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These Air Fryer Green Beans are full of garlicky goodness! They’re finished off with freshly grated parmesan and a fresh spritz of lemon, making them the perfect side dish for just about any main—from a cozy Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin to this bright and easy chicken piccata.
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Crisp green beans are one of my favorite vegetable side dishes. They’re easy to prep, flavorful, and incredibly versatile. Need a side dish for your weeknight chicken paprikash? Green beans. Does your beef stroganoff need a side? Green beans. Are you stuck on a pairing for your holiday oven-roasted turkey breast? You guessed it—green beans! But this air fryer green beans recipe hits a little different!
Why Choose Air Fryer Green Beans?
- Perfect texture—The air fryer gives green beans the perfect sweet snap when you bite into them. Never mushy, always tasty.
- Great flavor—Garlicky, cheesy, and lemony!
- Free oven space—No need to make room in your oven to roast your green bean dish!
- No tending—When steaming or pan-frying green beans in a skillet, you have to keep an eye on them and stir them while tending to everything else. The air fryer eliminates all that!
★★★★★
“I just made these with fresh green beans and a lemon off of my tree. The Parmesan was a great addition, but the lemon took it to a higher level. My new favorite healthy snack.”
—A THOMAS
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Green beans—Any fresh long green beans are a go with this recipe. This will not work with canned green beans.
- Garlic powder—I like the way garlic powder distributes its savory flavor and coats the green beans evenly without the worry of burnt garlic bits. But if you prefer using fresh garlic, you can. I’d use 3 cloves to substitute the powder, and for best results, I suggest grating it to a paste for better distribution.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Non-dairy alternative—Because of the rennet, parmesan isn’t considered vegetarian-friendly by everyone. So you could instead toss the beans in nutritional yeast before air frying to get a yummy cheesy flavor without the actual cheese.
- Like it spicy?—Add some red pepper flakes or a sprinkle of chili powder!
- Try it with other veggies!—If you love the flavors here, you can totally try this recipe with broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or squash.
How to Make Air Fryer Green Beans
Step 1. Preheat the air fryer to 380º F. In the meantime, wash and dry the beans, then cut any stems or rough ends off of the ends.
Step 2. Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sprinkle the beans with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon). Toss to coat.
Step 3. Transfer the green beans to the air fryer basket, shake to spread them out, and cook them at 380º F for 4 minutes. Give the basket a shake, then cook for another 4 minutes.
Step 4. When done, transfer the green beans to a serving plate. Top with shredded parmesan and lemon wedges.
Storage & Reheating
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, transfer the beans to a microwave-safe plate and heat in the microwave in 15-second increments until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe calls for just 8 minutes and results in nice, crisp green beans. Time can be adjusted based on bean size and preference, however.
No! This is another perk of air-frying green beans. When they’re boiled, nutrients are leached from them, but they retain their nutrients with most other methods.
If the ends have stems or seem a bit rough, I suggest trimming them off as they are tough and aren’t very pleasant. It’s optional, though.
More Tasty & Easy Side Dishes to Try…
If you try my Air Fryer Green Beans With Parmesan, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Air Fryer Green Beans with Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380º F.
- Wash and dry the beans, then cut any stems or rough ends off of the ends.
- Transfer the beans to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sprinkle the beans with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a few cracks of black pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon). Toss to coat.
- Transfer the green beans to the air fryer basket, shake to spread them out, and cook them at 380º F for 4 minutes. Give the basket a shake, then cook for another 4 minutes.
- When done, transfer the green beans to a serving plate. Top with shredded parmesan and lemon wedges for a nice fresh spritz of lemon juice!
I just made these with fresh green beans and a lemon off of my tree. The Parmesan was a great addition, but the lemon took it to a higher level. My new favorite healthy snack.
Quick and easy!
Great recipe and so delicious! Very quick and great for summer