Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp

 

If you’ve been on the hunt for an easy weeknight meal full of flavor, look no further.

 

It’s my personal opinion that there is no better way to cook a vegetable than to roast it- both for easy preparation and for the unique crispy and flavorful outcome.  Broccoli has always been a stand-alone preparation since my head immediately wants to pair it with beef (a la the delicious beef and broccoli I can get at my local Chinese restaurant).  Since putting them together requires stir frying separately (or having leftovers I can just toss in), it becomes a bit more of a process than I’d like.

 

For all my talk about how easy making roasted vegetables is, shrimp has always eluded me as an “easy” protein.  Somehow I ALWAYS overcook it!  It works out fine since I don’t actually mind eating the slightly overcooked variety, but I knew I’d cook it more regularly if I could just come up with a goof-proof method.

 

Summary: find a protein to easily pair with roasted veggies and find a shrimp cooking method that doesn’t result in overcooking.

 

Solution: A recipe passed along by a coworker a few months ago, long forgotten and then remembered on the evening of a long work day.  I found myself in Whole Foods at 8:15 pm willing myself to find something to cook, but not wanting to settle for their food bar.  Even from memory, it was easy to come up with the necessary ingredients and some flavor ideas.

 

 

Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp
Serves 4

 

2 lbs broccoli florets
1 lb peeled and de-veined shrimp, uncooked
olive oil (roughly 5 tablespoons)
1 lemon
salt and pepper

 

Turn your oven on to 425 degrees.

Toss your broccoli together with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large bowl.  You’ll want the broccoli to be well coated, so add a little more oil if you have dry pieces.  Flavor with salt, pepper and a healthy squeeze of lemon juice.

Spread out as thinly as possible in a large cake pan.  You’ll want the most space possible around the florets so that they roast nicely.  Throw them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. (Because I like my veggies on the toastier side, I go with 15.)

While your broccoli roasts, toss your shrimp with a little more salt, pepper and lemon.  I ended up using garlic salt on my shrimp for some variety.

 

 

Once your broccoli has roasted for the 10-15 minute period, pull your pan back out.  Give the broccoli a quick stir and add the shrimp right on top, spread out over the pan.  Throw it back in the oven for 10 minutes.

 

 

Serve with your favorite side- I chose brown rice and it was wonderful.  I also added another squeeze of lemon over the finished product and it was fresh, crispy and the shrimp was cooked to PERFECTION.