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Broccoli usually lags far behind corn and tomatoes when people think of sides to accompany burgers and sausage on the grill. If the cabbagey vegetable does show up at barbecues, it's usually coated in mayonnaise and tossed with Cheddar cheese and bacon—a delicious treatment, no doubt, but not the lightest option (or the safest one, if it's sitting out in the hot sun). Grilling broccoli, then, makes perfect sense.

Turns out it's delicious too—smoky, earthy and, if you cook it right, just a little crunchy—and a fresh alternative to the usual grilled portobello mushrooms, zucchini, peppers and eggplant.

[Next, the one thing you need to know before you slice it, plus marinade ideas]


It helps to cut the vegetable into grill-friendly shapes first. Instead of chopping off the florets, leave them attached to their stalks by cutting lengthwise instead of crosswise. You'll wind up with smaller floret-topped broccoli pencils. Next, toss them in a marinade. I made one (inspired by this Food & Wine recipe) with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, chopped rosemary and a pinch of red pepper flakes. But you could take a million directions here: Asian (sesame oil, soy sauce, orange juice and chopped ginger), Indian (olive oil, garam masala, garlic and chili powder) or super simple (olive oil, salt and pepper), to name a few. Place them on the grill so they're perpendicular with the grates. Mine took about 7 minutes at high heat, and I turned them once or twice with tongs. They should be charred in spots and just tender if you pierce them with a sharp knife. Put them in a bowl and cover it with foil for 5 minutes, so the steam can help the broccoli finish cooking.

Mix the grilled broccoli with other grilled vegetables or grilled bread, and serve it over greens or grains. Or just eat them as a simple side dish—right alongside your corn on the cob and tomato salad.