Learn how to make roasted broccoli rabe that’s crisp, garlicky, and bursting with flavor—the perfect side for pasta, beans, or grilled meats.
Roasted broccoli rabe is simple, fast, and so delicious. I first fell in love with it on a charred pizza topped with rich olive oil, salty cheese, and lots of chile flakes.
That’s when I realized how much this green shines with quick, high-heat cooking. The stems caramelize, the leaves crisp up gorgeously, and the crisp-tender texture is just perfect.
In Italy, broccoli rabe (rapini) is most famously paired with orecchiette in Puglia, but you’ll also see it served as a simple side with meats and beans. This roasted version is my shortcut to those same bold, bitter, salty flavors.
High heat caramelizes the stems and crisps the leaves, which both mellows the bitterness and deepens the flavor. Top it with grated pecorino, fresh lemon zest, and a pinch of chile flakes, and you’ve got a dish worthy of the best Italian restaurant.
I love to eat this as a side with a juicy grilled steak or spooned over impossibly creamy pesto beans.
If you have leftovers, chop them up and stir into cheesy parmesan risotto, scatter over a white sauce pizza, or blend with ricotta for a delicious broccoli rabe ravioli (use this ricotta ravioli recipe as a starting point). So delicious!
Here's how to roast broccoli rabe:
a few more tips:
- Broccoli rabe can vary dramatically in bitterness. It’s a cool-weather green and is sweet and noticeably less bitter in early spring (especially when over-wintered). Avoid it in the summer unless you really love bitterness—it becomes harsh once bolted or flowered in hot weather.
- When in doubt, add more cheese! Rich, salty pecorino helps tame the bitterness.
- Trim 1–2 inches off the stems to remove any woody, fibrous ends. You can snap them like asparagus to test where the tender part begins.
- If you can’t find broccoli rabe, substitute broccolini or Tuscan kale for a milder take.
Roasted Broccoli Rabe
Learn how to make roasted broccoli rabe that’s crisp, garlicky, and bursting with flavor—the perfect side for pasta, beans, or grilled meats.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Sides
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 lb broccoli rabe, ends trimmed (and thick stems sliced in half lengthwise)
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Pinch red chile flakes
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, zested and sliced into wedges
- 2 tbsp grated pecorino romano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Place broccoli rabe and garlic cloves on a foil-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and chile flakes, and massage to thoroughly coat the rabe in oil.
- Roast 10- 12 minutes, until leaves are crisp and lightly browned, and stems are tender.
- Sprinkle with lemon zest and grated pecorino. Serve hot, passing lemon wedges for squeezing.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 97
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 231mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3.8g
- Fiber: 3.1g
- Protein: 4.5g
- Cholesterol: 2.6mg
Nano Banana AI says
I love how you’ve highlighted the way high heat transforms broccoli rabe—the balance between caramelized stems and crispy leaves sounds spot on. I’ve usually blanched it to tame the bitterness, but roasting seems like such a simpler way to deepen the flavor. Can’t wait to try this alongside beans like you suggested—it feels like the perfect cozy combination.