When you first come across a Romanesco broccoli (also called Roman cauliflower), it's a surprising sight to see. It looks kinda like either broccoli or cauliflower but it has these hypnotizing psychedelic spiral floret patterns and bright green color that really draw in your eye.

Your first question will surely be - "What does a Romanesco taste like?". The answer is that it tastes more mild than broccoli but has a nuttier and more noticeable flavor than cauliflower. I feel confident to say that if you're a fan of broccoli you'll most likely fall in love with the Romanesco.

The Romanesco is very easy to prep and cook with roasting being the most preferred way to eat it. It doesn’t take too many ingredients to bring out the flavor. My recipe below has a mix of nutty, tangy and acidic flavors. Once roasted those little florets are so irresistible to pop into your mouth.

This side dish recipe pairs well with all kinds of entrees - fish, meat, poultry or even vegetarian meals. It’s also fairly filling for a small meal on its own.

Sadly most grocery stores don’t carry Romanesco regularly, but your best bet to find them is at a farmers’ market or health food store in the spring or early fall.

Grocery Shopping List:

Ingredients:

*** I often make food to taste so these measurements are approximate and a good start place for taste testing.

Medium Sized Head of Romanesco - Chop the florets similar to broccoli or cauliflower.
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White or Red Wine Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Half a Teaspoon Ground Pepper
1 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash and then cut your Romanesco into bite sized pieces. Start by cutting away the leaves, stem and large solid chunks from the base until you’re left with only the top florets. Essentially the same way you would cut broccoli or cauliflower.
In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if you like a spicy kick.
In a large bowl toss your Romanesco florets and the olive oil mixture together until all your Romanesco pieces are coated.
Take out a rimmed baking sheet and lay all the florets out flat. Pour the excess liquid from the bowl onto your baking sheet (make sure your baking sheet has sides to hold liquid).
Bake them in the oven for about 45 minutes. Around the 30 minute mark open your oven and flip over the pieces so that the alternate side can cook. If you’re on a time crunch you can put the oven higher at 425 degrees and bake for around 25 minutes. I personally prefer the longer and slower approach because I think it slightly enhances the flavor.
You’ll know when the Romanesco is done because the stems will be softer and the florets will have a slight crispy feeling. I recommend to taste test them along the way to find your own perfect crunchiness.
Transfer the Romanesco to a serving platter. While they’re still hot, sprinkle the Parmesan over the florets and lightly toss. The cheese will slightly melt which is ideal. You can also pour the excess juice from the pan over the florets as extra dressing.
You’re ready to eat!

Alternate Ingredients to Try

If you’ve already made the above recipe and you’re looking to try more flavors with your Romanesco, you can try adding some of these ingredients to the mix. I encourage you to experiment with small batches, you can’t go wrong!