This roasted romanesco recipe, sometimes called romanesco broccoli or Roman cauliflower, makes a stunning and simple side dish for any night of the week! Just like regular roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflower, this easy side dish uses a short list of ingredients, needs just minutes to prep, and pairs well with dozens of meals for dinner.
What Is Romanesco?
Romanesco is a vegetable in the brassicas family, which includes other cruciferous plants such as cabbage, kale, and brussels sprouts. It has a chartreuse color, pointy florets that look like miniature Christmas trees, firm texture, and lightly earthy flavor. Although sometimes known as romanesco cauliflower, it is a separate variety of vegetable and actually tastes more like broccoli (mild, nutty, and a little sweet). Like both broccoli and cauliflower, it holds up to a variety of different cooking methods, including roasting, sauteing, stir fry, and more.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for roasting romanesco, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Romanesco – Choose this veggie similar to how you would select cauliflower. Look for tightly bound buds, fresh looking outer leaves, and no signs of blemishes.Olive Oil – With so few ingredients in roasted romanesco, I like to use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil. However, any neutral cooking oil you prefer will work.Seasonings – Including garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. If you like more heat, substitute red pepper flakes for the black pepper.
How To Cook Romanesco In The Oven
This section shows how to cook romanesco broccoli, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Variations
Cheeses – Include a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or goat cheese to the finished dish after roasting.Add Lemon – Tossed roasted romanesco with a squeeze of lemon juice, or add fresh lemon zest.Swap Spices – Consider adding or substituting paprika, cumin, or homemade Italian seasoning for the dried spices.
Storage Instructions
Store: Recipes with romanesco taste best fresh, but you can store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Meal prep: Cut the florets ahead of time, then store them in the fridge. When ready to cook, just toss in oil, season, and roast.Reheat: Warm this basic roast romanesco broccoli recipe in a 350 degree F oven, until heated through.Freeze: Flash freeze on a lined sheet pan until solid. Transfer to a container or freezer bag for long term storage, then reheat directly from frozen.
What To Serve With Romanesco Recipes
Similar to broccoli and cauliflower, this recipe for romanesco tastes delicious with so many dishes:
Chicken – Pair balsamic chicken, sun dried tomato chicken, lemon parmesan chicken, or chicken Caprese with this roasted romanesco recipe.Beef – Serve New York strip steak, beef short ribs, or garlic butter steak bites with this dish.Fish – Try romanesco roasted alongside baked sea bass, creamy Tuscan salmon, or pan fried tilapia.Pork – Cook Crock Pot pork loin, air fryer pork chops, or pork tenderloin to go with this easy side.
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