These grilled Italian flat beans are flavorful, perfectly crispy, and tender with smoky charred edges. It's a fresh and healthy side dish that's great any time of the year, and it's ready in just 15 minutes!
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The Best Flat Green Beans Recipe
If you've never tried cooking Italian flat green beans before, this recipe will definitely turn you on to this addictive veggie! Italian flat beans are like a cross between snap peas and green beans, with a savory green bean flavor and crisp-tender snap pea crunch.
There's no better way to prepare them than with a quick grilling method. The inner beans become a little tender but retain a bit of crunch on the outside. Grilling them adds a layer of caramelized smoky flavor from the char marks while bringing out some of their natural sweetness. Finish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and you've got peak summer deliciousness.
This Italian green beans recipe is a simple and delicious veggie side dish that'll brighten up any lunch or dinner, and the best thing about it is that it's ready in minutes on the grill. No extra steps like blanching or marinating are required here.
While they're cooking on the grill, you can make it a full meal and make this grilled ribeye or grilled halibut to serve as your main dish.
Why This Recipe Works
Quick and easy. A quick toss with seasonings and some time on the grill is all you need to make the best tasting flat beans. It doesn't get any simpler or tastier than that!
Can be made year-round. Fresh flat beans are available pretty much all year, so you can make this vibrant side dish for any season. And they're just as delicious when made on a charcoal grill as they are on a grill pan on the stove!
Incredible flavor. Cooking fresh flat beans on the grill plays up their natural deliciousness and gives them the best texture. They're seasoned with just a handful of basic ingredients because they're already so good on their own.
Versatile. These grilled flat beans taste amazing with practically anything you serve them with, whether you're grilling them alongside your favorite proteins or tossing them in a salad.
Ingredients
If you already have fresh Italian green beans, you almost definitely have everything you need to make this Italian flat beans recipe! It has just 4 ingredients, and they are:
- 1 lb. flat green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges, as desired
If you want more vegetable recipes to make on the grill, check out these grilled carrots and grilled artichokes. They're made with basically the same ingredients!
How To Cook Flat Green Beans
1. Prepare Italian flat beans: Preheat your electric grill or grill to medium-high heat. While waiting for it to heat up, wash and trim off the ends of the flat beans. Pat them dry with paper towels and toss them in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
2. Grill: Place the seasoned green beans on the grill perpendicular to the grill grates to prevent them from falling through. Grill the beans for 4-5 minutes on each side or until they're charred and tender.
3. Serve: Take the charred flat beans off the grill, finish them with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, then serve warm with anything you want and enjoy.
Tips To Make the Best Recipe
- Use fresh flat beans for this recipe. Canned green beans are already cooked and will be too soft to grill, while frozen beans won't have the same texture when grilled.
- A drizzle of apple cider vinegar can substitute for the squeeze of fresh lemon juice in a pinch.
- Prevent your green beans from falling through the grill grates by laying them horizontally on the grill, placing them in a grill basket on top of the grill, or threading them onto skewers.
- For indoor cooking, you can use a grill pan over medium-high heat on the stove to grill the green beans.
- Switch up the flavors and finish your grilled flat beans with fresh herbs or a simple vinaigrette. They'd also be amazing with the garlic aioli dip from my grilled artichokes recipe.
How To Store Cooked Flat Beans
In the fridge: Store the cooked flat beans in an airtight container in the refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
In the freezer: Transfer the flat green beans to a freezer-safe bag or shallow airtight container once they've cooled to room temp. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toss in the flat beans and saute until they're warmed through. You'll want to add more cooking time if you're starting with frozen beans or thaw them in the fridge overnight first.
FAQs About This Flat Green Beans Recipe
What are flat green beans called?
Flat green beans are also called romano beans, Italian flat beans, runner beans, pole beans, or Italian green beans. Some people also call them snap beans because of their close resemblance to snap peas.
Are flat beans the same as green beans?
Flat beans or romano beans are wider and flatter than other kinds of green beans. They have a nice crisp crunch similar to snap peas and are flavorful with a slightly sweet and nutty taste. They're also bigger and heartier than regular green beans, so they take slightly longer to cook.
Are flat beans healthy?
Just like other kinds of green beans, flat beans are a great source of fiber, minerals, and vitamins A, K, and C. Grilling flat beans is also a great way to preserve more of their nutrients while enhancing their natural flavor.
More Recipes
- Roasted cabbage steaks
- Grilled green beans
- Sauteed sweet potatoes
- Sauteed butternut squash
- Fried eggplant
Flat Green Beans
These grilled Italian flat beans are flavorful, perfectly crispy, and tender with smoky charred edges. It's a fresh and healthy side dish that's great any time of the year, and it's ready in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. flat green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges, as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the electric grill or grill to medium-high heat.
- Wash and trim the beans. Pat dry the beans and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place the green beans on the grill grates and grill the beans for 4-5 minutes per side until charred and tender.
- Remove the beans from the grill, squeeze lemon juice over them, and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: ¼Amount Per Serving: Calories: 50Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g
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