Whole Roasted Broccoli with Spiced Yoghurt and Curry Leaves

Whole roasted broccoli is a proper centrepiece: an entire head rubbed in a curry leaf spice marinade, topped with spiced yoghurt, and roasted until the outside goes dark and crusted. It is the crowning glory of my Indian feast and it has absolutely no business being as good as it is. Marinate it ahead, roast it when you are ready. Let's cook!

Why This Whole Roasted Broccoli Works

The marinade goes on in two stages. A spiced oil base first, rubbed into every crevice, then a yoghurt layer over the top. They do different jobs and they need to stay separate.

The yoghurt is what makes the crust. Spread over the top before it goes in, it bakes into a dark, spiced, slightly charred coating rather than sliding off the way a plain oil marinade would.

It is better made the day before. Marinated and left in the fridge overnight, the flavour gets right into the head instead of sitting on the surface.

Roasting a head whole is the whole point. You get charred, crisp outer florets and a tender middle in one piece, which you never get from florets spread on a tray.

The stalks go in too. Trim them off, rub them in the same marinade, and roast them alongside. There is no reason to throw away the best-flavoured part of the vegetable.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes, plus optional marinating time
• Serves: 4 as a side dish
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Roasting dish

Get the base marinade into every nook and cranny before the yoghurt goes anywhere near it. Use your hands, not a spoon, and keep picking the mixture back up off the dish and pressing it in. The bits you miss stay pale and plain while everything around them goes dark and spiced, and you can see exactly where you skipped when it comes out. Two small wedges cut off the base will let the head sit upright in the dish so it does not roll while you are working on it. Then the yoghurt goes over the top, and that is the layer that turns into the crust.

Ingredients

For the Broccoli

• 1 whole head of broccoli, stalks trimmed and kept

For the Base Marinade

• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or any chilli powder)
• 1/2 tsp onion seeds
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger
• 1 1/2 tbsp curry leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt

For the Yoghurt Topping

• 2 tbsp yoghurt
• 1/2 tbsp curry leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp green chilli, chopped (optional, but recommended)
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

How to Make Whole Roasted Broccoli

1. Make the base marinade: In a bowl, combine the oil, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, onion seeds, curry powder, garlic, ginger, chopped curry leaves and salt. Mix well. If you are using dried curry leaves rather than fresh, crush them between your fingers as they go in so they break up and release more flavour.
2. Prepare the broccoli: Trim the stalks off the base and set them aside, and cut two small wedges off the bottom so the head sits flat and does not roll. Rub the base marinade all over the broccoli with your hands, getting it into every nook and cranny. Rub the trimmed stalks in whatever is left so they get the same flavour. Sit the broccoli in the dish you are going to roast it in, with the stalks alongside.
3. Make the yoghurt topping: In the same bowl, so you pick up all the marinade still clinging to it, mix the yoghurt, chopped curry leaves, green chilli, chilli powder and turmeric.
4. Top and rest: Spread the yoghurt mixture generously all over the broccoli, pressing it into the top. You can roast it straight away, but it is much better covered and left in the fridge, ideally overnight, so the flavour soaks right in.
5. Roast: Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Roast the broccoli for 35 minutes.
6. Crank the heat: Turn the oven up to 220C (425F) for a final 5 minutes to darken and crisp the crust. Check the thickest part of the stem is tender before serving.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• A whole vegetable as a centrepiece: It looks properly impressive on the table for the amount of work involved
• Made ahead: Marinate it the day before and it only needs the oven on the night
• The marinade works on anything: Cauliflower, chicken, tofu, all of it
• Nothing wasted: The stalks roast alongside the head rather than going in the bin
• Vegetarian and a real centrepiece: Substantial enough to sit at the middle of a spread

Chef's Tips for Whole Roasted Broccoli

Use your hands, not a spoon: You cannot get a marinade into the crevices of a broccoli head any other way. Get in there, and keep scraping the leftover mixture off the dish and pressing it back on.

Cut two wedges off the base: Slicing two small flats off the bottom of the stem stops the head rolling around while you are rubbing the marinade in and while it roasts. It is a small thing that makes the whole job easier.

Dried curry leaves are fine: Fresh are wonderful if you can get them, but dried still carry a huge amount of flavour. Crush them as they go in so they break up.

Mix the yoghurt in the marinade bowl: Do not wash it out in between. All the spiced oil clinging to the sides ends up in the yoghurt layer where you want it.

Marinate overnight if you can: Straight away works, but a night in the fridge is the difference between flavour on the surface and flavour all the way through.

Watch the last 5 minutes: The jump to 220C is what gives you the dark crust, and it goes from beautifully charred to burnt quickly. Stay near the oven.

Substitutions & Variations

• Broccoli: A whole cauliflower takes exactly the same treatment and is just as good
• The marinade on protein: It works brilliantly on chicken or on tofu
• Kashmiri chilli: Any chilli powder works, Kashmiri just gives more colour than heat
• Curry leaves: Fresh or dried both work, and dried are far easier to keep in the cupboard
• Yoghurt: Coconut yoghurt works for a dairy free version
• Green chilli: Leave it out if you are feeding anyone who does not want the heat

Storage

Best eaten fresh: Straight from the oven while the crust is still crisp and the middle is hot.

Fridge: Leftovers keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or an air fryer rather than a microwave, which turns the crust soft. The uncooked marinated broccoli also keeps covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before roasting.

Freezer: Not recommended. Broccoli goes watery and limp once it has been frozen and defrosted, and the yoghurt crust does not survive it.

Avoid: Do not roast it straight from the fridge if you have marinated it overnight. Let it sit out while the oven comes up to temperature, or the middle lags behind the crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you cook broccoli whole or in florets? Whole, for this one. Roasting the head in one piece gives you charred, crisp outer florets and a tender centre at the same time, which you do not get from florets spread out on a tray.

Can I marinate the broccoli the night before? Yes, and it is genuinely better that way. Cover it and leave it in the fridge. The marinade works its way in rather than just sitting on the outside.

What can I use instead of curry leaves? There is no true substitute for the flavour, but dried curry leaves work perfectly well and are much easier to find and keep. Crush them as they go in.

Why is my broccoli not charring? Almost always because the oven was not turned up at the end. The 35 minutes at 180C cooks it through, and the last 5 minutes at 220C is what does the crust. Do not skip the second stage.

Can I use this marinade on something else? It is brilliant on a whole cauliflower, on chicken, and on tofu. Same method, adjust the roasting time for whatever you are cooking.

Do I have to throw away the broccoli stalks? Absolutely not. Trim them off, rub them in the leftover marinade, and roast them alongside the head. They are as good as the florets.

What should I serve spiced roasted broccoli with? It is the vegetable dish in The Ultimate Indian Vegetarian Feast, so it sits happily next to any curry, rice and flatbread. It is also substantial enough to be dinner with just rice.

Is this recipe vegetarian? Yes. Use coconut yoghurt in the topping and it is vegan too.

You Might Also Like

Potato and Tomato Curry (Alur Dom) - The deeply spiced potato curry from the same feast, and the one to make first because it improves overnight.

Saag Halloumi - A halloumi twist on saag paneer, and the dish everyone goes back to on the table.

Cauliflower Tikka Masala - If this broccoli converted you to roasting whole vegetables with spice, the cauliflower curry is the obvious next one.

This broccoli is the dish people are most surprised by. A whole head, a spice marinade rubbed right into it, a yoghurt layer that bakes into a dark crust, and forty minutes in the oven while you get on with everything else. I grew up in the UK with these smells and spices and I still love them as much as I ever did, and this is the recipe that gets that across fastest. Make it once and you will keep making it.

Enjoy!

Del x

A whole head of broccoli in a curry leaf spice marinade under a spiced yoghurt crust, roasted dark and served as a centrepiece.