When it comes to vegetable sides, it doesn’t get mush easier than a big sheet pan of roasted potatoes and broccoli. These are cooked to perfection and finished with a punchy lemon basil cream sauce. Keep this one in your recipe box for a quick and simple (but extra delicious) side dish!
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but if you’re ever unsure of how to cook a vegetable there’s a 99% chance that roasting it will give you amazing results. You just can’t beat the crispy, slightly caramelized edges and a perfectly tender inside.
This combination of potatoes and broccoli is a great one because you have both a starch and a green vegetable covered with one easy low maintenance dish. It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish but the majority of that time is hands-off. Especially if you use pre-washed and chopped broccoli florets.
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making the best pan of roasted potatoes and broccoli, every single time.
How to Make Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
Step 1: Chop to a uniform size
This is key. If you’re putting two different types of vegetables on a pan to cook at the same time, you’ll need to make sure they’re at least similar size. If one cooks faster than the other, you’ll want to take that into account as well (for instance if the potatoes take longer, cut those even smaller). Luckily these take about the same amount of time.
Step 2: Toss with olive oil
Use a large bowl to toss the vegetables in olive oil before transferring to a sheet pan. Yes it’s an extra dish to clean, but it’s essential for getting every crevice evenly coated. I much prefer this to drizzling once on the pan.
Step 3: Season the vegetables
You can keep things extra simple with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. I like to add some granulated garlic too, especially when roasting potatoes because the flavor pairing is really nice. Use your favorite spice combinations here. It’s tough to go wrong!
Step 4: Spread them in one even layer without crowding
Use a half sheet pan if you have one and line with parchment paper (for easy cleanup). Transfer the vegetables to the pan and make sure they aren’t touching. This is so important for getting a crispy edge! If your vegetables are too close together on the pan, they could steam instead (which is fine, but not what we are going for here). Use two pans if needed.
Creamy Lemon Basil Sauce
To really take these over the top, I recommend serving with a punchy, lemon basil cream sauce. You can either drizzle it on top of the cooked vegetables, or serve on the side for dipping.
The creamy herbaceous contrast is perfect. The broccoli kind of just soaks it up. Basically I could swim in this sauce. It’s a quick mix of whole milk Greek yogurt, lemon zest & juice, basil and capers.
Take a look at that lusciousness!
This is one of those recipes that seems so simple (and it is!). There are, however, a few key steps for getting the perfect roast so keep this post handy for the next time you want a basic but delicious pan of roasted potatoes and broccoli. I hope it becomes a new staple side dish in your house.
More Roasted Vegetables:
- Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Delicata Squash with Pepita Pesto
- Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini, Nuts & Dried Fruit
Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli
When it comes to vegetable sides, it doesn’t get mush easier than a big sheet pan of roasted potatoes and broccoli. These are cooked to perfection and finished with a punchy lemon basil cream sauce. Keep this one in your recipe box for a quick and simple (but extra delicious) side dish!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Sides
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12–14 ounces fingerling potatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 8 ounces broccoli florets (I use bagged, pre-washed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8–10 cranks fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt (I like siggi’s 4%)
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chiffonade
- 1 tablespoon capers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add potatoes and broccoli to a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss well to evenly coat. Then add garlic, salt and pepper. Toss one more time. Spread out on the sheet pan.
- Roast for 20 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned and the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- While the vegetables cook, make the sauce: add yogurt, lemon zest and juice, basil and capers to a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste (remember that the capers add some saltiness too).
- To serve, you can either drizzle the cream sauce over the top of the cooked vegetables or serve on the side as a dip. Garnish with additional basil and lemons.
Notes
- The equipment section above provides affiliate links to things I use often in my kitchen and love.
- I like to chop the vegetables on the smaller side so they cook faster. Often when you buy the pre-chopped broccoli, you’ll find some very large florets in the bag. Halve or even quarter these so that all of the vegetables are roughly the same size.
- My favorite yogurt for the sauce is siggi’s 4% plain
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Julie says
This makes for a perfect weeknight supper…I put it on top of farro and roasted chicken sausage along side veggies. Leanne hit it out of the park with the sauce…especially the addition of capers! This will be on rotation in our home.
Leanne says
Capers are so magical, aren’t they? Thanks Julie!
Roberta says
I enjoyed shopping with you.
I love shopping, especially when it’s for cooking and learning new ideas.
Thanks a million times. I enjoy your blogs!!
Happy cooking #