comes off the grill.
I also love the flavor of lemon and the grill. Lemon also goes well with broccoli. I will sometimes squeeze a lemon to add some fresh lemon juice on these as they grill. The lemon steam really imparts an extra kick of flavor to the broccoli.
Other ways to serve grilled broccoli
You can absolutely serve it right off the grill. You can also chop them up to incorporate them into a cold salad or add them to a pasta dish. Lemon, garlic (or smoked garlic!), parmesan cheese are all great additions that can change the flavor profile to incorporate this into your favorite broccoli recipe. Please enjoy!
What entrees go with grilled broccoli?
Anything from grilled chicken, whole smoked trout, smoked lasagna, pellet grill ribs, to smoked meatballs or a carnivore casserole are great with a side of broccoli.
Ingredients
- 2 lb broccoli small heads cut in half
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Drizzle the broccoli with oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
- Heat grill to medium. Add the broccoli and grill for 25-30 minutes, flipping every 7-8 minutes, until softened and charred.
Liz Cassin
Hello,
Thank you for your new blog page together as husband and wife. It is wonderful and has delicious recipes.
Justine
This is the BEST broccoli....all those caramelized sides, I'm drooling just thinking about it.
Beth
I live in AZ and love to find easy, tasty dishes that I can do on the grill! I am so excited about this delicious side dish without heating up my home!