This grilled broccoli is marinated in garlic, herbs and olive oil, then seared to tender perfection. A unique and unexpected way to prepare broccoli that’s great for the warmer weather months!
I love to whip up a batch of grilled vegetables, you can’t go wrong with grilled mushrooms, grilled corn, grilled asparagus and especially grilled broccoli! I make this recipe almost every week during the summer, and it always gets rave reviews.
Almost any vegetable can be made on a grill, but I have to say, grilled broccoli is one of my favorites. The broccoli is tender on the inside, and caramelized around the edges, and the flavor just can’t be beat.
Serve this broccoli with summer grilling favorite main dishes like grilled pork chops, grilled chicken wings and grilled flank steak. You could also make your side dishes on the grill like grilled sweet potatoes and grilled potatoes in foil. So fire up that grill and enjoy!
Table of Contents
Grilled Broccoli Ingredients
To make this grilled broccoli recipe, you will need broccoli florets, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic and parsley.
How Do You Make Grilled Broccoli?
This grilled broccoli recipe starts with a simple marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and herbs. Place large broccoli florets in the marinade, and let them sit for at least 20 minutes. Preheat an outside grill, or indoor grill pan, then add the broccoli. Cook the broccoli for 3-4 minutes per side, or until tender. Place the grilled broccoli on a plate, then garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges, and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Broccoli
- Prepare your broccoli by washing the broccoli, cutting the florets apart and trimming the stems. You want pieces of broccoli that are all about the same size.
- Using larger pieces of broccoli will keep this vegetable from slipping through the grates of the grill.
- I like to finish my broccoli with a sprinkling of parsley. If you don’t have parsley on hand, other great options include green onions, thyme, basil or dill.
- This recipe calls for dried Italian seasoning, which is located in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. This seasoning is a blend of dried basil, oregano, parsley and garlic powder. You can also make your own Italian seasoning.
- I find that this dish is best when eaten immediately. Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Grilled broccoli is not a great candidate for the freezer, as it will change texture when thawed and reheated.
- If you want something sweet to go with your dinner try grilled peaches or grilled pineapple.
- You can prepare broccoli in other ways like parmesan roasted broccoli, broccoli with cheese sauce and broccoli salad.
Quick Tip
This recipe works best with fresh broccoli. Frozen broccoli will be soggy and overcooked if you try to grill it.
Recipe FAQs
The best ways to serve broccoli are to grill, roast, broil or steam broccoli so you maximize the flavor of the broccoli.
You do not need to boil broccoli before you cook it on the grill. It will get tender as it sits on the heat of the grill.
Your broccoli will stay good in an airtight container in a refrigerator for 3 days after cooking. I don’t recommend freezing the cooked broccoli as it will likely become limp if you reheat it.
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Grilled Broccoli Cooking Techniques
There are a couple different ways to grill your broccoli for the best results.
- Direct: Place the broccoli florets directly on a grill or grill pan. This method works best with broccoli pieces that are at least 3 inches in size. If you use small pieces of broccoli, they’ll be likely to fall through the grill grates into the fire.
- Skewer: You can thread smaller pieces of broccoli onto wooden or metal skewers to make grilling go a little easier. If you’re using this method, I recommend lightly blanching the broccoli first so that it’s soft enough to poke a skewer into.
- Grill Basket: For this method, you’ll want to purchase a grilling basket or tray. You can place any size of broccoli florets in the basket or tray, and they’ll get that great smoky flavor without the risk of losing vegetables into the fire.
- Foil Packet: Divide the broccoli between 4 pieces of foil, then fold the foil up into packets. Grill each packet for about 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
Flavor Variations
There are a lot of different ways to flavor your grilled broccoli, here are some of my favorites!
- Cheese: Add a sprinkle of feta cheese, cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese on top of the cooked broccoli.
- Flavorings: After your broccoli is cooked, garnish it with toasted pine nuts, red pepper flakes, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, olives, sun dried tomatoes or bacon. You could also season the broccoli with a little melted butter or soy sauce.
- Sauce: Serve your broccoli with a dipping sauce such as yum yum sauce, tzatziki sauce, or honey mustard sauce.
- Vegetables: You can cook with this broccoli other veggies like cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini, Romanesco or asparagus. Make sure to cut your veggies into pieces that are about the same size.
This grilled broccoli is the absolute best way to eat your veggies, even the kids will enjoy this one!
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Grilled Broccoli Recipe
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Grilled Broccoli
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli cut into 3 inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
- lemon wedges for serving optional
Instructions
- Place the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and minced garlic in a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the broccoli pieces to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat.
- Cook the broccoli for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned and tender.
- Place the broccoli on a serving plate. Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs if desired.
Notes
- See post text for other methods of grilling broccoli such as in a foil packet or in a grill basket.
- Using larger pieces of broccoli will keep this vegetable from slipping through the grates of the grill.
- This recipe works best with fresh broccoli. Frozen broccoli will be soggy and overcooked if you try to grill it.
Very easy and excellent taste. Thanks for the tip about not freezing it.
This is a great side. I like squeezing some lemon on it. Thanks!
Wow! My first time trying grilled broccoli and it was AMAZING!!! Definitely making this again.
This grilled broccoli recipe is awesome! I love the charred flavor that it brings to this classic vegetable dish!
I love broccoli – this is a fab idea and a delicious accompaniment to summer dishes
This was better than I imagined it could be. We made it on the grill last night I wished I would’ve made more, it was that good. I like it so much I cooked some on the grill for lunch today.
This will definitely be placed on our weekly dinner rotation along with fresh broccoli on my shopping list.
Can this be roasted instead of grilled…could I also use cauliflower..
Yes it’s fine to roast it and use cauliflower!
I roast Broccoli all the timr in the oven, and it also gives a nice browning “char” on the sides. I’m grilling broccoli for the first time tonight per this recipe in place of roasting in oven.
Has anyone marinated the broccoli all day? I have guests for dinner and will be gone most of the day. I could prepare it all in the morning before I leave.
That should be fine!