Romanesco Recipe (Quick & Easy!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Romanesco Recipe (Quick & Easy!) - Wholesome Yum (1)

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Table Of Contents hide

  • Why You’ll Love This Roasted Romanesco Recipe
  • What Is Romanesco?
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How To Cook Romanesco
  • Flavor Variations
  • Storage Instructions
  • What To Serve With Romanesco
  • Tools I Use For This Romanesco Recipe

This roasted romanesco recipe, sometimes called romanesco broccoli or Roman cauliflower, makes a stunning and simple side dish for any night of the week! It’s a bit of a rare find where I live, so when I spot it at the store, it’s exciting to try something different from the usual broccoli and cauliflower. But just like regular roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflower, this easy side uses a short list of ingredients, needs just minutes to prep, and pairs well with dozens of meals for dinner. Win.

Why You’ll Love This Roasted Romanesco Recipe

  • Roasted, nutty, slightly sweet taste
  • Firm, yet tender texture with crispy edges
  • 5 simple ingredients
  • Just 10 minutes prep
  • Nutty flavor that pairs well with any protein or main dish!
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What Is Romanesco?

Romanesco is a vegetable in the brassicas family, which includes other cruciferous plants such as cabbage, kale, and brussels sprouts. It has a chartreuse color, pointy florets that look like miniature Christmas trees, firm texture, and lightly earthy flavor.

Although sometimes known as romanesco cauliflower, it is a separate variety of vegetable and actually tastes more like broccoli (mild, nutty, and a little sweet). Like both broccoli and cauliflower, it holds up to a variety of different cooking methods, including roasting, sauteing, stir fry, and more.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for roasting romanesco, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

  • Romanesco – Choose this veggie similar to how you would select cauliflower. Look for tightly bound buds, fresh looking outer leaves, and no signs of blemishes.
  • Olive Oil – With so few ingredients in this romanesco recipe, I like to use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil. However, any neutral cooking oil, such as light olive oil or avocado oil, will work.
  • Seasonings – Including garlic powder, sea salt (or kosher salt is fine), and black pepper. If you like more heat, substitute crushed red pepper flakes for the black pepper (or add both!).
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How To Cook Romanesco

This section shows how to cook romanesco broccoli, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

  1. Prep. Cut the head of romanesco into bite-sized florets.
  2. Toss. Add the florets to a bowl, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with seasonings. Toss to coat. Transfer to a baking sheet.
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  1. Roast. This romanesco recipe is finished when it’s tender and browned on the edges.
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Flavor Variations

  • Cheeses – Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or goat cheese to the finished dish after roasting. You can also toss with grated parmesan before roasting for a subtle crispy crust!
  • Lemon – Tossed roasted romanesco with a squeeze of lemon juice, or add fresh lemon zest.
  • Spices – For extra flavor, add a sprinkle paprika, cumin, or homemade Italian seasoning together with the other seasonings.

Storage Instructions

  • Store: Recipes with romanesco taste best fresh, but like most veggies, you can store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
  • Meal prep: Cut the florets ahead of time, then store them in the fridge. When ready to cook, just toss in oil, season, and roast.
  • Reheat: Warm this romanesco broccoli recipe in a 350 degree F oven, until heated through.
  • Freeze: Flash freeze on a lined sheet pan until solid. Transfer to a container or freezer bag for long term storage for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen.
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What To Serve With Romanesco

Romanesco is very versatile and tastes delicious with so many main dishes. Try it with these popular ones:

  • Chicken – Chicken is my go-to for dinner. If you’re like me, pair this romanesco recipe with sweet balsamic chicken, Italian-inspired sun-dried tomato chicken (my personal fave), cheesy and creamy lemon chicken, or fresh chicken Caprese depending on your mood. If you prefer to keep it simple, you can’t go wrong with baked chicken legs!
  • Beef – Serve tender New York strip steak, juicy Instant Pot beef short ribs, or simple garlic butter steak bites with this dish for an elegant meal.
  • Fish – Try romanesco roasted alongside baked sea bass, creamy Tuscan salmon, or simple pan fried tilapia.
  • Pork – Cook juicy air fryer pork chops or a tender pork tenderloin to go with this easy side.

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Recipe Card

Romanesco Recipe (Quick & Easy!) - Wholesome Yum (9)

5 from 5 votes☝️ Click stars to rate or click here to leave a review!

Romanesco Recipe (Quick & Easy!)

Make this easy roasted romanesco recipe with just a few ingredients, in 25 minutes! It's nutty, lightly sweet, and tender, with crispy edges.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Total: 25 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 3 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).

  2. Cut the romanesco into bite-sized florets.

  3. In a large bowl, toss the florets with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

  4. Spread the florets onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until tender and browned on the edges.

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Related Easy Recipes

  • Roasted Broccoli And Cauliflower

  • Air Fryer Broccoli Recipe

  • Roasted Eggplant Recipe

  • Roasted Broccolini Recipe

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories117

Fat9.3g

Protein3.4g

Total Carbs7.6g

Net Carbs4g

Fiber3.6g

Sugar3.3g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course:Side Dish

Cuisine:American

Keywords:roasted romanesco, romanesco broccoli, romanesco recipe

Calories: 117 kcal

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂

Roasted Romanesco Recipe

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FAQs

Is romanesco healthier than broccoli? ›

According to The Land Connection, the nutritional profiles of broccoli and romanesco are fairly similar. Both are excellent sources of vitamins C and K, as well as dietary fiber.

How do you prepare romanesco? ›

How to Prepare Romanesco for Cooking
  1. Pull off any leaves attached to the bottom and sides of the romanesco.
  2. With a sharp paring knife, remove the core from the romanesco as would on a cauliflower.
  3. You could steam the whole romanesco until just tender, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on size.

How long does romanesco last in the fridge? ›

Choose dense heads without any discoloration. Harvested heads can be stored in plastic in the refrigerator for about a week.

Can you eat romanesco raw? ›

Like broccoli, Romanesco can be eaten raw, but also holds up well under various cooking methods like stir frying or roasting in an oven. As the florets heat up, they can become surprisingly sweet, making Romanesco a perfect addition to curries and other spicy dishes.

Is romanesco a Superfood? ›

What are the health benefits of romanesco? Like other members of the brassica family, romanesco is high in vitamin K, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and carotenoids, supporting your body's tissue repair, blood clotting, system regularity, and more.

Is romanesco better than cauliflower? ›

Romanesco also has a slightly nuttier, milder flavor and more tender texture when cooking, making it easier to overcook than cauliflower. The two can often be substituted for each other in recipes; just watch the cook times so that your romanesco doesn't turn into mush and lose its flavor.

What does romanesco taste like? ›

Because it looks like a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower, most people expect Romanesco to taste like a combination of the two. Which it does to an extent, but it's a much milder flavour. It's got a subtle nutty or even earthy taste to it as well. Certain methods of cooking can bring out those flavours.

How do you cut and cook romanesco? ›

Steps
  1. Break the leaves off the bottom of the romanesco head. ...
  2. Cut the head of romanesco into quarters. ...
  3. Slice along the stem to remove the florets. ...
  4. Break down larger pieces so the romanesco cooks evenly. ...
  5. Rinse and dry the romanesco florets to clean them.

Why is my romanesco purple? ›

Sun, heat and Romanesco don't mix. And when they do mix, they create purple! The purple color is caused by anthocyanin, a harmless, water-soluble pigment that is exacerbated by sun exposure. When the developing heads are exposed to sun and heat, they can turn purple.

What does Romanesco mean in English? ›

Romanesco is an Italian adjective meaning "pertinent to the medieval and modern Roman people". Romanesco may refer to: Romanesco dialect, an Italian dialect spoken in the city of Rome and its surroundings. Romanesco broccoli, a kind of cauliflower.

Can you freeze raw Romanesco? ›

Preserve: Romanesco can be blanched and frozen for later use. You can also pickle or lacto-ferment small chunks of this wildly shaped vegetable for a crazy looking preserved food. Prepare: The delicate flavor of romanesco is best when eaten raw or lightly cooked. You can sauté, roast, steam, or boil it.

Is Romanesco a cauliflower or broccoli? ›

Romanesco broccoli (also known as broccolo romanesco, romanesque cauliflower, or simply romanesco) is in fact a cultivar of the cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), not a broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica).

Why is Romanesco so expensive? ›

Romanesco Broccoli. Romanesco broccoli's architectural beauty, with its intricate fractal patterns, is a result of strict growing conditions. These conditions ensure its unique logarithmic spirals are perfectly formed, contributing to its rarity and driving up its price to around $25 per head.

What is the most beautiful vegetable in the world? ›

Romanesco Broccoli, also known as Roman cauliflower or simply Romanesco, is a distinctively beautiful vegetable belonging to the Brassica oleracea species. It is characterized by its striking appearance, with a bright lime-green color and a unique fractal structure resembling a natural work of art.

Is Romanesco a vegetable or fruit? ›

Romanesco is a unique and visually striking green vegetable that is part of the Brassica family. It has a distinctively geometric appearance, with spiraled cones and pointed florets that resemble a fractal pattern.

What vegetable is healthier than broccoli? ›

Spinach. Spinach contains many of the same health benefits as broccoli and kale. But it's also rich in phytochemicals. These cause the body to release hormones that make you feel full, which can be helpful for people who want to lose weight.

How healthy is Romanesco? ›

Rich in Nutrients

Just like its close relatives, Romanesco cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, potassium, folate, and manganese. These nutrients play crucial roles in immune function, blood clotting, bone health, and energy metabolism.

What is healthier than broccoli? ›

Kale has more of most vitamins and minerals per serving than broccoli, but more isn't always better. In reality, you can have too much of a good thing.

What is more nutritious than broccoli? ›

The stalk contains the most fiber, while broccoli leaves are highest in cell-protecting antioxidants, vitamins E and K, and calcium. Wash it under cold, running water, but not until you're ready to prepare it.

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