Name: Crispy Green Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh green beans (trimmed and dried well); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil); 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 2 garlic cloves (minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)); Salt and ground fresh black pepper

Crispy Green Beans

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 18

Total Time 28

Servings 4 people

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Crispy green beans roasted on a preheated sheet pan until the edges blister and turn golden while the inside stays tender with a little snap. All you need is fresh green beans, olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning. They’re ready in under 30 minutes, which makes them my favourite easy side dish for busy weeknight dinners and holiday tables.

Crispy green beans with blistered golden edges on a sheet pan.

Photo of Olivia in her kitchen, founder of Primavera Kitchen

Why My Green Beans Sizzle Now

I first shared this recipe in 2014, and oven roasted green beans have been on my table ever since. Over the years, some of you told me your beans came out soft instead of crispy. You were right. My original method used too little oil and too short a roast, so I went back to my kitchen and retested it many times until I had beans that were really crispy.

The biggest change was heating the sheet pans in the oven before the beans go on. When the beans hit the hot metal, they sizzle like they would in a skillet, and that’s what gives you the blistered, golden spots. I also stopped adding the garlic at the start. At 425°F it burns and turns bitter, so now it goes in for the last few minutes.

On weeknights, I serve these with my garlic butter baked chicken breast, since both roast at the same temperature and finish around the same time. When I want dinner on the table even faster, I pair them with my honey garlic salmon. And if you love green beans as much as I do, my roasted Parmesan green beans are the cheesy version I make for holidays.

Ingredients To Make this recipe

All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Fresh Green Beans: I use 2 pounds, which serves 4 as a side. I look for beans that are firm and bright green and snap cleanly when I bend them. Rubbery beans have already lost moisture unevenly and won’t blister the same way. Thinner beans get crispy faster, so if you see French green beans (haricots verts), grab them. Pre trimmed bags are a real time saver on busy nights. I use them often, but they tend to be damp inside the bag.

Pro Tip: Dry the beans more than you think you need to. I spin them in a salad spinner and then roll them in a kitchen towel. Any water left on the beans turns into steam in the oven, and steam is the reason most roasted green beans come out soft.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I’ve tested this recipe with 4 teaspoons of oil, which is what my original version used, and with 2 tablespoons. With less oil, the beans shrivel and dry out before they have a chance to brown. With 2 tablespoons for 2 pounds, every bean gets a light shine and the heat reaches the whole surface. Avocado oil works just as well if you prefer a milder flavour.

Fresh Garlic: I love fresh garlic here, but I’ve learned it can’t go in at the beginning. Minced garlic burns in about 10 minutes at 425°F. I add it for the last 3 to 5 minutes, and it turns golden and fragrant instead of bitter. On really busy nights, I use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder instead and toss it with the beans at the start, since powder doesn’t burn the same way.

Instructions to Make Roasted Green Beans

Before you start: Place one oven rack in the upper third and one in the lower third. Put two large rimmed sheet pans on the racks and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) with the pans inside.

I preheat the pans with the oven. This is the step that makes the biggest difference. A cold pan slowly warms up with the beans on it, so they steam first and brown later, if they brown at all. A hot pan starts searing them the second they touch it.

I rinse, dry and trim the beans. After drying them really well, I line up a handful on the cutting board and slice off all the stem ends at once. The stem end is tough and woody, so it always goes. The thin, curly tail is tender, so I leave it on because I like how it crisps up.

A white bowl filled with fresh, bright roasted green beans on a light marble surface.

I toss everything in a large bowl. First the oil, until every bean looks shiny, then the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. I always add the salt after the oil because it sticks to the beans instead of falling to the bottom of the bowl. Tossing in a bowl instead of on the pan gives you an even coat, with no oily puddles on the pan and dry beans on the edges.

I spread the beans on the hot pans in a single layer. I carefully pull the pans out with oven mitts and divide the beans between them. You should hear a sizzle right away. If you don’t, put the pans back for a few more minutes. Using two pans for 2 pounds is not optional. When beans are piled on top of each other, they trap steam and turn soft.

I roast, toss and switch the pans. After 8 minutes, I toss the beans with a spatula and swap the pans between the top and bottom racks. The top rack browns faster in most ovens, so switching gives both pans the same colour.

I add the garlic for the final minutes. After 5 more minutes, I sprinkle the minced garlic over the beans and roast for a final 3 to 5 minutes. They’re done when you see blistered, golden brown spots and slightly wrinkled edges, and the inside is tender with a little snap. I serve them right away, because they’re crispiest in the first 10 minutes out of the oven.

Roasted green beans on a large baking sheet.

Recipe Tips

Skip blanching. Many recipes tell you to blanch green beans before roasting. I’ve tested it, and I don’t think it’s worth the extra pot. Blanching adds water to the beans, and that’s exactly what you’re trying to remove. Roasting from raw on a hot pan gives you a crispier result with fewer dishes.
Choose your texture with the timer. At 425°F, the beans are crisp tender and bright green at 10 to 12 minutes and fully crispy at 15 to 18 minutes. At 400°F, plan on 20 to 25 minutes for crispy. I prefer 425°F because the beans brown before they have time to go limp.
Add lemon only at the end. A squeeze of lemon juice is lovely on roasted green beans, but I add it right before serving. Acid dulls the bright green colour if it goes on before roasting.
For a softer side, use the stovetop. If your family prefers tender, buttery beans over crispy ones, my garlic butter green beans are ready in 15 minutes and don’t need the oven at all.

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Crispy Green Beans

3.33 from 119 votes

Author: Olivia Ribas

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Crispy green beans roasted on a preheated sheet pan with olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning. Blistered and golden in under 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

▢ 2 pounds fresh green beans trimmed and dried well
▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
▢ 2 garlic cloves minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
▢ Salt and ground fresh black pepper

Instructions
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Place two large rimmed sheet pans on the upper and lower racks of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C).
Rinse the green beans, dry them very well and trim the stem ends.In a large bowl, toss the beans with the oil until coated. Add the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and toss again. If using garlic powder, add it now.
Carefully spread the beans in a single layer on the hot pans. Roast for 8 minutes. Toss the beans and switch the pans between the racks. Roast 5 more minutes.
Sprinkle the minced garlic over the beans and roast 3 to 5 more minutes, until blistered and golden in spots. Serve right away.

Notes

To store: You can store the green beans, once cooled, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 425°F for 4 to 5 minutes. You can also reheat them in the microwave.
To freeze: Freeze in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4, Calories: 118kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 4.3g, Fat: 5.4g, Sodium: 18mg, Potassium: 500mg, Fiber: 6.3g, Sugar: 7.4g, Calcium: 9.3mg, Iron: 14.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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