Best Way to Cook Frozen Broccoli – Roasted Frozen Broccoli Recipe

When I was in school, I lived off of frozen broccoli (and frozen vegetables in general). I would get massive value sized bags of frozen stir-fry mix and frozen broccoli when shopping with my parents on the weekend and rely on it for weeks.

Back then, I never really liked frozen broccoli that much. I would just steam it and have it as a side dish, but it was more of a chore to eat than something I actually enjoyed. Frozen broccoli to me always had a flavour of ‘frozen broccoli’. It retained so much liquid and always had a mushy texture, never crispy like fresh.

Needless to say, before COVID-19 self-isolation, I hadn’t purchased frozen broccoli since my university days. Don’t get me wrong – I’m still a huge fan of frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables are frozen at the peak of freshness, so they’re just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts. They’re also convenient and something you can stock up on when on sale, so no matter what you’ll always have a supply of veggies on hand. I frequently rely on other frozen vegetables to help get me through my week, but I’ve stayed away from frozen broccoli.

Fresh broccoli, on the other hand, is a staple vegetable in my home. So when we started preparing to make fewer trips to the grocery store, I decided to give frozen broccoli another chance to make sure that we had a variety of vegetables on hand to help us eat well while social distancing.

If you’re looking for more recipes using freezer & pantry staples, check out our roundup of 30+ Easy Recipes Using Pantry & Freezer Staples here! 

After my university days, I knew that steamed frozen broccoli was not going to cut it. Since my favourite way to eat most vegetables is roasted, I was determined to make this work with frozen broccoli. After some trial and error, I can say that I have perfected how to roast frozen broccoli. Using this method, your frozen broccoli will be crunchy with a depth of flavour coming from the sweet charred edges.

Best part? That ‘frozen broccoli’ flavour is completely gone! If you’re looking for the best way to cook frozen broccoli – this roasted frozen broccoli method is the way to go. Just be sure to follow these steps to ensure a crispy end-product. 

If you’re looking for a stovetop method for cooking frozen broccoli, check out my Best Way to Cook Frozen Broccoli on Stovetop post! 

Best Way To Roast Frozen Broccoli

To roast frozen broccoli, I suggest letting broccoli completely thaw before cooking. This way, it won’t retain any additional water that contributes to that ‘frozen broccoli’ texture. I also suggest slicing any large broccoli florets in half. Before placing it on your cooking pan, gently squeeze the florets with a paper towel to absorb the additional moisture – this step is critical and what helps to allow it to get nice and crispy!

All this broccoli needs for seasoning is olive oil, salt and pepper. The roasting will do the rest. Try my perfected method of roasting frozen broccoli below – you won’t regret it!

Best Way to Cook Frozen Broccoli – Frozen Broccoli recipe ?