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Here’s how to make the best grilled green beans! Each bite is tender with a burst of salty, charred flavor: they’re simply irresistible.
When it comes to grilling vegetables, we’ve tried them all. (Almost.) And this vegetable surprised us: grilled green beans! Turns out, the grill is the ideal way to cook this green summer vegetable. Take a bite and it’s tender, with a burst of sweet, tangy, salty and charred flavor.
Why we love this recipe: Honestly, these grilled green beans are just as addicting as French fries! We plowed quickly through a platter and then wondered: why don’t we make grilled green beans more often? They’re now a part of our repertoire: and we hope you’ll add them to yours, too.
Ingredients for grilled green beans
The grill is such a fantastic way to cook green beans, you need only a handful of ingredients to make them taste stellar. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fresh green beans: Choose firm, bright green beans with minimal blemishes, as these will hold their shape best on the grill.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is our cooking oil of choice for grilling.
- Lemon and salt: We like flavoring these beans with salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
A quick way to trim green beans
Trimming green beans is one of the prep steps I find most unexciting (not sure why!). So Alex and I have developed a quick method so you don’t have to spend hours snapping off the tops and bottoms. Here’s the fast way to trim green beans:
- Grab 15 to 20 beans and place them on the cutting board. Working quickly, make a uniform pile with them all lined up lengthwise. They don’t all need to be facing the same way!
- Line up the ends of the beans against your knife edge. Grab them in one hand and cut off the ends with a knife.
- Quickly flip the beans the other way, then push them towards your knife blade so that the other ends line up. Grab the pile and slice off the ends.
How to grill green beans (step by step)
A nice thing about grilled green beans: you can place them directly on the oven grates! There’s no need for a grill basket. If you do have a grill basket, you can also use it: it just results in less charred green beans. Our preferred method is the grates: we love the char marks! Here are the basic steps (or jump to the full recipe):
Step 1: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450°F). Trim the green beans, then mix them with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Grill on the grates 5 minutes per side. Flip with a spatula and grill until tender and charred!
Step 3: Transfer to a serving plate or platter. Spritz with fresh lemon juice and enjoy.
Make it a meal!
Green beans work with almost anything—they can fit into many cuisines! Here are a few recipes we’d pair them with to make a grilled meal (and drinks!):
- Fish: Add grilled salmon or grilled tuna steak, grilled potatoes, and an Aperol spritz.
- Scallops: Try grilled scallops, basil rice, and frosé.
- Veggie burger: Serve with a veggie burger or portobello burger, grilled corn, and Moscow mules.
More green beans recipes
Love green beans? Us too. Here are some of our favorite green bean recipes:
- These green beans almondine or garlic green beans are simple sides.
- Steamed green beans are quick and easy, made on the stovetop.
- This spin on everyone’s favorite green bean casserole uses fresh green beans instead of canned.
- The classic French Nicoise salad wouldn’t be the same without crisp tender blanched green beans.
Dietary notes
This grilled green beans recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Frequently asked questions
Look for fresh, firm green beans with vibrant green color. Avoid limp or spotted beans. Choose thinner beans for even cooking, or thicker beans for a heartier bite.
No pre-cooking is necessary! Grilling them directly allows them to char slightly while remaining crisp-tender inside.
You can if you want! A basket helps prevent them from falling through the grates and makes them easier to flip. However, they don’t get as charred.
The possibilities are endless! Here are some ideas:
Seasonings: Toss the beans with your favorite spices like paprika, chili powder, or garlic powder before grilling.
Sauces: Drizzle the grilled beans with a flavorful sauce like balsamic glaze, chimichurri, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Look for bright green color with some char marks. The beans should be crisp-tender, not mushy. You can also test one with a fork; it should pierce easily but still have a slight snap.
BEST Grilled Green Beans
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Here’s how to make the best grilled green beans! Each bite is tender with a burst of salty, charred flavor: they’re simply irresistible.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat (375 to 450°F).
- Wash and trim the green beans. Pat them dry with a towel. In a bowl, mix the green beans with the olive oil, kosher salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
- Place the green beans directly on the grill grates and grill for about 4 to 5 minutes per side (8 to 10 minutes total), until charred and tender. (For a less charred result, you can cook them in grill basket for 12 to 14 minutes until tender.)
- Remove the beans from the grill and spritz them with lemon juice from wedges. Taste and add a few more pinches of kosher salt, if needed.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
More grilled vegetables
Here’s how to make just about any grilled vegetable you could think of!
- Perfect Corn, Corn in Foil, Corn in Husk, or Elote The best ways to cook this seasonal treat. Or turn it into Grilled Corn Salad.
- Portobellos or Mushroom Skewers Full of meaty, smoky flavor.
- Cauliflower or Broccoli Charred florets of goodness.
- Onions, Peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Zucchini and Squash Perfect for summer.
- Potatoes in Foil, Sweet Potatoes, Grilled Baked Potato, or Carrots Classic!
- Asparagus, Avocado, Bok Choy, Beets, Okra, or Brussels Sprouts Unique, tasty and easy.
- Romaine, Cabbage, or Kale These leafy greens are fantastic grilled.
- Pineapple or Grilled Bananas Not a veggie, but grilled desserts make a nice sweet ending!
I wouldn’t recommend grilling directly on the grates, unless you want to lose the bulk of your green beans between them. Which I did. Use a grill basket or just put a double sheet of foil down and sauté on top of that.
Can i grill these ahead of time or will they get soggy?
They maintain pretty well!
Let us know if you have any questions!