Roasted Green Beans with Garlic, Lemon, Pine Nuts & Parmesan
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Roasted green beans are a revelation, especially when tossed with chunks of garlic, lemon, pine nuts, and cheese.
While roasting is a popular cooking method for many vegetables, it’s not typically used for green beans—but it should be! Roasted green beans are truly a revelation. Unlike boiled green beans, which are bland and squeaky when you bite into them, roasted beans are tender, caramelized, slightly shriveled, and full of flavor. This version from Washington, DC chef Ris Lacoste, featured in Fine Cooking, is one of the best green bean—and vegetable—dishes I’ve ever tasted. The beans are roasted with heaps of sliced garlic, which turn mellow and sweet, and finished with bright lemon juice and zest, nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano, and crunchy toasted pine nuts. I love serving these alongside parmesan crusted chicken or a simple steak. They can also be made ahead, as they reheat beautifully and are just as delicious at room temperature.
“I’m obsessed! SO much flavor. Made these as part of a Mother’s Day meal, and I’m officially adding them into my rotation. YUM!”
What You’ll Need To Make Roasted Green Beans WIth Garlic, Lemon, Pine Nuts, And Parmesan
- Pine Nuts: These lightly toasted nuts add a rich, buttery flavor and a pleasant crunch that complements the tender green beans.
- Fresh Green Beans: The star of the dish, green beans provide a crisp, fresh texture that holds up well during roasting, making them perfect for absorbing the garlicky olive oil and lemon flavors. To speed this recipe up, use pre-washed and trimmed beans in a bag; it’s a huge timesaver.
- Garlic: When thinly sliced and roasted, the garlic infuses the beans with a deep, savory flavor, becoming slightly caramelized and mellowing out the sharpness of raw garlic.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The olive oil coats the beans, ensuring they roast evenly while adding a smooth, subtly fruity richness that enhances the dish’s overall flavor.
- Lemon Zest: Adds a bright, citrusy fragrance and flavor that lifts the richness of the oil and garlic, bringing a refreshing contrast to the earthy beans and buttery pine nuts.
- Sugar: A small amount of sugar helps balance the acidity of the lemon and enhances the caramelization of the green beans during roasting.
- Lemon Juice: This adds a tangy brightness that pairs beautifully with the roasted garlic and nuts, cutting through the richness of the dish.
- Coarsely Shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano: The cheese melts slightly over the warm beans, providing a salty, umami flavor that ties all the ingredients together with a creamy finish. Be sure to use authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano. You can always tell if it’s authentic by looking at the rind, which is embossed with the “Parmigiano-Reggiano” repeatedly. If you’re buying the cheese already grated, make sure it is labeled “Parmigiano Reggiano,” rather than “Parmesan.”
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
To begin, in a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until golden. Watch carefully and stir frequently as they can burn quickly (and they’re expensive).
Put the green beans in a large bowl. Add the sliced garlic, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest, kosher salt, pepper, and sugar.
Toss well.
Transfer the mixture to a prepared baking sheet. Don’t leave any flavor behind: use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the oil and seasoning out of the bowl and onto the beans.
Roast the beans and garlic for 15 minutes. Stir with a spatula to promote even cooking, then continue roasting until the beans are tender throughout, about 10 minutes more. The beans should be fully cooked, with some lightly browned but not shriveled.
Add the lemon juice, Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining lemon zest, and pine nuts to the roasted green beans.
Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot or room temperature. Vegetables don’t get much better. Enjoy!
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Roasted Green Beans with Garlic, Lemon, Pine Nuts & Parmesan
Roasted green beans are a revelation, especially when tossed with chunks of garlic, lemon, pine nuts, and cheese.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 2 pounds fresh green beans, stem ends trimmed
- ¼ cup thinly sliced garlic, from 7 to 10 cloves, (a medium clove should yield 4 slices)
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons lemon zest
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons coarsely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until golden. Watch carefully and stir frequently as they can burn quickly. Immediately transfer the nuts to a small bowl (don't leave them in hot pan as they will continue to cook). Set aside.
- Put the green beans in a large bowl. Add the sliced garlic, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest, kosher salt, pepper, and sugar; toss well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet (don’t leave any flavor behind: use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the oil and seasoning out of the bowl and onto the beans).
- Roast the beans and garlic for 15 minutes. Stir with a spatula to promote even cooking, then continue roasting until the beans are tender throughout, about 10 minutes more. The beans should be fully cooked, with some lightly browned but not overly shriveled.
- Add the lemon juice, Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining ½ tablespoon lemon zest, and pine nuts to the beans and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice if necessary. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot or room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 264
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 448 mg
- Cholesterol: 6 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Hi Jenn! I was planning to double your roasted green bean recipe using two cookie sheets. Can I roast all of green beans in the oven at the same time or do you think they will steam instead of roast?
Thank you so much for sharing all of your fantastic recipes. I frequently reference your blog and your cookbook for new recipe ideas and I’m always impressed with how delicious everything turns out. Thank you for all of your hard work in creating such a beautiful blog and fantastic cookbook. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Hi Michele, I think you could roast them all together on two baking sheets; they might just take a bit longer. So glad you like the recipes and happy holidays to you, too! 🙂
Hi Jenn cannot wait to make these! Everything I make by you is absolutely amazing! Would it be okay to use French haricot beets instead of green bean?
Hi Melissa, I don’t recommend haricots verts for this recipe – I think they’ll shrivel in the oven. Sorry!
Another a-maz-ing recipe, Jenn! Our DIL who hates to cook, loved them so much she asked for the recipe…now that’s an endorsement! Awesome hot or at room temp.
Jenn, these were out of control amazing! Paired them with baked sole filets and a simple arugula salad. OMG!!! My husband didn’t leave a crumb. Thank you!
This recipe has been a hit several times with my family, and today I served it cold as part of a birthday brunch. Even a non-green bean lover took seconds.
I made these for Thanksgiving. Not sure if it was the lemon or the roasting, but my guests could not stop eating them – like potato chips! I didn’t have pine nuts, so I used walnuts, perfect replacement. The aroma of the garlic was absolutely sinful and the lemon juice drizzle added the right spark to the dish. This is definitely a keeper. Thanks Jenn!
Hi Jen,
Thank you for the recipe. Is it ok to use asparagus in place of beans?
Thanks
Cecile
Sure, Cecile – I think that sounds delicious.
Dear Jenn, I like to try this recipe tonight but have only a packet of frozen beans at home. Can I use frozen beans ?
Thank you
Evelyn Roth, Israel
Hi Evelyn, Unfortunately, frozen beans won’t work here. Sorry!
This is a great recipe! I served at a dinner party and it was a huge success! I reduced the amount of garlic to my taste, but the recipe itself was wonderful. I will be making this for Thanksgiving!
Absolutely love this recipe. Served it to company and they loved it. Delicious cold or hot. Thanks for another great recipe!