Simple Roasted Lemon Garlic Green Beans Are the Perfect Side Dish

A lot of people assume that I make epic feasts every single night for dinner.

Top down view of roasted garlic green beans with lemon wedges, a spoon, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs, on a square white serving dish.

They assume I am constantly cooking up fresh vegetables and hearty entrees that would wow a crowd, but I would be lying if I told you that I cooked like that every night of the week.

The truth is, between work and caring for the dogs, maintaining the house and yard, and keeping up with friends and family, dinner is usually a last minute dash to get something on the table that will keep me and my husband full and happy.

A square white serving dish of string beans tossed in a mixture of chopped fresh herbs and garlic, with lemon wedges, on a beige and white patterned tablecloth.

Of course, when it comes to getting dinner on the table, sometimes the side dishes become somewhat of an afterthought. I tend to get distracted by trying to perfect the main protein, whether it’s fish or poultry or meat. I’m so distracted with working on the star of the meal, as I like to call it, the sides can fall to the wayside.

There have been a few too many times when I’ve reached for frozen vegetables in lieu of fresh, just to make sure I get something green on the plate.

But relying on this simple fallback option was mostly due to the fact that I didn’t have an arsenal of simple side dish recipes at my disposal. When a side takes just as much effort as the star of the meal to make, it is just a bit too much for my weary brain to deal with after a long day at work.

Top-down shot of roasted green beans arranged on a square white serving dish with lemon wedges and a spoon, on a beige and white tablecloth with two folded blue cloth napkins and scattered pieces of lemon.

Motivated by a desire to eat more fresh, seasonal produce, I created this simple recipe to share with all of your. In less than 20 minutes, these piping hot, freshly roasted green beans will be ready to hit the table.

Yes, you read that right – these take less than 20 minutes to make, and about half of that time is spent roasting in the oven, freeing you up to work on other things.

First and foremost, when it comes to dreaming up or selecting a flavorful side dish that I want to make on a near-constant basis, the recipe needs to be easy to prepare. Secondly, it needs to be flavorful. And finally, it needs to be versatile enough to pair well with a variety of different entrees, or composed in a dish like a Nicoise salad.

The magic of this recipe is that it only requires a handful of ingredients, and you probably already have most of them on hand.

A woman's manicured hand holds up a large forkful of roasted green beans to the camera, with more in the background on a square white serving dish, with wedges of lemon.

Side note: this is also a particularly delicious way to use up those fresh herbs that you are growing in your garden, or that are left over from other recipes.

I think simple recipes are the best, and this veggie dish does not disappoint. It’s full of fresh herbal flavors with a bright zing of lemon and tang of garlic that elevates the green beans to become something truly delicious.

While I do love how simple and quick it is to pressure cook green beans, I do prefer to roast them every now and then for even more flavor and texture. By lightly roasting the green beans, they come out slightly caramelized, roasted and tender, while also having a little bit of crispness left to them.

This makes the beans a perfect side for so many different entrees. Whether you are grilling up some meat or poaching a simple fish fillet, this is a great pick for whatever you want to pair it with.

That’s what makes this recipe truly special, and it’s one that you will continually turn to fill an empty slot in your weekly menu rotation.

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A rectangular square serving dish of roasted green beans, with lemon wedges and a spoon, on a surface topped with a patterned beige and white cloth.

Roasted Lemon Garlic Green Beans


  • Author: Shanna Mallon
  • Total Time: 18 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

The simplest recipes are often the best, and that’s true of these roasted lemon garlic green beans, a tasty side dish that goes with any entree.


Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  2. In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together until the green beans are evenly coated.
  3. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 8 minutes, until the green beans brown slightly and are crisp tender.
  4. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Category: Vegetables
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Side Dish

Keywords: green bean, garlic, lemon, herb, side dish

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Wash all of the produce in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Leafy herbs can also be dried in a salad spinner.

Trim the ends from the beans, and discard them along with any strings. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Zest and juice a lemon. Set aside.

Fresh green beans, two yellow lemons, and three small square glass dishes of minced garlic, basil, and parsley, on a beige background.

Mince two garlic cloves as finely as possible. A garlic press is an excellent kitchen tool to have on hand for this. Add to the bowl.

Remove and discard the stems, chop the fresh herbs, and place in the bowl with the beans.

Measure salt and pepper.

Step 2 – Dress

Add all of the measured ingredients to the bowl with the green beans.

A stainless steel mixing bowl of fresh green beans topped with little piles of lemon zest, black pepper, salt, chopped green herbs, and minced garlic, on a beige background.

Toss with tongs or a large spoon to coat the beans well.

A stainless steel mixing bowl full of string beans tossed in a mixture of lemon juice, minced garlic, and chopped herbs.

If you are not ready to roast these right away, you can place the bowl in the refrigerator until you are ready.

Step 3 – Roast

Place the green beans in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Closeup of green beans tossed in garlic and fresh herbs, arranged on a baking sheet.

Roast for 8 minutes, until the beans are crisp tender and just beginning to brown on the edges.

Serve immediately, with additional lemon wedges if desired.

Citrus Is the Key to Bright Side Dish Flavor

When it comes to fresh veggie side dish dishes, it’s all about the citrus.

From lemons to limes, grapefruits to oranges, citrus is an excellent ingredient to have on hand to lift the flavor of whatever type of green or leafy produce you’re planning to serve at your next gathering. And it’s excellent with many types of roots, and other veggies as well.

There are so many ways to use citrus in vegetable side dishes. Now that you have this recipe down, try the same method with broccoli, potatoes, bell peppers, or corn. Just adjust the cook time as needed.

A rectangular square serving dish of roasted green beans, with lemon wedges and a spoon, on a surface topped with a patterned beige and white cloth.

My current favorite thing to do is to use up whatever leftover citrus I have in the fridge. If you happen to have a lemon, grapefruit, or a lime in your crisper drawer that needs to be used up, you’re in luck!

Go ahead and zest that fruit, and combine it with salt for a simple seasoning that you can use to season whatever fresh produce you have on hand. Squeeze the juice onto vegetables before you throw them in the oven, or use it in place of the vinegar in your favorite homemade salad dressing.

This simple roasting method is fantastic if you have a garden and are constantly picking fresh produce, trying to use it up as quickly as you can.

For more green bean sides, try some of our favorites:

Tell us how much you love the lemony goodness of this easy green bean side dish in the comments below. And be sure to give the recipe a five-star rating if you loved it!

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on August 17th, 2009. Last updated: January 6, 2023 at 9:28 am.

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.

21 thoughts on “Simple Roasted Lemon Garlic Green Beans Are the Perfect Side Dish”

  1. I have never heard anyone make green beans sound so good. I had no plans for dinner, so I’m going to have to go get me some instead of my usual rice and spinach or rice and cilantro…

    Reply
  2. Those green beans sound amazing. I’ve only ever boiled them (I know – shock! gasp!), but I’ll have to try roasting them once ours are ready for harvesting.

    K

    Reply
  3. these string beans look so yum! and i have a delicious bunch in my fridge… i think i know what i’m making for dinner!

    Reply
  4. I am making these tonight. And I will talk to my green beans about how reliable they are, and how I wish I could sit across the table from them and have meaningful conversations…that’s what you were getting at, right? 😉

    Reply
  5. I love fresh green beans, just off the farm and farmer’s market. Honestly I love love love them. The crisper the better.

    Reply
  6. Wow. All that and cooking, too! I do identify with your take on relationships. I find that I am almost unable to make “small talk” these days, after doing it for so very many years.

    Now, a request: I picked about 40 pounds of butternut squash today. What can I do with it?

    Reply
  7. I never really liked green beans. The image brings to mind those horrible canned ones. I’ve had friends tell me about growing up on those solely. And that’s how they came to hate vegetables. But baked probably is easier than blanching or steaming since I can’t quite get the consistency right. I think I might’ve roasted the chicken a tad too long. I lost track of time and just kept opening the oven and checking.

    Reply
  8. YUM. i love green beans. we usually make the moosewood salad, where they are blanced and then tossed with onions and shredded sharp cheddar in a balsamic vinaigrette. OH YUM! but this recipe – i’ll have to get more beans today, i think. how come you cut the curly tips off? they are so cute to eat.

    Reply
  9. PS – I made these last night and they were scrumptious. Mmm! We had a lovely time. Just me, the green beans, and some Hoarders on A&E (truly frightening).

    Reply
  10. Hello there. I’m new here and I really enjoyed reading this entry. I’m so glad to have found a new food blog that tells stories along with the recipes. You’re a beautiful writer.

    I have never baked a green bean. I have no idea how I’ve gotten around this, but I will be sure to try your recipe because it sounds delicious!

    Reply
  11. What a lovely post! I never used to be a green bean fan. Now that I’m a grown-up, I must try again. These do look delicious! Thanks for your comment on my blog too. I’m glad you liked the scalloped tomatoes!

    Reply
  12. Janet – I’ll be transparent and admit I’m content eating the canned ones, but I believe with 100% assurance that fresh are better. I like them crisp. Crisp and packed with flavor. And lemon is one of the best flavors there is. Which brings me to the chicken – I’m so sorry to hear about the overcooking! One key thing that helps is to keep basting the heck out of that bird all along. I check on mine every 20 minutes or so (thank you, Julia Child, for that advice) and keep squeezing a little more lemon juice or scooping juices from the bottom of the pan to throw all over. Don’t give up – it’s worth the effort.

    JessieV, You ask such a good question about the curly tips, and to be honest, I have no idea! I just always have cut the tips off! I guess you don’t have to?

    RedMenace, No, I LOVED your tomatoes! Loved them! I may post about them soon!

    Reply
  13. Thank you, Lenox – I love talking about the important stuff with the everyday. It’s really comforting—as are green beans, you are right! That’s a sweet memory to have with your grandma; thanks for sharing.

    Reply

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