These garlic green beans are the easiest, most delicious side dish for any meal! Crispy with incredible flavor, these grilled green beans are tossed in olive oil, chopped garlic, and fresh lemon juice, and then topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Deliciously charred and simply irresistible!
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When I can make a recipe that doesn't require heating up the kitchen by turning on the oven in the middle of summer, it literally makes my day. And that's what this recipe offers. I cook these on the grill! Outside!!
Both of these baked green beans and these grilled garlic green beans are absolutely delicious and pair so well with any meat. Sinc the grill is already on, I like to pair this vegetable with this Maple-Chipotle Grilled Salmon and my Greek Marinated Chicken recipe. These are tossed in fresh lemon juice and have a roasted garlic flavor in every bite. You can grill just about any vegetable and green beans have become one of my all-time favorites! This grilled green bean recipe is the perfect healthy side dish for any spring and summer day!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
For best results, use fresh green beans when making this recipe. Frozen and canned versions won't work. While I prefer to use string beans, wax and French beans also work really well. So do sugar snap peas and snow peas. The seasoning I use are simple. I toss the freshly rinsed and trimmed beans in olive oil and then add fresh chopped garlic, as well as a hint of garlic powder. I then add freshly squeezed lemon juice and a little bit of salt and pepper. After they are done grilling, I top these with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It's a super simple process using ingredients I already have on hand!
📋 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Fresh green beans on the grill have a crazy wonderful flavorful and are about to become your new "go-to" veggie side dish. Using a sharp knife, cut the ends off of the beans and then rinse them thoroughly. Place the beans, olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a gallon-size resealable bag or plastic container with a lid. Shake until all the ingredients are well mixed. Set aside and let the flavors combine for about 10 minutes.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat until it reaches 375 to 400°F. Pour the marinated beans in a grill basket and place it on the grill. Close the lid and allow them to grill for 3-5 minutes.
Open the lid and turn them with a spatula or tongs. Stir frequently until they are start to char, about 7-10 minutes.
Once they are perfectly charred, pour the grilled garlic green beans into a bowl and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
For a fresh lemon flavor, squeeze additional fresh lemon juice on top before serving.
Cooking vegetables on the grill is so convenient and a huge time saver. Less mess and a cool kitchen is the perfect recipe for any hot summer day. These are ready to be served with absolutely anything!
📖 Variations
If you don't have a grill basket, you can use aluminum foil. Place a large piece of foil, shiny side up, on a counter and then pour the marinated beans in the center of the foil. Fold and seal the foil into pockets. Grill for about 15-20 minutes and then remove the foil packets from the grill. They won't have that charred look and taste, but the flavor is still amazing using this cooking method. If you like more tender beans, this method is for you!
You can also add additional vegetables to the grilling basket. I often add whole cloves of garlic, cherry tomatoes, small potatoes, sliced onions or shallots and even chunks of bacon to the grilling basket. The added flavor is super delicious! I also like to spice things up a bit and add a cajun spice mix or Old Bay Seasoning. You can make these even spicier by adding cayenne pepper, sriracha, and even red pepper flakes.
You can also turn this into a grilled green bean salad by grilling the beans and then adding diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, shallots, and feta cheese. Toss with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and some salt and pepper and then serve!
🙋🏼 Frequently Asked Questions
After you thoroughly wash them, line 10-15 beans up on a cutting board lengthwise. Hold them in one hand and then using a sharp knife, slice off the ends. Flip the beans the other way and repeat the same steps.
Fresh is best. If you use a canned version, they will turn out mushy. Frozen tend to be tough in texture. When you use fresh green beans, the are crispy, charred, and full of flavor.
Blanching is not necessary. I typically blanch vegetables before freezing them because blanching stops enzyme actions which helps ensure the vegetable don't have a loss in flavor or texture loss during the freezing process.
If you want a more tender green bean as opposed to a crunchy texture, place the trimmed beans in a skillet and fill with water. Then, place them in the water and turn the burner to high. Bring to a slow boil for 3-4 minutes and then drain the water. Place the hot beans in the container with the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Mix until the ingredients are well combined. Allow them to marinate for 10 minutes and then grill according to the directions below.
💭 Expert Tips
- Make sure to preheat your grill to medium-high heat before adding the beans. I typically get my grill anywhere between 375 to 400°F and then I add the basket. They can grill at that temperature, but ensure the temperature doesn't go over 450°F or they will grill too fast and become too charred.
- When it comes to the garlic, you can use fresh chopped garlic, minced, or whole garlic cloves.
- You can substitute the olive oil for avocado oil. Avocado oil has a high smoke point and works really well when grilling. It tastes amazing and is incredibly nutritious!
- If you are preparing in advance, the trimmed beans can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days before grilling.
- Try topping with sesame seeds or toasted almonds.
🍽️ More Fresh Green Bean Recipes
If you're stuck in a green bean rut and need some new recipes to try, make sure you take a look at these Roasted Parmesan Green Beans. They are coated with balsamic vinegar and topped with freshly grated Parmesan for a delicious depth of flavor. And not only can you grill them, but you can also smoke them! These Hickory Smoked Green Beans are one of my favorite ways to enjoy these because they are full of hickory smoke and bacon.
I can't wait to hear how this recipe turned out for you! If you’ve tried this or any other recipe of mine on the website, make sure you rate the recipe. You can also leave a comment below! Also, make sure you sign up for my newsletter here so you never miss a recipe I'm making!!
Grilled Garlic Green Beans
Equipment
- Grilling Basket OR
- Aluminum Foil
Ingredients
- 8 oz fresh green beans, trimmed, cut, and washed
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- fresh grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the ends off the green beans and rinse thoroughly.
- Put the beans, olive oil, chopped garlic, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a gallon sized sealable plastic bag or container. Mix well and set aside to allow the ingredients to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat until it reaches 375-400°F. Add the marinated beans to a grill basket and place on the grill. Close the lid and allow to grill for 3-5 minutes.
- Open the lid and turn them frequently with a spatula or tongs until they begin to crisp and slightly charred, about 7-10 minutes.
- When done, remove from the grill and place them into a bowl. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
Notes
- Only use fresh green beans. Canned and frozen do not work well.
- If you want a more tender green bean, place the freshly trimmed beans in the water and bring them to a slow boil for 3-4 minutes. Drain and then place the hot vegetables in the container with the the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients and allow the beans to marinate for 10 minutes and then grill according to the instructions.
- Make sure to preheat your grill to medium-high heat before adding the beans. I typically get my grill anywhere between 375 to 400°F and then I add the basket. They can grill at that temperature but ensure the temperature doesn't go over 450°F or they will grill too fast and become too charred.
- When it comes to the garlic, you can use fresh chopped garlic, minced or whole garlic cloves.
- You can substitute the olive oil for avocado oil. Avocado oil has a high smoke point and works really well when grilling. It tastes amazing and is incredibly good for you.
- If you are preparing in advance, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days before grilling.
- Try topping these with sesame seeds or toasted almonds.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in July 2014, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in January 2022.
Tim
Excellent recipe! Instead of salt I use tamari sauce in the marinade.
If possible do you think you could work in a few more ads
when we are trying to read the recipe?
Amanda Mason
I think you are kidding about the ads...but I'm so glad you loved the recipe!! It's one of my absolute favorites!!