Grilled Green Beans

Grilled Green Beans are tender and smoky with crisp edges. If you’ve wondered how to grill green beans, this is it! Just toss the green beans in a simple mixture of oil, herbs and spices then transfer to a grilling basket / pan. Cooking green beans on the grill is an easy and delicious way to enjoy one of summer’s star vegetables.

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When you think of green beans, how do you imagine cooking them? Steamed? Boiled? Stir-fried?

How about grilled?

Ingredients You Need to Make Grilled Green Beans

Olive Oil: ideally extra-virgin olive oil
Garlic: plump, fresh garlic cloves
Cumin: ground cumin
Smoked Paprika: or chipotle chile powder if you want to add a smoky / spicy kick
Cayenne Pepper: add more than a pinch for extra heat
Green Beans: ideally fresh, firm green beans (French green beans / haricot verts work well)
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Fresh Lemon Wedges: optional, for serving

Somehow this did not occur to me in Summers past, to grill green beans. Perhaps it was the thought that they would be too dry. Not so. Think of stir frying them in a blistering hot skillet or wok; on the grill you get the same result: smoky deliciousness.

And preparing them couldn’t be simpler. Honestly, we hardly even stir them once they go on the grill – just toss them in an even layer on a grill pan (so they don’t fall through the grid and burst into flame) and let them sizzle away. They’re best left with a bit of crunch to offset the char (similar to how these Bacon Green Wrapped Green Beans). And if you want to brighten up their sultry flavor, squeeze a lemon over the top just before serving.

Recipe Tips

• If you don’t have a grill pan, use a cast iron skillet directly on your grill instead.
• You only need to trim the stem end of your green beans (cut or snap it off). The tail end is tender and makes the beans prettier for serving.
• Think of the seasoning amounts in this recipe as a starting point and adjust to suit your taste.

Serve With

Serve these as a delicious side to anything you’re grilling, like:

• Grilled Lamb Chops
• Lamb Kabobs
• Grilled Tuna Steaks
• Rosemary Garlic Chicken Kabobs
• Authentic Carne Asada
• Grilled Shrimp
• Grilled Swordfish

More Grilled Vegetable Recipes

• Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
• Grilled Fennel
• Mexican Corn on the Cob
• Grilled Broccolini
• Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
• Grilled Bok Choy

How to Make Grilled Green Beans

In a large bowl, toss green beans with olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, and cayenne until evenly coated. 

Add seasoned green beans in an even layer to a grill basket set on an outdoor grill preheated to medium-high. Cook until crisp tender and lightly charred, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper and fresh lemon juice if desired.

Grilled Green Beans with Cumin and Smoked Paprika

5 from 6 votes

By: Marissa Stevens

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 20 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 164

Servings: 4 people

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It’s tricky to grill green beans without a grill pan as they’re determined to slip through the grates. It’s worth buying if you don’t own one. You’ll find many uses for it. 

Video

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ pinch cayenne pepper
• ▢ 1 pound fresh green beans washed and trimmed
• ▢ kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1/2 lemon juiced, optional

Instructions 

• Preheat a grill to medium-high.
• In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Add green beans to bowl and toss to coat evenly.
• Place beans in an even layer directly on on a grill pan or grill basket.
• Cook, stirring often with tongs, until crisp-tender and unevenly charred and blistered, 10-12 minutes, depending on the amount of char you like.
• Transfer beans to a serving bowl and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over if desired. Serve.

Notes

1. As these are often served as a side dish to whatever you’re grilling, let the main dish dictate whether you make these with the BBQ lid open or closed. I’ve made them both ways, just be sure to stir them occasionally either way. And if they’re the main attraction, opt for having the lid open so you can keep an eye on them and get the edges charred exactly as you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 276mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 906IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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