Crispy Broccoli with Vegan Tahini Ranch + Sesame Croutons
Many of you may be aware by now of my obsession with broccoli, and I think I’ve officially just taken it to the next level.
I make roasted broccoli at least once a week (and I could eat a whole head in one sitting), and I usually just cook it in the oven or air fryer with oil, salt, pepper and a few spices until it’s nice and crispy. I’ve been experimenting recently with some fun new sauces so I thought I should put one to good use and spice up my usually broccoli side dish. This crispy broccoli is smothered in a creamy, herby tahini ranch sauce that happens to be vegan and can be whipped up in five minutes. The tangy sauce is the perfect compliment to the roasted broccoli, and the final touch is a generous handful of crispy sesame croutons that I made using pita bread. Plus, they go in the oven on the same pan as the broccoli, so there’s minimal cleanup and this recipe is SO simple to make.
All you have to do is coat your broccoli in oil and season it, then place in the oven to start cooking while you make your vegan tahini ranch. For the sauce, you simply whisk everything together in a jar, so no blender is needed - this also makes extra, and the leftover ranch sauce makes a divine salad dressing. During the last 10 minutes of your broccoli cooking time, throw in the pita to get nice and browned and crispy, then just assemble and enjoy!
Crispy Broccoli with Vegan Tahini Ranch + Sesame Croutons
Ingredients
1 large head of broccoli, chopped into 1-inch florets
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, pepper + garlic powder, for the broccoli + croutons
Pita or sourdough bread, torn into small chunks
2 tbsp sesame seeds
For the vegan tahini ranch:
⅓ cup smooth tahini
Juice of ½ large lemon
1 clove grated garlic
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp sea salt
2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (can sub with 1 tsp dried dill)
2 tbsp chopped chives (optional but recommended!)
Water to thin
Method
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, add your broccoli florets, then coat with 2 tbsp olive oil and a generous amount of sea salt, fresh pepper and garlic powder. Stir to coat, then place on a large baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your vegan tahini ranch by whisking together all of the ingredients in a jar. Keep adding water little by little until you have a smooth, pourable sauce - you’ll likely need up to ½ cup water in total. Set aside.
In a bowl, add your torn pita or bread pieces and coat with 1 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and 2 tbsp sesame seeds. Remove broccoli from the oven, push it all to one side, and add the croutons to the same baking sheet. Bake everything for another 10 mins until the croutons are lightly browned and crispy and the broccoli is charred.
Plate the broccoli and drizzle with vegan tahini ranch. Serve topped with the sesame croutons, plus extra sesame seeds, sea salt, dill and chives if desired. Enjoy!
Serves 2
