Give Roasted Broccoli An Extra Flavor Boost With This Bold Ingredient

For many kids, broccoli needs to be in disguise to be considered edible — we're talking smothered in cheese, tucked into a casserole (to be fair, we'd never say no to a broccoli and cheese penne), or hidden under a mountain of ranch. But for those of us who enjoy broccoli's slightly earthy, crunchy bite, there's an entire world of preparation to explore to make the veggie truly shine.

Roasting is already a game-changer. It gives the florets delightfully crispy edges and teases out a subtle caramelization that you just don't get from steaming or boiling. But if you want to take things up a notch, try adding a little miso to the mix.

A quick heads-up: Miso — a fermented soybean paste popular in Japan, known for its salty, umami-rich flavor — is pretty potent. Somewhere between a teaspoon and a tablespoon per head of broccoli should do the trick, depending on how pronounced you want the flavor (but feel free to live your boldest life and add more to taste). White miso (also called shiro miso) is your best bet here — it's a bit sweeter and more mellow than both yellow and red miso, so it plays nicely with the roasted flavors without stealing the spotlight.

When you're ready, simply mix the miso with a splash of oil or melted butter to help it coat the broccoli evenly, then roast it like you normally would. The result? Crispy, caramelized, deeply savory broccoli that will keep you coming back for more.

If you want to dress your miso-roasted broccoli up a tad, you've got plenty of options. Craving the flavors of a Caesar salad? Add a bit of garlic and lemon juice to mimic that zippy dressing (the miso already brings a similar umami punch you'd get from anchovies), and then finish up with a sprinkle of parm or a few crunchy breadcrumbs. Feeling the pull of the sweet-and-spicy culinary phenomenon? Hop on the swicy train by drizzling in a little maple syrup and tossing in some red pepper flakes — the sweet heat plays beautifully against the deep savoriness of the miso.

While you can certainly enjoy miso-roasted broccoli on its own, it's also the perfect springboard for building out other dishes. Try making a miso-broccoli grain bowl: Simply serve the veggies over farro, rice, or quinoa. Toss in some other roasted ingredients (like sweet potatoes or mushrooms), a boiled egg with a jammy yolk, and top everything with a drizzle of tahini or miso-ginger dressing. Bonus points for toasted sesame seeds and crispy shallots.

Alternatively, toss the broccoli on a pizza or flatbread base with a little mozzarella, red onion, and a dollop of crème fraîche or pesto for an explosion of creamy, tangy, and savory goodness. However you serve it, miso-roasted broccoli brings enough flavor to hold its own — or make everything around it taste better.