Quick and Easy Air Fryer Green Beans
Air Fryer green beans are crispy outside with a tender middle, ready in 10 minutes (no blanching required!), and the perfect side dish. Plus, they are wonderfully diet-friendly: low-carb, keto, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, whole30, etc.!
Servings 2 sides
Calories 92kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6.6 oz green beans regular green beans (string beans), French green beans (haricots verts), purple string beans, etc.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil/coconut oil/cooking spray
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the green beans by washing them well and drying them with a kitchen towel. Then trim the ends (also called "topping and tailing" beans), and remove any tough strings.The quickest way to trim the beans is to grab a handful of beans and line up all the ends. Then use a long, sharp knife to trim off all the tips in one go. Repeat with all the remaining green beans.
- If your air fryer requires pre-heating, do so now to 350ºF/180ºC.
- In a large bowl (or Ziplock bag), toss the beans with the oil and seasoning.
- Spread them across the bottom of your air fryer basket in a single layer, trying to avoid them overlapping too much (a little is fine).A larger batch with overlapping beans will require a longer cooking time. It could take between 12-14 minutes and requires shaking/flipping twice, for even results.
- Air fry the green beans for 7-8 minutes, until slightly crisp outside with a tender middle. For slightly less tender air-fried green beans, cook the beans for just 5-6 minutes. For crispier results, increase the time by 1-2 minutes.The time will also vary based on the thickness/size of your beans (larger beans require 2-3 extra minutes). I’ve tried this method with and without shaking the basking halfway and found I don’t mind either, so I usually skip this step. However, if you want more even browning, feel free to do so.
- For air fryer frozen green beans: you can use the same temperature and method, but increase the cooking time to somewhere between 13-16 minutes (or slightly less/more depending on your desired texture).
How to Store?
- Store: these air-fried green beans are best enjoyed straight after cooking. However, if you have any leftovers, allow them to cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.Freeze: allow to cool, then place in an airtight container or reusable bag and store for between 4-6 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge before reheating or reheat from frozen.Reheat: place back in the air fryer for several minutes until heated through and lightly crisp. Reheating them under a broiler OR on the stovetop with a little oil/ butter may also work well.
Video
Notes
- Don’t forget to trim the beans: otherwise, you can end up chewing on tough fibrous stems and strings.
- Adjust the air frying time accordingly: based on the size of your green beans and how crispy you want them to be. Also, all air fryers are slightly different, so the time can vary slightly.
- To save time: you can use pre-prepared green beans to save on prep time.
- Cook in batches: if you plan to double the recipe, it’s best to cook in two batches. You can place the first batch back in the air fryer for a minute or two at the end to reheat them. Crowding the basket can lead to soggy results.
- Flaky sea salt: for crunch and flavor.
- Seasonings: experiment with different spices and seasoning like smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, dry Ranch seasoning, curry powder, cumin, garlic and onion powder, taco seasoning, etc.
- Butter: toss the green beans with little lightly salted butter before serving.
- Garlic: thinly slice (rather than mince) the garlic to avoid burning or season with garlic powder.
- Garlic butter: homemade roasted garlic butter is the perfect accompaniment to any veggie side dish. Toss 1-2 tablespoon with the freshly air-fried green beans, and enjoy!
- Parmesan: sprinkle the air-fried green beans with parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for a vegan cheesy option) before or after cooking.
- Feta: especially with a squeeze of lemon juice. Use vegan feta if preferred.
- Lemon: along with lemon juice, you can increase the zesty flavor of this recipe by adding some fine lemon zest to the seasoning (around 1/4-1/2 teaspoon only).
- Crispy onions: crispy onions/shallots sprinkled over the crispy green beans are a classic pairing. Add toasted/sautéed slithered almonds for green bean amandine.
- Balsamic: 1-2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar added with the olive oil.
- Nuts/seeds: slithered almonds (to make green bean almondine), sesame seeds, or pine nuts could be lightly toasted until fragrant then garnish the green beans.
- Dried cranberries: add pecans & cranberries (a few tablespoons) for a quick holiday side.
- Sesame green beans: use sesame oil instead of olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. These also pair well with garlic, a little ginger, and/or a spoonful of soy sauce with red pepper flakes if you want some spice.
- Air fryer green bean fries: dip the green beans in egg and panko breadcrumbs (plain or seasoned) before air frying for crispy air fryer green bean fries.
Nutrition
Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 647IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg