Delicious Roasted Green Beans

Flavorful and crunchy with a touch of garlic... makes these better and healthier than French fries! Simple recipe too! You’ll need to make a double batch...

Delicious Roasted Green Beans

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 – 2 pounds fresh green beans

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Optional: 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Equipment needed:

Cutting board
Chef knife
Colander or strainer

Measuring spoons
Dry measuring cups
1/2 baking sheet pan
Dish towel (or paper toweling)

First time I made these roasted green beans I was hooked! Never had a tastier, easier dish than this one. I have a garden every year and this years’ crop was intense... so many beans! I made the usual seasoned, microwave recipes or boiled with butter beans. I needed something different! Looking for an easy recipe, I found many roasted bean options. Many of these recipes lacked flavor, besides salt and pepper. My creative juices started flowing and this recipe was born! You will agree that even the roasting process creates heavenly aromas you can’t resist... Grab your beans and let’s cook!

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Like I said, this recipe is so easy and is ready in about 40 minutes! Begin by rinsing the fresh beans in a colander under cool water to remove excess dirt. Allow beans to drain while you finely mince the garlic and measure the seasonings.

Beans purchased at the grocery store generally are perfect! Those grown in the garden may be a bit overgrown and stringy. Thus, their name... “string beans”. To prep the beans, trim off both ends and pull down the string that may appear. Removal of the strings will ensure a more tender final cooked bean too. I prefer to keep the beans whole resembling French fries, but you can cut into smaller 2-3 inch lengths. Spread a tea towel or paper towel to cover a half baking sheet and spread beans over surface. Pat beans dry and remove toweling to place them directly on pan.

Almost done... now for the seasoning! Drizzle the olive oil over beans. Sprinkle salt, pepper and minced garlic over beans and mix well with fingers to evenly distribute. Layer beans flat on the pan in a single layer... as best you can. Place in a preheated 400 F oven for 25 – 30 minutes or shriveled and golden brown. There may be a few brown spots, but that’s fine... slightly crispy is what you want!

Your kitchen smells amazing by now! When you remove beans from the oven, for the final touch sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese over the beans and toss. I know the cheese is optional... but it’s sooooo good! Eat them with your favorite grilled meat or by themselves! Make a great appetizer too... Enjoy!!