Grilled Broccoli

Summer is here, and for me, that means one thing: I'm grilling everything. From potluck sides to grilled fruit (yes, really!), I bring the grill out for anything and everything. One of my favorite crowd-pleasing side dishes to almost any summer dinner? Grilled broccoli. Seasoned with a spicy-sweet sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, this charred veggie truly shines on the grill. Here’s everything you need to know to make it the best it can be:

What People Are Saying:
“It has only taken 53 years but I finally found a broccoli recipe that I not only liked but would make again and again. And I didn’t even top it with the Parmesan!! No cheese and I loved it. I’m still in shock. Seriously not sure what kind of magic is in the sauce but it was so good I had to create an account just to submit this review. Bravo!!!!” -jdw7867

How To Make Grilled Broccoli

INGREDIENTS

• Broccoli: Broccoli is one of the most unfairly maligned vegetables out there. The texture and flavor are fantastic on their own, but also lend themselves to near infinite possibilities for improvement. Giving the broccoli a slight char on the grill brings out a beautiful smoky flavor that just works so well here.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Much like fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce is a great way to kick up the umami profile of a dish; however, it also has an added smokiness that is perfect for anything grilled or BBQ adjacent.
• Soy Sauce: I’m opting for low-sodium soy sauce here to cut down on the saltiness slightly, but not entirely. The salty, slightly umami flavor of the soy sauce is going to really help to bring out the natural flavors of the broccoli while also adding flavor of its own.
• Ketchup: While it may seem unconventional, stick with me. Ketchup basically breaks down into two main components: tomato and sugar. Adding it here brings in a nice sweetness and hint of tomato flavor, plus it helps to thicken the sauce and caramelizes slightly on the grill.
• Honey: Honey here works much in the same way as the ketchup. It is going to add some natural sweetness to the broccoli, while also helping to thicken the sauce and caramelize on the grill. This results in a sweet, smoky broccoli that is a genuine game-changer.
• Garlic: You can never go wrong with garlic. The pairing of garlic with broccoli works particularly well to bring out some savoriness to the fresh green florets.
• Red Pepper Flakes: The crushed red pepper flakes are going to add a little bit of heat to this dish that helps make it so easy to come back for more. If you aren’t a huge fan of spice, don’t worry. The sweetness of the ketchup and honey will cut away much of the bite of the red pepper, but if you really can’t stand the heat, feel free to omit the red pepper flakes entirely.
• Parmesan: Who doesn’t love a little bit of cheese with broccoli? The Parmesan adds a slight nutty flavor to the broccoli that works really well, while also bringing in that classic Parmesan flavor.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start by prepping your grill and broccoli. Preheat the grill to medium heat and trim the bottom, more fibrous, half of the broccoli stems off. Then quarter the broccoli down into smaller trees. Make the coating by whisking together oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, and garlic in a large bowl, then seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Add in the broccoli and toss to coat evenly and completely. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

After marinating, place the broccoli on the grill and sprinkle lightly with more salt. Grill the broccoli, flipping every 2 minutes and basting with remaining sauce, for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender and slightly charred.

Remove the broccoli from the grill and sprinkle over with Parmesan and more red pepper flakes. Serve alongside lemon wedges for some acidity.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Trim them right. Avoid cutting your broccoli into florets—that will be more difficult to grill. Instead, trim off a bit of the woody end and then quarter the stalks so that you have long, super grillable pieces that will char up really nicely.
• Make your sauce. I created my sauce with Worcestershire, soy sauce, ketchup (yes, ketchup), honey, and garlic. This nails the perfect balance of flavors in my book, but feel free to adjust to taste! Too sweet? Cut down on the ketchup or honey. Prefer spice? While we'll add red pepper flakes later on, feel free to add a bit of sriracha to this sauce to amp up the heat.
• Make it vegan. If you’re looking for a vegan side, substitute the Worcestershire sauce for balsamic vinegar or more low-sodium soy sauce (remember to taste and adjust!), and leave off the Parmesan cheese.

What To Serve With Grilled Broccoli

Since you have the grill fired up, why not make the rest of your meal on the grill? Whip up one of our foil pack recipes (our honey mustard chicken, tomato, and zucchini foil pack would be perfect) for the easiest summer dinner, or our California grilled chicken for a main meal ready in under an hour. Looking for more sides? Check out all our favorite grilled veggie recipes to complete your meal, like grilled carrots, grilled corn salad, or balsamic grilled mushrooms.

Storage

While this broccoli is truly peak magic the day of, if you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.