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When you’re thinking about tasty vegetable side dishes, green beans have got to be one of the top picks. Ready in minutes, these air fried green beans add an irresistible flavor element to just about any meal. So snap up some of these little green delights and let’s get going!
Once upon a time fresh green beans were strictly a summertime dish, but these days, they can be found in most supermarkets year round. What a plus!
Green beans gift us with a super nice bunch of dietary fiber, along with vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and other valuable nutrients. We adore that they’re so healthy, but really, these awesome little veggies are mostly popular because they taste so good.
And can I just talk about what happens when green beans meet up in your air fryer? It’s pretty amazing. Air frying green beans elevate them to a whole new level of yumminess. If you don’t have an air fryer, or would like to try another way to cook this amazing veggie, try: Arkansas Green Beans, and Garlic Butter Green Beans.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pairs with lots of different meals.
- Full of fresh flavor.
- So quick and easy to make.
- Healthy!
- Um . . . air fryer magic is involved!
Key Ingredients
- Fresh Green Beans with the ends snapped or trimmed off. This is the star of the recipe show. You need fresh, crispy green beans.
- Olive oil– Promotes even cooking and helps spices stick to the outside of the green beans. You can sub with avocado oil if you’d like. For oil-free eaters, use a bit of veg broth instead.
- Garlic powder– Adds flavor to the recipe. Onion powder is a good sub if you choose, or add both.
- Salt and Pepper- Brings out flavor and bumps up the tasty factor. If you’re salt-free, just skip the salt.
- Nutritional yeast- Has a cheesy, nutty, savory flavor, and brings that cheesy umami flavor we all crave. It’s also a complete protein so this will add nutritional value to your dish.
- Parmesan cheese- More cheesy flavor on board for an added taste dimension. If you’re dairy free, skip this ingredient.
Special equipment: This recipe is created for cooking in an air fryer. If you don’t have one, the cooking part can be adapted for cooking in an oven. Instructions are further down in this post.
It’s possible air fried green beans will become a favorite vegetable at your dinner table. Air frying eliminates the mushiness that some cooking methods produce. The seasonings and other flavor bomb ingredients will elevate your green beans to a new level of deliciousness. Seconds please!
How to Make Air Fried Green Beans
This is an overview of the instructions, be sure to see the recipe card for all the details.
- Trim off the tough wiry stems of the beans, put them in a bowl and pour the olive oil over them.
- Toss the beans with the oil so they are well coated.
- Lay the green beans in an even layer in your air fryer basket.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and parmesan cheese. Air fry for 5 minutes.
Serve warm as a side dish, appetizer, or healthy snack. Air-fried green beans could even be the main attraction for your next meatless meal.
Expert Tips
- Spice it your way- Feel free to add or change up the spice profile of this dish to suit your personal preferences. Seasoning salt or salt-free seasoning both work well. For a kick of heat, try a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Give some space- For the best results and even cooking, try placing your green beans in the air fryer so they don’t touch each other. This will allow hot air to circulate more easily all around each cute little greenie.
- Quicker and easier- If you have very limited prep time or just want to skip a step, look for fresh green beans that already have their ends trimmed off. Some stores carry them on the regular. Such luxury!
- Small air fryer- Small sized air fryers are handy and take up very little space, but for some recipes they just seem a bit cramped inside. If you find that your whole lot of green beans won’t fit nicely inside the basket for cooking, you can split them up and do them in batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
I wouldn’t recommend canned or frozen for this recipe. Canned green beans are already cooked. Further cooking them in your air fryer won’t produce a pleasing texture.
Frozen ones are altered by being blanched and frozen. This means the cell walls are forever changed, making it impossible to get that lovely roasted texture of fresh green beans.
Baby asparagus would be a great choice as an alternate vegetable to prepare in this manner. Keep an eye on it as it cooks to ensure you don’t overcook the tender tops.
It’s a flavorful and nutritious type of deactivated yeast. It’s different from baking yeast. Nutritional yeast has a rich cheese-like flavor and provides protein, chromium and beta-glucan, which may reduce cholesterol levels. Oh yes!
Serving Suggestions
- Air fried green beans are a perfect side for this Frittata recipe.
- They also go great with my Low Carb Meatloaf
- As a complement to this Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash for a fast meatless dinner.
- Perfect for celebration meals like Roast Turkey
Conventional Oven Preparation
I realize not everyone owns an air fryer. No problem, this recipe is awesome cooked in your regular oven too.
Just follow all the steps and when it comes to the cooking part, spread your green beans out on a sheet pan and bake in a 375-degree oven for around 20 minutes. Check frequently to make sure they have the level of doneness you prefer.
Storing and Freezing
You can store left over air fryer green beans in an airtight container in your fridge for up to five days.
To reheat, just pop them back into a preheated air fryer for 2-3 minutes. They’ll be amazing all over again.
Freezing is not recommended.
Related Recipes
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Air Fried Green Beans
Equipment
- Air-fryer
- Sheet pan if making in the oven
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh green beans ends trimmed if desired
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°
- In a large bowl, toss the green beans with oil. Lay them in an even layer in the air fryer basket.
- Sprinkle the beans evenly with garlic powder, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and parmesan cheese.
- Airy fry for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Nutritional yeast is a great source of vitamins and minerals and has a cheesy flavor. It’s great on vegetables, eggs, and even popcorn. You can certainly leave it out, but it gives your dish a boost of protein and great flavor.
- Add additional or different spices to change up the flavor. Seasoned salt is good, or if you like a bit of a bite, add some cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes.
- Give some space– For the best results and even cooking, try placing your green beans in the air fryer so they don’t touch each other.
- Small-sized air fryers are handy and take up very little space, but for some recipes they just seem a bit cramped inside. If you find that your whole lot of green beans won’t fit nicely inside the basket for cooking, you can split them up and do them in batches.
- Conventional Oven Method: follow all the steps and when it comes to the cooking part, spread your green beans out on a sheet pan and bake in a 375 degree oven for around 20 minutes. Check frequently to make sure they have the level of doneness you prefer.
Nutrition
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