Orange Pecan Roasted Broccoli

Broccoli has always been the greatest enemy of who else? Kids, right? Not with this Orange Pecan Roasted Broccoli Recipe! Make this and watch your kids gobble it up!

Citrusy Orange Pecan Roasted Broccoli

It’s every mother’s struggle to make their kids eat healthy food. Not only is broccoli good for kids, but for adults too. So how do we help kids love broccoli? If you are thinking of a twist on the ordinary broccoli, this orange pecan oven roasted broccoli is for you.

It’s roasted broccoli with some orange dressing topped with crunchy pecans. This delicious side dish will TOTALLY help your kids love broccoli and willingly get that superfood into their bods! Once they get a taste of it, they won’t be able to resist.

Broccoli Nutrition

You know broccoli is good for you; but how? Well, first, broccoli is a good source of vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, and potassium.

Also, it’s great for sources of fiber, calcium, iron, and so much more. Eating broccoli helps protect your cells from damage, and it’s also said to improve blood sugar control and helps reduce risk of cancer!

No wonder it’s called a superfood!!

Added Nutrition From Oranges!

Loved by children, oranges are added in this yummy recipe. Oranges are full of vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, thiamine, and antioxidants.

Then, we have the pecans. Low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats, pecans are a good source of protein and vitamins A, B, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and more! , pecans are best for those who are diabetic or who have heart health issues.

What’s Better- Roasting or Steaming?

In this recipe, the broccoli is roasted instead of being steamed. Though steaming broccoli is a great cooking method to help maintain the antioxidants contained therein, roasting them won’t harm you either.

It’s just that steaming broccoli, or any other vegetables for that matter, are healthier and may even boost their nutritional value compared to roasting them. (Note: steaming is a tad healthier ONLY if you add oil to your veggies when roasting. If no oil is added when roasting, then both methods are equally as healthy although steaming might be a tad quicker.)

However, when it comes to the looks, well, I might give this point to the roasting method. Vegetables cooked by moist look generally pale and mild compared to those cooked dry. No wonder why kids call these steamed vegetables “boring.”

Lastly, and most importantly, roasting offers a big flavor payoff over steaming. Roasting most veggies brings out the natural sugars in the vegetable and helps caramelize them – adding a nutty, deeper flavor to the vegetable over steaming methods.

Ingredients For Making This Orange Pecan Roasted Broccoli The Right Way

So are you ready to make your own version of oven-roasted broccoli? But before that, let’s make sure you have your ingredient list already checked. You will need:

• Broccoli, of course
• Orange juice
• Pecans
• Avocado oil (or any other healthy oil)
• Sugar for the dressing (this is optional)
• Salt & Pepper (which is also optional) to bring out the flavors

Can You Make This Roasted Broccoli Ahead of Time?

Making this oven-roasted broccoli dish is super easy. You can even have the broccoli roasted ahead of time (but without the dressing). I wouldn’t roast it too far in advance (at the most, the day before) because really, it’s best when served fresh and cooking it too far in advance might affect the integrity of the veggie.

Simply roast it ahead of time in the oven without the dressing. Then when you want to serve, reheat in a dry oven (not microwave) and then dress it just before you eat.

The dressing however, can be made a day or two in advance and in fact, might benefit from that so that the flavors can mingle even more.

How Long Will This Broccoli Side Dish Last In The Fridge?

This healthy side dish also will store up to 5 days in the fridge. I wouldn’t recommend that you put it in the freezer as it won’t thaw nicely. So if you want a fresher dish to give you a better flavor experience, I advise you to make and serve it fresh from the oven.

Salty Pot Recipe Tips:

1. Use only fresh broccoli if possible. Frozen is fine if it’s thawed and patted dry but fresh broccoli will give you the best result.
2. You can make the orange dressing ahead of time to help the flavors mingle before dressing.
3. Try to not mess with the broccoli by flipping it or stirring it too often while it roasts. You want the broccoli to have contact with the pan in order to develop those caramelized edges that give it that wonderful nutty roasted flavor.
4. Don’t be afraid to use salt at the end to help bring up the flavors a level. Finishing salt is great, but if you don’t have it, regular salt is fine.

**Don’t Forget To Pin This Orange Pecan Roasted Broccoli pin to your Favorite Pinterest Board to use for Later!**