Crispy Green Bean Fries [Baked + Air Fryer]

The Ingredients

• Green beans: It’s best to use fresh green beans (string beans/ snap beans) with firm pods and a bright green color. French green beans should also work but take less time to cook.
• Flax meal: To keep this recipe healthy and naturally keto and gluten-free, we’ve ditched breadcrumbs for flax meal. If you only have whole flax seeds, use a coffee/spice grinder to grind them into a meal consistency. However, you can also use almond flour, seasoned breadcrumbs, or panko breadcrumbs for this recipe
• Oil: Use neutral cooking oil, like avocado oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, etc.
• Salt & black pepper: To season the green bean fries.

What Else Could I Add?

There are several ways to boost the flavor of these crispy baked green beans.

• Nutritional yeast: Add 1-2 tbsp to the spice blend for vegan ‘parmesan’ green bean fries. Other vegan parmesan alternatives would work, too.
• For spice: Add some chili or cayenne powder to the seasoning or garnish the green bean baked fries with red pepper flakes.
• Spices: There are several ways to season the beans. Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, Cajun spice, cumin, etc. For a basic seasoning, we love to use a small amount of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika (about ¼ tsp of each per lb. green beans).
• Lime wedges: Add when serving for brightness.

How to Make Green Bean Fries in the Oven?

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Then rinse, pat dry, and trim the green beans by grabbing a bundle, lining up the ends, and slicing away the ends. Repeat on the other side. Remove any tough strings, too.

• 2) Then, toss the green beans with all the ingredients in a medium bowl until well coated.

• 3) Spread the green bean fries into an even single layer across a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until they are brown and crispy outside and tender in the middle.

Air Fryer Green Bean Fries

Air fryer green bean fries are crispy and delicious and cook in half the time of baked green beans. To do so, prepare the beans as written above, then spread the green beans in the air fryer basket in a single layer (spray the basket with cooking oil first).

Air fry at 370F/180C for 7-9 minutes, shaking the basket halfway.

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• To save time: It’s possible to buy pre-trimmed green beans.
• Remove any strings: Some green beans can contain tough, fibrous strings that are unpleasant to chew. If you notice any, peel them away when trimming the beans.
• Don’t overcrowd them: The green bean fries require airflow to allow them to become properly crispy.
• The cooking time may vary: Based on the batch size, the thickness of the beans, and your desired inner texture.
• For softer green beans: Par-cook them by blanching or microwaving them for 2-3 minutes before adding them to an ice bath, patting them dry, and continuing with the recipe.

What To Serve With Crispy Green Beans?

• Vegan burgers (instead of regular fries)
• The dipping sauce of your choice: Ketchup, vegan mayo, curry ketchup (add curry powder to ketchup), sweet chili, vegan ranch, etc.
• Your favorite protein—tofu, tempeh, mock meats, etc.
• With warm pasta dishes like vegan mac n’ cheese, lasagna, or avocado pesto pasta
• With sandwiches and wraps, like this BBQ tempeh sandwich or buffalo cauliflower wrap
• With pasta salad or quinoa salad
• In a rice bowl or grain bowl

You can also enjoy these crispy green beans on your Thanksgiving and holiday table alongside mashed potato, gravy, stuffing, and more.

Storage Instructions

These crispy green beans are best consumed directly after cooking for the crispiest texture, though leftovers will store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

To reheat the green beans, pop them back into the oven (at 350F/175C for 10-15 minutes) or air fryer (3-5 minutes) until heated and slightly crispy once more. Avoid using a microwave, as the beans will become very soft.