With all of the fancy side dish recipes out there, I think it’s nice to have a simple, fresh option that you can serve once in a while to simply highlight the vegetables. Wouldn’t you agree?
That’s why this recipe is going to be the star of your table for many family dinners to come, whether it’s served during a busy week, or alongside a big holiday spread.
My husband and I started a garden for the first time this year. And at least at first, it was a disaster. There was some sort of disease that struck all of our tomatoes, and nothing seemed to work to make them better.
After a month or so of our best efforts at tender love and care, the vegetables seemed to be brought back to life. Finally, they started growing with a vengeance. That’s when we started thinking about growing more vegetables, and green beans were the first thing that I wanted to try.
Thankfully, those beans are starting to peek through the vines, giving me renewed hope that our garden will thrive for at least a handful of weeks more. Of course, that means it’s time for me to whip up all the best recipes I possibly can with those fresh-from-the-garden vegetables.
Green beans are such a classic ingredient, and they can be highlighted simply with easy cooking methods, from boiling and tossed with fresh thyme and tomatoes to cooking in the electric pressure cooker.
That’s really what this particular recipe is all about: Highlighting the vegetable with only a few other ingredients, so you can enjoy the natural flavors at their peak.
These are roasted to perfection. They come out crisp tender, and the Parmesan cheese gives a nice added kick of savoriness to each bite.
I don’t know what it is about Parmesan, but it’s one of my favorite cheeses of all time. It’s not a rich cheese. Instead it has a bit of a salty, tangy, umami flavor that really enhances a wide variety of dishes, without being overpowering.
Roasting means these vegetables will come out perfectly every single time. And it’s a marvelous cooking method to concentrate flavors, offering a completely different end result than a simple saute of the same vegetable.
I have been making these all week long to use up my fresh beans from the garden, and this recipe goes with absolutely everything you can think of.
I personally love to pair them with a light chicken dish and some mashed potatoes, but you can also use this recipe throughout the winter if you have frozen beans on hand. It pairs wonderfully with rich braised meat dishes, and it also makes a fantastic pairing for lighter fish recipes.
If you need a recipe for Thanksgiving that won’t take up too much time or oven space, this is the one to try. Even if you are feeding a large group, you can simply double or triple the recipe to accommodate your guest count.
Any recipe that is made with five ingredients or less is a keeper, am I right? If you don’t count the pantry staples like olive oil and salt and pepper, you’ll need just two. There’s less to buy, especially if you typically keep hard cheese on hand, and you’re growing your own supply of fresh produce out back.
At the peak of green bean season, or any time when these fresh veggies are on sale at the store, you are going to be reaching for this recipe.
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Parmesan Green Beans
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Need an easy side dish that you can pair with just about any meal? Try these simple parmesan green beans, made with just a few ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together green beans and olive oil. Add cheese, salt, and pepper and toss again.
- Spread green beans in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Serve warm.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Vegetables
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Side Dishes
Keywords: green beans, parmesan, side dish, vegetables
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Trim, Grate, and Measure Ingredients
Wash the green beans, and drain them well in a colander. Trim both ends of each bean, and remove any strings. Place in a large bowl.
Grate enough Parmesan cheese so you have 2 tablespoons in total, a little more if you want to add another extra sprinkle just before serving.
Measure the remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a silicone mat.
Step 2 – Season
In a large bowl, combine green beans and olive oil, tossing with tongs or a large spoon to coat.
Add grated cheese, salt, and pepper. Toss again to coat evenly.
Step 3 – Roast
Spread onto your prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Be sure not to over bake the beans, as they will get too soft and brown quickly.
Serve warm.
So Much Better Than a Casserole
You know the green bean casserole your grandma used to make? It was the one loaded up with condensed cream of mushroom soup, and topped with the crispy fried onions that come in a can.
Now, as much as I do love the traditional recipe that is busted out once a year around Thanksgiving or Christmas, I much prefer to taste the freshness of the vegetable instead of the muddled taste that you find in a casserole made with the canned version.
Not only is this side dish better for you in terms of calories, I think it’s also better in terms of flavor.
What’s your favorite way to cook these wonderful legumes? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to come back to rate the recipe once you’ve tried it.
And for some of our favorite green bean recipes, be to check out some of of these ideas and flavors:
- Simple Roasted Lemon Garlic
- Crispy Oven-Baked Green Bean Fries
- Green Beans and Soba Noodles with Crispy Shallots
And if you are craving something in the casserole category, try our from-scratch version that’s made with fresh beans and yellow squash. It’s also delicious!
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on April 24, 2012. Last updated: July 7, 2023 at 14:55 pm.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
