The #1 High-Protein Veggie Side You Should Be Making

Roasted Lemon-Feta Broccoli will soar to the top of your list of favorite side dishes. Elevate fiber-rich broccoli by roasting it at high heat to get yummy crispy bits on the edges and then tossing it in the dreamiest, most delicious herby lemon sauce. As if that weren’t delicious enough, we added feta because cheese makes everything better (and adds some protein!). The bright flavors of this dish will complement everything from chicken to salmon. Plus, the nutrition—from the antioxidants in the herbs to the immune-supporting vitamin C from the broccoli and the lemon—will ensure this remains in your recipe rotation. Keep reading for our expert cooking tips for the broccoli and healthy vegetable substitutions. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• Roasting broccoli with black pepper enhances its natural flavors and provides a delightfully seasoned finish. 
• Cooking sturdy vegetables like broccoli at high temperatures—around 450°F—quickly tenderizes them without making them mushy. This method helps them retain their structure, color and flavor.
• For a faster preparation, you can blanch the broccoli first and then transfer it to a high-temperature oven for a shorter roasting time of about 5 to 8 minutes.
• You can substitute broccoli with broccolini or cauliflower for a delicious alternative.

Nutrition Notes

• Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable hailed for its antioxidants and inflammation-lowering compounds. Broccoli also contains a good amount of fiber—great for gut health. Broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C; it’s best to eat it raw to gain all of those antioxidant effects, as cooking and storage time will degrade the vitamin C slightly. Don’t let that loss of nutrients keep you from enjoying your broccoli, though: roasting hasn’t been shown to degrade vitamin C as much as boiling, so it’s a great cooking method to help you enjoy more broccoli in your diet. 
• Adding fresh lemon juice and zest will add more vitamin C to your broccoli. The peel of lemons has a compound called D-limonene, which may have anti-inflammatory health benefits, but the research on this is just beginning. So, don’t waste those citrus peels: they give you a ton of bright, lemony flavor and may be beneficial for your health. 
• Feta is a salty, semisoft cheese known for its Greek roots. Feta cheese has a good amount of calcium and phosphorus, great for bone health. Most of the protein from this recipe comes from the feta—beneficial for a healthy immune system and muscle maintenance. Feta is a higher-sodium cheese, so be mindful if you are on a reduced-sodium diet.