Roasting is the Easiest (and Tastiest) Way to Cook Green Beans (2024)

Green beans are one of the most classic vegetable side dishes for a lot of good reasons. They have a beautiful, fresh flavor, they go with practically everything, and they cook extremely quickly. The usual cooking method for green beans is blanching, or cooking in boiling water.

While blanching does wonders for preserving the flavor and color of the green beans, it results in a bland side dish, and the beans rely heavily on garnishes and seasonings to make their flavors pop. For my money, the best way to cook green beans is roasting them, and it also happens to be the easiest approach.

Why You Should Roast Your Green Beans

Blanching is quick, but there are a few downsides. For starters, bringing a bit pot of water to a boil takes time. Then you have to watch the beans with an eagle eye as they'll overcook in mere seconds. After preparing a water bath to chill down the beans and stop the cooking, you still have to figure out how to flavor the beans because even after all that work, they're still just plain green beans.

Roasting, on the other hand, has all kinds of advantages. Most importantly, they couldn't be easier to make. Just toss the beans on a sheet pan with oil, salt, and pepper and throw them in the oven. No standing over a steaming pot, trying to guess what the perfect shade of green is. No fumbling for ice in the freezer.

Roasted green beans become concentrated during cooking, and they also brown nicely. In most cooking, brown = flavor, and these beans are no exception. The method also frees up your stovetop for all the other dinner components you have going on.

What Kind of Green Beans to Use for Roasting

The best kinds of green beans to use for roasting are young, slender beans. The beans should easily snap when you bend them with no trace of stringiness or toughness. Haricots verts, or very skinny French green beans, are the best kind to use for this recipe, but plain green beans are fine as long as they’re not too mature.

How To Prepare Green Beans for Roasting

Green beans need almost no preparation, which is part of why they make an amazing side dish. However, it’s always a good idea to wash all produce. Just make sure to dry the beans well before roasting. Excess water can cause them to steam and prevent browning. After washing, snap off the stem end of each bean.

Is it Best to Blanch Green Beans Before Roasting?

There is absolutely no need to blanch green beans before roasting. In fact, blanching could prevent browning if the green beans are thrown into the oven with excess water clinging to them. It would also likely lead to overcooking.

Why Are My Roasted Green Beans Tough?

If your green beans are tough after roasting it most likely means one of two things. Either the green beans you used were a bit too mature and tough (this method is best with slender green beans, especially haricots verts, or French green beans) or you didn’t cook them long enough. The green beans should be tender with just a little bit of chewiness from roasting.

Tips for Roasting Green Beans

• Preheat the baking sheet for more browning—If you want some extra browning, put your baking sheet in the oven while it preheats, then put the seasoned green beans on the hot sheet.
• Roasting haricots verts—Haricots verts (slender green beans) might take a couple minutes less time than conventional green beans.
• Do not make ahead—These green beans are best served right away.
• Doubling the recipe—This recipe is easily doubled, but use two baking sheets. Piling the green beans onto one baking sheet will cause them to steam rather than roast.

Serving Roasted Green Beans

Roasted green beans can be served with nearly any protein, from pork chops to cast-iron steak to pan-seared salmon. Dressed up a little (see the variations below the recipe), they make a lovely alternative to green bean casserole on the Thanksgiving table.