Lemon Roasted Broccolini with Pancetta and Bread Crumbs
Take your traditional side dish of roasted broccoli to the next level with this easy broccolini recipe! Roasted broccolini is sprinkled with a mixture of lemon, thyme, and pancetta bread crumbs.
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Easy Roasted Broccolini Recipe
If you are looking for a tasty new way to serve broccoli for Thanksgiving, or really for any other meal, you need to try this Lemon Roasted Broccolini with Pancetta and Bread Crumbs!
I have been wanting to do a few things with broccolini…
- Add bacon or pancetta to roasted broccolini
- Make some kind of insanely good crispy breadcrumb mixture to put on roasted broccoli
- Make a lemon roasted broccolini
I ended up combining all three of these things into one recipe because I couldn’t decide which one sounded best! I ate a whole plate of this for lunch after the first time I made it.
Kevin and I had it for dinner alongside some mashed potatoes and a Santa Maria-style Tri Tip. It was so good! I’ll definitely have to make the Tri Tip recipe again soon, snap some pics, and get it posted. This roasted broccolini was the perfect vegetable side to go with.
What’s the Difference Between Broccolini vs Broccoli?
According to The Kitchn, broccolini is a cross between regular broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has much longer stalks than regular broccoli and smaller florets. Because broccolini stalks are much thinner, you can roast them together with the florets and eat the entire broccolini.
Broccolini is also milder and sweeter in flavor, and not as grassy and bitter.
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FAQs About Cooking Broccolini
If you are new to preparing broccolini, you might have a few questions about the best ways to prepare it.
Do You Trim broccolini?
Before preparing broccolini, be sure to trim a small amount from the stems to clean them up. Then, if necessary, slice any large or thick spears from top to bottom to create a thinner piece. That is all you need to do to prepare broccolini before cooking it.
What’s the Best Way to Cook Broccolini?
Like many vegetables, I think broccolini tastes best either roasted or sautéed in plenty of olive oil. I like it best roasted because I love the crispy brown bits that develop.
I also really like that broccolini is overall thinner than broccoli florets, so it cooks much faster. I usually end up roasting my broccolini for about 5 – 10 minutes less than regular broccoli florets.
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Roasted Broccolini Ingredients
For the roasted broccolini itself, you’ll need:
- Fresh broccolini
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Lemon juice
And for the pancetta bread crumb mixture, you’ll need:
- Pancetta
- Garlic
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Lemon zest
- Fresh thyme leaves
How to Roast Broccolini
When I roast broccolini, I drizzle the broccolini pieces on a large sheet pan with olive oil. The amount of oil used depends on how much broccolini you are cooking. Aim for approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil per pound of broccolini.
Then, season it to taste with simple salt and pepper. If you like spicy, crushed red pepper also tastes great.
While the broccolini cooks, prepare the breadcrumb mixture. The pancetta goes in a small food processor to chop it up really fine. You can use a knife and cutting board too, but the food processor makes it really easy.
Cook the pancetta in a skillet, add the breadcrumbs to toast, add the garlic, thyme, and lemon. By the time that finishes up the broccolini should be done roasting, and then you just serve it up on a platter.
I like to only add about 1/3 of the breadcrumb mixture to the platter and pass the rest in a bowl for people to add extra to their plates if they want.
How Long to Roast Broccolini
For tender – crisp broccolini, roast at 425 degrees F for about 15 – 20 minutes. For crispy broccolini, 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees F will do the trick!
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Can I Use Regular Bacon Instead of Pancetta?
Yes, regular bacon may be substitute for the pancetta. Just make sure to buy unflavored bacon.
Can I Use Regular Bread Crumbs?
Yes, although I highly recommend using panko bread crumbs if possible. Panko bread crumbs are much crispier and lighter than regular bread crumbs and I love them in this roasted broccolini recipe.
Tips for Making Roasted Broccolini
If you’re cutting the pancetta with a knife instead of using a food processor, it will be easiest if you partially freeze the pancetta first so that it is firmer.
Watch the bread crumb mixture closely while it toasts. The panko bread crumbs can go from perfectly toasted to burnt in mere seconds.
Also note that the breadcrumb mixture can be made up to 3 hours ahead of time and kept at room temperature on a plate. Make sure to spread it out as that will help it stay crisp, rather than layering it in a smaller bowl.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes:
Here are a few of my favorite Thanksgiving Side dishes to include on your menu. For even more ideas, be sure to check out all of the Thanksgiving Recipes in the Recipe Index.
Garlic Bacon Sautéed Green Beans with Roasted Mushrooms make a great Thanksgiving side dish, loaded with flavor, and a lot more fresh tasting than the traditional green bean casserole.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic are a fantastic side dish that is full of delicious flavor – caramelized, roasted Brussels sprouts, savory bacon, and tangy balsamic vinegar.
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate is a gorgeous, colorful Thanksgiving side dish. Sliced Sweet Potatoes are baked in a spiced orange maple glaze and sprinkled with juicy, bright pomegranate arils.
In this Massaged Kale Salad with Roasted Squash, Goat Cheese, and Pepitas, kale is lightly massaged with olive oil, salt and pepper. Then, tossed with roasted delicata squash, roasted red onions, herbed goat cheese, and pepitas.
Butternut Squash and Kale Quinoa Stuffing is a fantastic vegetarian stuffing recipe loaded with tons of veggies and flavors.
This Apple Cider Roasted Squash takes not time at all to prep, and pairs perfectly with the classic Thanksgiving sides.
Classic buttery russet potato mashed potatoes are elevated thanks to the addition of plenty of browned butter and fresh grated parmesan in this Browned Butter Parmesan Mashed Potatoes.
Last, but not least, don’t forget the Cranberry Orange Walnut Relish and the Turkey Gravy!
Have you ever made broccolini?
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Lemon Roasted Broccolini with Pancetta and Breadcrumbs
Take your traditional side dish of roasted broccoli to the next level with this recipe of Lemon Roasted Broccolini with Pancetta and Breadcrumbs. Roasted Broccoli is sprinkled with a delicious and crunchy lemon, thyme, and pancetta breadcrumb mixture.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Broccolini
- 2 1/2 pounds Broccolini
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Salts, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
For the Pancetta Breadcrumbs
- 4 ounces Pancetta
- 5 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves
Instructions
For the Roasted Broccolini
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Add the broccolini to a large baking sheet, or two if necessary so they are not overlapping.
- Drizzle with the olive oil, and stir around to coat.
- Season, to taste, with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
- Roast at 425 degrees F for 15 - 20 minutes, or until desired doneness.
For the Pancetta Breadcrumbs
- While the broccolini is roasting, prepare the breadcrumb mixture.
- Add the pancetta to a medium saute pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it is browned and slightly crispy and the fat is rendered. About 4 minutes.
- Add the breadcrumbs to the pancetta and cook for another 4 minutes, until the mixture becomes fragrant.
- Then, add the garlic, thyme, and lemon zest. Cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
To Serve
- Lay the roasted broccolini out on a large serving platter and drizzle with the lemon juice.
- Then, sprinkle lightly with about 1/3 of the total breadcrumb mixture.
- Serve, with the remaining breadcrumb mixture in a bowl for adding to individual servings as desired.
Notes
The breadcrumb mixture can be made up to 3 hours ahead of time and kept at room temperature on a plate. Make sure to spread it out as that will help it stay crisp, rather than layering it in a smaller bowl.
Adapted from Lemony Brussels Sprouts
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 218mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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