PREP: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grab out an extra-large (15×21 inch sheet pan) or 2 smaller (11x17-inch) sheet pans (See Note 3) and set aside.
PREP: Cut the broccoli into even-sized florets (See Note 4) and place on a large dark-colored sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil right on top. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss with your hands well, evenly coating all the broccoli with the seasonings and oil. Spread into an even layer giving florets plenty of space. As you spread them out, quickly flip cut sides down to touch the tray.
BAKE: Bake for 15-19 minutes or until crisp-tender and lightly charred. Remove from the oven and toss. Use a microplane to finely grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Let slightly melt into broccoli, then, if desired, toss with lemon juice and lemon zest. Serve immediately!
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Notes
Note 1: Broccoli: 7-1/2 is about 1-1/2 pounds after the large stems have been removed. This is about 2 extra large florets. This sounds like a lot of broccoli but it cooks down a lot!Note 2: Parmesan: Packaged grated Parmesan (in the can) is very salty and won't melt as nicely into the broccoli. We highly recommend grating a block of Parmesan cheese on the small holes of the grater (or even better -- a microplane!) for ultra-fine cheese shreds.Note 3: Veggies need SPACE! The more space the broccoli has (and the less-crowded they are) the better they roast. When they're overlapping on a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead ofroasting which results in softer, somewhat soggy-tasting broccoli. Additionally, if the broccoli doesn't have enough space, roast time is quite a bit longer than recipe indicates.Note 4: Uniformsizes. Cut broccoli to relatively similar-sized pieces so they'll roast evenly.