Here’s how to make grilled broccoli: it comes out charred, delightfully sweet and crisp tender. The best side dish for a grilled dinner!

Grilled broccoli

When it comes to summer: the grill is king. And vegetables are positively transformed by this cooking method! Have you tried the revelation that is grilled broccoli? This is one of our new very favorite summer side dishes: the grill transforms this tasty veggie to be crisp tender and charred, with a hint of smoke. Cook it simply with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice, and it’s a fantastic side for any grilled dinner. (Right now it’s vying with grilled asparagus for our favorite!) Here’s how to make it.

Want to grill all the veggies? Go to Best Grilled Vegetables!

Ingredients for grilled broccoli

This grilled broccoli is simple and straightforward: designed for pairing with a meal you’re already putting on the grill. Of course, you can get fancy with your seasoning (see below). But eat it like this, and it’s incredibly tasty! Here’s what you need:

  • Broccoli
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Lemon

If you’d like, you can also top with shredded Parmesan cheese to amp it up even more! Or Pecorino Romano, an even saltier and more savory aged cheese. But it’s not required: grilled broccoli is just as tasty without.

Grilled broccoli

Important: how to cut broccoli for grilling

This grilled broccoli is designed to be an easy method: so you can place the broccoli right onto the grill grates. No need for a grill basket here! Here’s what to know:

  • Make large florets that are easy to turn. To grill right on the grates, you’ll have chop the broccoli into very large florets. If the broccoli is too small, it’s hard to turn and can fall into the grates.
  • See the photo for the approximate size. You’ll want pieces that have 2 or 3 attached florets.
  • When eating, cut or tear off pieces to enjoy your broccoli.
How to grill broccoli

How to grill broccoli: the easy way!

There are lots of ways to grill broccoli: in a grill basket, on a drip pan over indirect heat, marinated, and so forth. Since Alex and I are all about pretty simple cooking methods (we wrote a book about it!), we wanted to keep this one seriously easy. No special equipment required! Here’s how to grill broccoli…the easy way (or jump to the recipe):

  • Preheat a grill to medium high heat. That’s about 375 to 450 degrees.
  • Cut the broccoli into large florets. This makes them easy to turn: see above for details.
  • Toss with olive oil and seasonings. Just salt and garlic powder go a long way!
  • Grill on the grates for 6 to 8 minutes. Cook until charred and tender, turning once.
  • Spritz with lemon. The key to amazing flavor! Add a few more pinches salt if necessary.
Grilled broccoli

Ways to season grilled broccoli

This grilled broccoli comes out perfect as specified in the recipe below: with just olive oil, garlic powder and lemon, it’s got big, bold flavor. Step it up with adding the sprinkle of Parmesan! Of course, there are lots more ways to add intrigue. Here are a few seasonings you could sprinkle on after grilling:

How to grill broccoli

Make it a meal!

Grilled broccoli is great for adding to the grill while you’re grilling a main dish (as long as you have room!). Or, keep the grill going and cook it up while you keep your main dish warm. Here are some ideas for serving:

This grilled broccoli recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Grilled broccoli

Easy Grilled Broccoli


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 13 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Description

Here’s how to make grilled broccoli: it comes out charred, delightfully sweet and crisp tender. The best side dish for a grilled dinner!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, stem on (about 3 large heads)*
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 lemon
  • Optional: ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450 degrees).
  2. Wash the broccoli and pat it dry with a towel. Chop it into large florets with long stems so they are easy to turn on the grill (see the photo for approximate size). In a bowl, mix the broccoli with the olive oil, kosher salt, garlic powder, and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
  3. Place the broccoli directly on the grill grates and grill for about 6 to 8 minutes until charred and tender, turning once.
  4. Remove from the grill and spritz with lemon juice from wedges from ½ of the lemon. Taste and add a few more pinches of kosher salt, if needed. If desired, top with Parmesan cheese and serve.
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: Vegetables
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Grilled broccoli

More grilled vegetables

Grilled vegetables are our go-to easy side dishes in the summer! Here are some of the best grilled vegetables you can find:

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you'll want to make again and again.

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