We Asked 4 Chefs the Best Way to Cook Broccoli—They All Said the Same Thing

When it comes to winter veggies, broccoli may just be the ultimate star. It’s delicious when tossed into a salad, mixed with pasta, pureed into a soup or just simply roasted. And at a point in the year when the produce department can feel a bit lacking, that versatility comes in handy, especially when you’re trying to get key nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, folate and fiber into your diet. 

But with so many potential preparations, how can you make this cruciferous veggie shine? We turned to four chefs who just so happened to say the same thing: charring your broccoli, whether through grilling, broiling or roasting at a high heat, is the best way to elevate this member of the Brassicaceae family. 

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Why Char Your Broccoli? 

While broccoli is ubiquitous and versatile, it’s also complex: its flavor is slightly sweet but a tinge bitter (like most cruciferous veggies) and even a bit earthy. “Broccoli as a vegetable has entree energy,” David Viana, a James Beard Award–nominated chef and Top Chef contestant from New Jersey’s Heirloom Kitchen, says. “The little bit of bitterness from the charring can elevate broccoli’s complexity … all the way to the center of the plate.” 

Chef Tyler Fenton of Bata in Tucson, Arizona, agrees, adding that charring broccoli gives it a caramelized flavor that’s easy to layer other aromatics and spices into. His go-to preparation is wood-grilled broccoli with extra-virgin olive oil, browned butter, preserved Meyer lemon, garum (a fermented fish sauce) and preserved chiles. Philly-based Chef Wyatt Piazza of Kiddo also recommended charring broccoli, then adding in a bit of spice (red pepper is his go-to) before combining it with sausage in a spicy tomato pasta.  

What’s the Best Way to Char Broccoli? 

While all the chefs we spoke with agreed that charring broccoli is the best way to prepare it, how you achieve that char and caramelization is a little more flexible. While Viana’s favorite method is grilling, he explained that any high-heat process, including broiling or roasting, can give broccoli that desired result.

Fenton also recommended grilling but uses a double-cook method to ensure that the broccoli is tender. For the first cook, he blanches or steams his broccoli, then he finishes it on the grill. “Broccoli needs the first cook to be tender and maintain moisture, and then the high-heat finish because broccoli can caramelize and char beautifully and it complements its flavor so nicely,” he says. 

Piazza typically employs a char-broiler, which, like a grill, uses an intense, direct heat to caramelize and char broccoli. This method may be easier for home cooks who are preparing broccoli indoors during the winter months or who don’t have access to a grill. 

You can also char and caramelize broccoli by roasting it in the oven, as long as the temperature is high enough. For James Beard Awards 2025 semifinalist Nick Zocco, at Urban Hill in Salt Lake City, that means 425℉ for 10 to 15 minutes. “This method creates a crisp, savory texture with a slightly nutty, sweet finish,” he says.  “It really brings out the broccoli’s natural flavors, and when you toss it with good olive oil and season it with just salt and pepper, it becomes a delicious addition to any meal.”  

Broccoli Cooking Mistakes to Avoid 

All the chefs we spoke with agreed that while charring broccoli is their favorite way to prepare it, the vegetable is so versatile that myriad preparations can make for a delicious side, salad or main dish. That said, they all pointed out that broccoli can go wrong when it’s overcooked, especially to the point of mushiness. “I think, like many vegetables, broccoli gets a bad reputation from an entire generation of people who grew up on canned or frozen vegetables,” Viana says, adding that the freezing and preserving processes breaks down vegetables on a cellular level, which can make them mushy when you prepare them. “If you are blanching broccoli, overcooking it to the point of mushiness or forgetting to season the water with salt [will render] your broccoli super bland,” he says. If you’re using one of these methods, he recommends always using the same pot, filled with water to the same level, and carefully measuring out the salt, so it’s not under-seasoned. 

Undercooking is also less than ideal, Piazza says. If you’re using one of the high-heat preparations to char it, he recommends carefully cutting the broccoli so all the pieces are a similar size. Having pieces that are larger than others can result in uneven cooking, leaving some bits overcooked while others aren’t tender.  

The Bottom Line

With its complexity and versatility, broccoli is a winter vegetable that deserves the chance to shine—and charring is the key to unlocking its most delicious flavors. Whether you’re grilling, roasting or broiling, just remember to avoid common pitfalls like overcooking or under-seasoning, and you’ll have a standout dish.