Roasted broccoli is given a spicy twist in this amazing recipe. Like nothing you have tried before, crispy smashed broccoli is the best way I’ve found to roast broccoli florets to perfection. The harissa glaze gives amazing flavor and you can control the heat to decide if you’d like this more mild or more fiery.
👩🍳 Christine’s Notes: Why we should be smashing all the broccoli
Smashed broccoli! This is a new concept to me, and one that I am loving. Where has it been all these years when I was roasting my broccoli, normal style, like a fool? When I could have been taking the extra step of flattening the florets down to get them roasting that little more evenly (no more random singed flyaway bits) and having a meatier, denser finish?
Once you’ve tried this method, there is really no going back.
In this recipe we are adding huuuuge flavor with a garlicky harissa glaze, and this makes it an extra versatile dish because suddenly it fits in with curries and mezze dishes, as well as more traditional meals. I love it as a side dish for spanakopita or alongside a bowl of rich dal.
📌 Ingredient & Recipe Tips
- Ideally the broccoli should be cut into similarly sized florets so that it cooks evenly- realistically I find that kind of precision quite tricky to achieve. I personally think it’s OK if you have some broccoli that’s a little overcooked / undercooked – it’s all tasty anyway.
- Harissa is a delicious flavor but it can be quite hot depending on the brand and how generous you are with it. You can cut the harissa in half if you want a milder result, and you’ll end up with something much more subtle.
- Maple syrup and honey can be used interchangeably in this recipe, depending on what you have and whether you want it to be vegan.
- For serving, I like to add a few drops of lime juice but this is totally optional. If you have the time, a cooling tahini sauce would also be excellent (try the one from this recipe).
Smashed Harissa Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli
- 2 Tbsp harissa
- 2 tsp maple syrup, or honey if you don't need the recipe to be vegan
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 390F.
- Prepare the broccoli. Cut the florets off and arrange on a baking tray. Brush with oil. Place the broccoli in the oven for 10 minutes.1 head broccoli
- While it's baking, mix the harissa, maple syrup, olive oil and garlic together in a small bowl.2 Tbsp harissa, 2 tsp maple syrup, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 2 cloves garlic
- Remove the broccoli from the oven. It will be a little softer. Use a potato masher to smash down and flatten the florets as best you can.
- Brush the florets with the harissa mixture.
- Return to the oven for an additional 20 minutes, until the broccoli is crisp and caramelized. Serve immediately.
