Italian Green Beans

Crispy, savory Italian green beans are delicious and very easy to make. The entire recipe is made on the stovetop, so there’s no need to heat up the oven and broiler. This would be a great side dish for warm-weather meals because it doesn’t require a long cooking time. The green beans are cooked just enough to make them a little tender, and then they’re topped with a mixture of bread crumbs, garlic and Parmesan. This is one of those simple recipes that are appropriate for an average weeknight meal, family get-togethers and dinner parties. This is a wonderful way to use the beans from an abundant harvest if you grow green beans in your garden.

Ingredients for Italian Green Beans

• Green beans: Use fresh beans, if possible because canned green beans will be a little too soft. However, if you really need to use a can, drain and rinse the beans and be careful when cooking them. You want to heat them up but not make them much softer. You can use frozen, uncooked beans that you’ve thawed; be careful when cooking to ensure you don’t make them too tender.
• Italian-style panko bread crumbs: Use panko bread crumbs. Panko flakes are larger and will be crispier after cooking. “Regular” bread crumbs may not turn out as crispy.
• Garlic cloves: Mince the cloves very well in order to better distribute the garlic flavor throughout the breadcrumbs.
• Parmesan cheese: Parmesan is umami and increases the savory flavors of the green beans.
• Parsley: Minced fresh parsley adds a nice and bright flavor.

Directions

Step 1: Steam the beans

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Fill the bottom of a large saucepan or Dutch oven with 1 inch of water. Place a steamer basket or tray in the pan and add the green beans to the steamer. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pan and steam the beans for seven to eight minutes. The beans should be crisp-tender when done.

Step 2: Mix and cook the bread crumbs

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

While the beans are steaming, add some olive oil to a large skillet. Over medium heat, stir together the bread crumbs, garlic and some salt and pepper. Stir the mixture constantly and cook for one to two minutes, until the bread crumbs have browned. Transfer the bread crumbs to a plate and sprinkle the Parmesan all over the bread crumbs.

Step 3: Saute the beans and put it all together

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Add more olive oil to the skillet and add the green beans. Cook them for two to three minutes, until the beans look slightly charred. Add a little more salt and pepper and then top the green beans with the Parmesan bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle the top of the bread crumbs with minced parsley.

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Italian Green Bean Variations

• Add Italian seasoning to plain panko: If you can’t find Italian-style panko, use plain panko with added Italian seasoning. Start with 1 teaspoon of seasoning per 1 cup of panko and add more seasoning in small amounts to adjust the taste.
• Add dried red pepper flakes: Dried red pepper flakes would give the dish a little spiciness; be careful how much you add because the flakes can have more of a punch than you expect.
• Add shallots: Try adding a diced shallot to the garlic and bread crumbs. Shallots are milder than onions and can give the bread crumb mixture a slightly sweeter flavor.

How to Store Italian Green Beans

Leftover Italian green beans should go into the refrigerator. After they’ve cooled, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to four days.

Can you freeze these green beans?

You could freeze them but the quality of the thawed dish may not be the same as it was when freshly made. The freezing and thawing process can make the already cooked-and-tender beans mushy. If you have leftovers, place a portion in a freezer-friendly bag or container for a few days and then let it thaw and reheat it in the microwave or in a skillet. That lets you see if the texture is something you’d like or not.

Italian Green Bean Tips

Julia Hartbeck for Taste of Home

Does it matter if you use flat-leaf or curly parsley?

It actually does. Curly parsley is mainly used as a minimal garnish and has more bitter flavors than flat-leaf. If you cook with parsley, you should use the flat-leaf (a.k.a. Italian) parsley. That includes when you make this recipe. You’ll be sprinkling it all over the green beans and bread crumbs, so you’ll want to use the sweeter and brighter flat-leaf parsley here.

Does it matter if you use freshly grated Parmesan or the pre-grated stuff?

While you can use either freshly grated or pre-grated Parmesan for this recipe, you’ll want to go with freshly grated if you have the opportunity. Feshly grated cheese doesn’t have the preservatives and anti-caking agents often found in pre-grated cheese so it usually tastes fresher and melts more easily into the bread crumb mixture.

What can you serve with these Italian green beans?

This Italian green beans recipe is versatile and can go with many different main dishes. It would go well with meats like baked steak and baked pork chops; chicken or a lean fish, like tilapia would pair nicely with it, too. As for other sides, mashed potatoes and a fresh salad would both be excellent options.