Marinated Sesame Roasted Broccoli

Marinated Sesame Roasted Broccoli is one of the most hands-off and delicious side dishes you could ever have. Get ready to fall in love with broccoli again!

Can I just be straight with you guys? After years and years of eating it, I started to fall completely OUT of love with roasted broccoli. All of the things I loved before – the crispy crowns, the firm-but-tender stalks, the roasted flavor – I literally started to hate it. And poor Nate would ask for it because apparently dreading broccoli was just a me thing, but I hated making it. Like so much.

 

Until now.

 

Now I’m not going to sit here and tell you that marinating the broccoli will change your entire life because truthfully I’ve made this several times without actually marinating it. I do think that the flavor gets more developed if you do have the time to marinate, though, and that’s always a good thing! But if you don’t have time to throw it together don’t freak out and just not make this. It will still taste divine, PINKIE SWEAR.

 

I have a couple of variations of this that I like to make (going back to that whole dreading broccoli thing), but this is one of my absolute favorites. Feel free to make it yours – change the cashews to almonds, use extra garlic or ginger, sub soy sauce for the salt, leave out the honey. Whatever, man…I’m not your boss.

 

Except when I tell you to make this. That you absolutely have to do.

MARINATED SESAME ROASTED BROCCOLI

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 5 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 cup petite baby carrots (or feel free to cut larger carrots into coins)
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly pasted garlic(can be done on a microplane grater)
• 2 teaspoons freshly pasted ginger (can be done on a microplane grater)
• green onions for garnish, optional

Directions:

1. Combine the broccoli florets, carrots and cashews in a large bag. (A bowl works fine too, just harder to smash it all together and keep your hands clean too).
2. Whisk together all of the remaining ingredients.
3. Pour over the broccoli mixture.
4. Squeeze all of the air out of the gallon bag, then seal it shut.
5. Massage the bag to get the marinade all over the veggies and cashews.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 1 day).
7. To cook, preheat oven to 350°F.
8. Brush a baking sheet with a little olive oil.
9. Empty the contents of the bag onto the sheet and spread into an even layer.
10. Bake at350°F for 30 minutes. (No need to flip or stir).
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before eating.
12. Enjoy!