When I was a kid and my parents didn’t want to hear us complaining about our vegetables, they’d sprinkle some cracker crumbs and cheese over them and bake them until they were cheesy and crispy. Problem solved! Good news — that solution still works for grown-ups. If broccoli is starting to seem a little bland to you, give this Parmesan Smashed Broccoli a try. It’s still easy, but a simple twist with technique, a little crispiness, and a little cheesiness give it entirely new flair.

To start you need broccoli florets. You don’t want a lot of stem here. And you want to cook them so they’re very soft and smashable. You can do that by steaming or boiling them, but this isn’t a time for “crisp tender.” Drain them and get them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Then, using a heavy glass or really anything else in your kitchen with a flat bottom, smash ’em.

All of ’em.

Why? That smashing gives you more surface area for crispiness.

But we’re not just looking for crispiness here, we’re also looking for flavor and you’re going to get that by mixing together parmesan, olive oil, garlic, and breadcrumbs and sprinkling it alllll over that smashed broccoli.

And then you bake them. Until those breadcrumbs are crispy and that garlic smells heavenly. I know it can feel a little tedious to twice-cook things but in this case it’s well worth it. (And besides, it only takes twenty minutes.)

I like basic roasted broccoli just fine, but this is a whole ‘nother level. Smashing the florets gives you more nooks and grannies for that garlic-parm mixture to nestle into and more crags for the heat of the oven to catch. It means there’s more flavor and texture than basic broccoli could ever hope for.