Roasted Green Beans are my favorite way to enjoy this vegetable! Just a few seasonings and a hot oven, and you’ll be amazed just how truly delicious green beans can be!
Roasted Green Beans
Green beans have always been one of my favorite veggies — raw, sautéed, in a Thanksgiving green bean casserole — you name it, and I’ll eat them! But roasting green beans? Well, that completely takes them to the next level. They become beautifully caramelized with a crisp and slightly crunchy exterior and tender interior. They become nothing short of addicting!
Shopping For and Storing Green Beans
Before we start making these Roasted Green Beans, let’s chat about how to get great green beans and how to prep them!
Look for brightly and vibrantly colored green (as the name suggests!) green beans. A yellowish or brownish hue is a sign something has gone wrong. The skin should be smooth and tight.
Avoid green beans with lumps, creases, weathered bumps, or lots of blemishes. You may also think bigger is better, but when they get excessively thick or large, they become tough, stringy, and less flavorful. Young and tender beans are the best beans for this recipe.
Choose beans that feel firm. When beans are ripe, they should snap quickly and easily. (Test one in a batch to make sure the rest are going to be ripe!)
Storage: It’s best to use the green beans within 1-2 days of purchasing, but you can extend the shelf life by storing them well. To store for extended periods (up to 3-5 days) keep the beans in the fridge’s crisper drawer in a plastic bag. Don’t rinse or snap off the ends until you’re ready to roast them.
Recognizing when green beans have gone bad: Wetness and slime are signs that green beans are no longer good. Additionally, if there is a bad odor they have likely gone bad.
Quick Tip
Green beans are sometimes called snap beans, and that’s because of how they’re prepared. To remove the stems, you just bend and snap them off!
How To Clean And Prepare Green Beans
Rinse the green beans under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
Dry the beans thoroughly by rolling them between two kitchen towels. (See “quick tip” below).
Trim both ends of the beans with a sharp chef’s knife. You can do this quickly by grabbing a bunch of beans in a stack with one hand, tapping them to align the ends, and then laying them out to cut off those ends. Grab the bunch again and tap on the other side to align and cut again. Voila — you’ve trimmed a bunch all at once!
Quick Tip
If the beans are at all wet, they will steam instead of roast and you’ll be missing out on the amazing roasted green beans flavor and texture. Take the time to thoroughly dry the beans before roasting!
How To Roast Green Beans (Tips)
- Use a large sheet pan: The more space the green beans have (the less crowded they are), the better they roast. When vegetables are overlapping on a sheet pan, they end up steaming instead of roasting. This definitely affects the end taste and texture of Roasted Green Beans. I use this 15×21 inch sheet pan (affiliate link) which makes a big difference for this recipe! Also, the bigger the pan, the quicker the beans will roast!
- The actual thickness of green beans can vary greatly. It’s important to check while roasting rather than relying solely on a time guideline.
- Use fresh green beans: While frozen green beans work, they’ll never get quite as crisp or nearly as flavorful as fresh green beans. I always recommend using fresh beans when roasting. (If you do opt to roast frozen green beans, check out the tips in this post.)
- High oven temperature is vital to getting green beans perfectly caramelized and those beautifully crispy edges!
When Are Green Beans Fully Cooked?
Roasted green beans are finished when they yield a bright green color. They should be tender while still maintaining a slight bite. You can pierce the beans with a fork or take a quick bite of one to gauge how crisp-tender they are.
- Difficult to chew? Undercooked
- Mushy? Overcooked
Roasted Green Beans FAQs
We definitely want them uncovered so they can roast nice and crisp up instead of steaming.
While you can steam green beans and retain nutrients and flavor, we think roasting them is best! We’re adding in healthy fats (olive oil) and cooking the green beans whole! Tons of flavor and they’ve still got plenty of nutrients.
No need to boil, steam, or otherwise prepare the beans (beyond trimming and washing) before throwing them in the oven to roast. This recipe is quick AND easy!
The high heat of the oven will nicely tenderize the beans, resulting in a beautifully caramelized exterior.
This veggie is quite versatile and pairs well with most entreesโ especially meals with a lot of meat! We love this easy side dish best with the following meals:
They are safe to eat raw if they’ve been properly washed.
A lot of confusion arises since dried beans (like kidney, black, or cannellini beans) aren’t safe to eat raw and need to be cooked before consuming. They contain high amounts of the toxin phytohaemagglutinin which is broken down during the cooking process.
Storage
How To Store Roasted Green Beans
Store green beans in a shallow dish, covered tightly with plastic wrap or foil, in the fridge. When properly stored, cooked green beans will last for 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
How To Reheat Roasted Green Beans
To reheat the green beans, make sure to use the oven and bake until they’re firm and crisp. (A microwave will make the green beans mushy.) To reheat in the oven, spread the beans out on a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, and bake at 450 degrees for 4 or 5 minutes or until firm.
More veggie sides:
- Roasted Cauliflower two ways — basic roasted recipe and Parmesan-Panko crusted
- Roasted Broccoli topped with Parmesan cheese
- Wild Rice Pilaf with a citrus vinaigrette
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes with a sweet and savory version
- Brussels Sprouts and Bacon with almonds
Roasted Green Beans
Ingredients
Seasoned Green Beans
- 1 pound (16 oz) fresh green beans, trim the ends
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, Italian seasoning
- Fine sea salt and cracked pepper Note 1
- Optional serving suggestions: lemon zest and/or squeeze of fresh lemon juice, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes (for heat), drizzle of balsamic glaze, or fresh herbs (Italian parsley or green onions)
Crunchy Parmesan Green Beans
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 pound (16 oz.) fresh green beans, trim the ends
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, separated
- 1/2 teaspoon each: fine sea salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 1/3 cup panko (breadcrumbs) Note 2
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Note 3
Instructions
- SEASONED GREEN BEANS: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Wash and trim the green beans and be sure to dry them completely. Add the prepped beans to an extra-large sheet pan (See Note 4) and drizzle on the olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1/2 teaspoon of each, but add to preference. We love a lot -- if you're sensitive to seasoning this may be too much. Start with less you can always add more at the end.) Toss with your hands to generously coat the beans and then spread in an even layer so they aren't overlapping. Roast in the oven for 12-16 minutes (Note 5) or until crisp tender. Remove and taste for seasonings, adding any extra as desired. Add any of the optional serving suggestions and enjoy immediately!
- CRUNCHY PARMESAN GREEN BEANS: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Generously spray an extra-large sheet pan (See Note 4) with nonstick cooking spray. Wash and trim the green beans and be sure to dry them completely. Add the prepped beans to a large bowl and drizzle on the olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1/2 teaspoon of each, but add to preference. We love a lot -- if you're sensitive to seasoning this may be too much. Start with less you can always add more at the end.) Toss well to coat. Then add in the panko and Parmesan and toss again. Use tongs to pick up the beans from the bowl (it's okay if the Parmesan/panko falls to the bowl) and place beans right next to each other in rows on the tray. Use your hands to press all the Parmesan/Panko that fell to the bottom of the bowl on top of the beans in an even layer. Generously spray the beans with cooking spray. Roast in the oven for 12-16 minutes (See Note 5) or until crisp tender and panko is golden. Serve and enjoy immediately!
Recipe Notes
- Difficult to chew?ย Undercooked
- Mushy?ย Overcookedย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are the BEST green beans ever! Mind blowing! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So glad to hear that! Thanks for the comment and review