Learn how to grill green beans and you will never want to eat them any other way. It's a game changer and once you start grilling your vegetables, you will never look back. Try these Grilled Mushrooms and Garlic Grilled Broccoli as well.
A few years back I started roasting all my veggies and it changed everything. They come out caramelized, crispy, and delicious. Then it would get hot out and I would find myself craving those roasted veggies but was not willing to heat up my whole house with the oven. Enter the grilled vegetable. Just like roasting, grilling vegetables brings out so much flavor. The vegetables get browned and charred and super delicious.
But many of us overlook the green bean when we think about grilled veggies. I am here today to tell you that it's time to get out and grill some green beans. They get this delicious, crispy outside while staying bright green and tender crisp. They are so good and my whole family was devouring them as soon as they came off the grill. Plus they take under 10 minutes.
Grilled green beans can also be paired with pretty much any meal. They work with chicken, steak, pork, fish, and seafood. The leftovers make awesome additions to salads, wraps, and scrambles. And they work with any spices, herbs, or seasoning you want to add.
How to Grill Green Beans
- Prep the green beans: Green beans take a tiny bit of prep to get them ready for the grill. Start by washing and drying the beans. Then trim the stem ends, which can be fibrous and hard to chew.
- Add fat: The beans will need some fat so they don't stick to the grill and to bring out the flavor. Reach for olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, or any other oil you like. Toss the beans with the oil you choose.
- Add seasoning: Go simple and just add salt and fresh pepper OR grab any other spices you like. The sweetness of green beans pairs great with spices like cumin or paprika. I also love adding some garlic powder, onion powder, or steak seasoning for an all in one option. Tip: To make sure the green beans are well coated in the oil and spices, start by combining the oil with the spices in the bottom of a bowl. Then add the green beans to that and toss. This helps spices to get distributed evenly on all the beans.
- Grab a grill basket or pan: Green beans are best cooked with a grill basket or grill pan so they don't fall through the grates of the grill. For best results, preheat the grill basket on your hot grill. Then add the green beans and cook for 6-7 minutes total, shaking the pan 1-2 times. The green beans are ready when they are bright green, tender-crisp, and have some grill marks. In a pinch, you can use a piece of heavy-duty foil to serve as your grill pan. Just place it right on the grill grates and cook the beans on the foil.
Flavor Ideas for Grilled Green Beans
Green beans are sweet, crunchy, and a blank canvas for all kind of spices and herbs. They are delicious with something simple like salt and pepper or you can spice things up with one of these ideas:
- Parmesan, Garlic, and Lemon: Add some freshly minced garlic or garlic powder to your green beans before cooking. Then top with fresh parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice right when they come off the grill.
- Cajun: For a bit of heat, add Cajun seasoning to the green beans before tossing them on the grill.
- Old Bay Seasoning: This classic seafood seasoning is also amazing on vegetables and works great with green beans., Trust me - you'll love it.
- Balsamic Vinegar: For a little extra tang, toss the green beans with balsamic vinegar before throwing them on the grill and then drizzle some extra on top before serving them.
- With onions: For some extra flavor, add some chopped onions in the grill basket with the onions.
- With tomatoes: Believe it or not, cherry tomatoes are great on the grill. Throw them in the grill basket with your green beans. Then add Parmesan cheese - magic.
- With bacon: If you want to cook the green beans right on the grill, consider making green bean packets wrapped in bacon. Grab a small handful of green beans and wrap them in one to two pieces of bacon. Secure the bundle with a toothpick and grill for 8-10 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the green beans are tender.
Grilling Green Beans in Foil Packets
If you prefer a more steamed green bean, then foil packets are the perfect answer. Green beans cooked in foil get some of the charred grill taste but also steam inside the foil packets, making them softer than a traditionally grilled bean.
How to Serve Grilled Green Beans
Although no one will be disappointed when these delicious charred green beans make an appearance as a side dish, you can also get creative and use them in all kinds of recipes.
- Make a Grilled Green Bean Salad with cherry tomatoes, shallots, and feta cheese. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh black pepper,
- Use them in a grilled vegetable pasta salad with all your other grilled veggie favorites. Add a store bought vinaigrette or make your own at home.
- Serve them with a healthy ranch dip or hummus for a fun twist on the normal veggie and dip side.
- Toss the green beans with some canned chickpeas, tomatoes, arugula, and goat cheese for a hearty vegetarian dish. Add olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and fresh basil,
Can I use other beans?
This recipe works with all different types of beans. Try it with sugar snap peas, snow peas, haricot verts, Romano beans, or wax beans. Depending on the size of the beans, they might need a little less or a little more cooking time. You can also use a combination of different types of green beans.