Charred Broccoli coated in a Homemade Italian Dressing is an unusual yet tasty side dish created accidentally by simply burning broccoli. This is perfect for those who think they can’t cook because burning it is the recipe! Serves 4 as a side.
Place an oven rack to the top rack of the oven. Heat the broiler.
Toss the broccoli on the baking sheet with the oil and a pinch of kosher salt. It's only a small amount of oil because we don't need a lot and don't want the broccoli to steam.
Scatter the broccoli to make one layer. We don’t want any of them piled on top of each other. Broil for about 2 - 3 minutes and check to see if they're nicely charred. If they're not blackened around the edges, return under broiler for another minute and check again. Flip them over and broil for another 2 minutes. Check and remove if charred otherwise, broil a little longer and check.
Keep an eye on it since all ovens are different.
Transfer broccoli to a bowl or platter and toss with Italian dressing and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, if using.
Notes
*I bought a bag of organic broccoli florets at Trader Joe’s which made the prep ridiculously easier. If you want to cut your own from a head of broccoli, cut the florets about the same size or make the dish look more elegant by cutting the head into spears and halve or quarter them. You can also char the stems if they’re sliced in ½ inch chunks so they cook through.Since ovens run differently it could take a few minutes longer or less. I've made these using two different ovens and one oven took 5 minutes total and the other took 9 minutes.