Broccoli Almondine (Broccoli Amandine)
Roasted Broccoli Amandine (also called broccoli almondine) is a unique take on an old classic. We swap the green beans for broccoli, and roast it until it’s crispy, then toss it with a delicious, lemony almond topping for an easy side dish that’s sure to impress!
Is it Broccoli Almondine or Broccoli Amandine?
In short, yes.
The original dish is “amandine,” from French cuisine. Amandine is a dish that is served with a preparation of butter and herbs and spices, then sprinkled with toasted almonds.
As terms tend to morph over time, “almondine” refers to the same preparation, but is often used in American cookbooks rather than “amandine.”
What’s heart healthy about this recipe?
Amandine recipes are typically mostly healthy to begin with, so this one didn’t take a lot of alteration.
Probably the biggest switch you noticed is that this uses broccoli instead of the traditional green beans amandine. I wanted something a little different, and while green beans are very healthy, and a great option, broccoli is even more so. Plus, broccoli is absolute divinity when it’s roasted! Is broccoli anti inflammatory? Absolutely! Broccoli contains a lot of antioxidants, but one of its most powerful is the sulfur containing compound sulforaphane. These compounds seem to decrease some of the markers of inflammation in the body, so it’s an excellent choice for heart healthy diets.
I also swapped out the traditional butter for olive oil, packing this recipe full of monounsaturated fat instead of the saturated fat you’ll often see in these dishes. The lemon zest and juice add a bit of vitamin C, while keeping the broccoli bright and cheery. And the almonds add some vitamin E – something that can be hard to come by for some!
As always, I’ve packed about as much fiber as I could get into the recipe – 15% of your daily value! Not bad at all for a side dish! And, thanks to the broccoli, it boasts more than 100% of your daily value of vitamin C and vitamin K.
This is truly a dish everyone will love!
FAQs and Substitutions
Really, you can use most any vegetable you have. You need to watch your roasting time, as some veggies roast up much quicker than others. I can see using green beans, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, or asparagus.
Steam the broccoli for about 10 minutes or so, until it’s just softened, and then toss it in a bowl with the prepared almond topping. Sometimes we’re just not about heating up the oven, right?! Plus, this will cut the time needed to prepare this recipe drastically!
While this recipe is full of healthy fat, that fat also makes it a bit higher in calories, and if you’re watching that, it can be an issue. In my experience, broccoli tends to require more oil than most veggies because of the “flower heads.” (Yes those are technically flower buds on the top!) There is a lot of surface area to cover.
You can absolutely use less oil in the roasting process. If you do that, make sure you watch the broccoli so the tops aren’t burning. You can try steaming the broccoli for about 5-7 minutes before roasting and that should allow you to use less oil.
Another way to reduce the amount of fat is to simply steam the broccoli as above, instead of roasting. Then you will need only the oil in the almond topping.
Lastly, try using a different vegetable with less surface area (suggestions above), which will allow you to use about half the oil in roasting.
It bears mentioning that I have seen some people roast vegetables without any oil at all. I have not tried doing this, and I’m not sure how it would work out with broccoli, but if you’re up for an experiment, you might have luck with that.
Yes! Frozen broccoli roasts up a little different than fresh, but it will still work great. No need to thaw it either. Just toss it with oil on the baking sheet and continue with the directions as written.
If you want your fresh broccoli to last as long as possible, you have two options here. The first option is to wrap the whole head in a damp paper towel, and store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator (don’t cover it in plastic wrap or a bag). The other way you can store it is in a glass of water just like a bouquet of flowers. Slice of a little bit of the bottom of the stalk so all the dried up part is gone, pop it in a glass of water, and store it in the fridge.
Know that if you buy broccoli already cut up, you should use it within a few days tops, no matter how you store it, because it won’t last long!
If you try Roasted Broccoli Almondine, tell me in the comments!
Need some more seasonal recipes? Try some of these:
- Stuffed Honeynut Squash
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Kale Salad with Apple Maple Vinaigrette
- Apple Sage Stuffing
- Cauliflower Salad with Apricots and Toasted Hazelnuts
- Orange Cranberry Bread
Broccoli Almondine (Broccoli Amandine)
Roasted broccoli amandine is a unique take on an old classic. We swap the green beans for broccoli, and roast it until it's crispy, then toss it with a delicious, lemony almond topping for an easy side dish that works for busy weeknights and holidays alike!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fresh Broccoli Florets
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil divided
- 1 medium Shallot diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves diced
- ¼ heaping cup Sliced Almonds
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- Juice of ½ Lemon
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, toss the broccoli with 2 Tbsp of olive oil.
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Roast for 15-25 minutes, until the broccoli is to desired doneness.
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Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat, with no oil. Once hot, add the almonds, and toast until golden brown, tossing frequently. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
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Remove the almonds from the skillet, and set aside.
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Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat.
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Saute the shallot and garlic for 5-7 minutes, until very soft and fragrant.
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Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted almonds, lemon zest, and juice.
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Toss with the roasted broccoli in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve immediately.
