Easy Air Fryer Green Beans

Fresh green beans cooked in the air fryer are quick, easy to make and come out perfectly tender crisp. A simple, healthy and delicious side dish.

I was super late to the air fryer game and can’t believe I lived my life so long without one! It’s become perfect addition to my everyday cooking routine and now I’m air frying EVERYTHING.

Using my air fryer to make perfectly tender green beans is my new favorite way to cook them! This is no doubt the easiest green beans recipe that will quickly become your go-to.

Why you will love this easy recipe

• It’s easily customizable and suitable for low carb, keto, whole 30, gluten free and vegan dietary needs.
• You will find yourself tossing all kinds of fresh veggies in the air fryer
• Air fryer recipes are perfect for quick weeknight meals, or a great alternative for holiday cooking when you need the extra oven or stove space!

Ingredients

All you need is a few simple ingredients for the basic recipe.

Fresh Green Beans – the best green beans are bright in color and snap easily when you bend them. That’s how you know they’re fresh!

Olive Oil – just a little drizzle helps them stay plump and achieve that perfect tender crisp texture. Good olive oil is a staple in any kitchen. The Furies is my favorite!

Salt and black pepper

Lemon wedges

Variations

One of the reasons I love green beans so much is that they are super versatile and you can add tons of flavor however you want! You can’t go wrong, enjoying them the simple way with just salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Here are some of the different ways I’ve tried them:

• Seasoned with garlic powder or onion powder.
• Sprinkled with red pepper flakes for some heat.
• Add lemon zest for an extra pop of flavor.
• Tossed with sesame oil instead of olive oil and top air fried green beans with soy sauce and sesame seeds.
• Sprinkled with parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for some cheesy flavor.
• Another one of my favorite green bean recipes is Ina Garten’s Green Beans Gremolata. Just air fry the green beans, add the toppings from the recipe and you’ve got the perfect side dish for your holiday spread.

The possibilities are endless!

How to cook fresh green beans in the air fryer

The best part is that you don’t even need full recipe measurements, just follow these simple instructions!

1. Trim the ends off of the green beans.
2. Toss with olive oil, a little salt and pepper.
3. Load green beans in a single layer into the air fryer basket.
4. Air fry for 6 minutes at 375 degrees.

Voila! You have a perfect easy side dish.

Can I cook frozen green beans in the air fryer?

You absolutely can! I find that I prefer the texture of fresh green beans but frozen will work. Just add the frozen green beans (do not thaw) right into the basket and add an additional 3-4 minutes on to the cook time.

Recommended Tools for this recipe

Air fryer – I have the Cusinart Air Fryer Oven and I love it. I don’t do kitchen appliances that only do one thing. I decided on this model because it’s an air fryer, toaster and mini oven all in one! I’ve also heard great things about the Instant Pot Vortex basket style air fryer.

What to serve with Air fried green beans?

Anything goes! Green beans are a healthy and delicious vegetable side for pretty much any meal. Here are a few recipes that pair nicely:

• Panko Crusted Whitefish
• Grilled Mediterranean Chicken
• Asian Style Chicken Wings
• Spatchcock Garlic Herb Roast Chicken with Baby Potatoes
• Garlic Herb Crusted Eye of Round Roast Beef

If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @bigdeliciouslife so that I can see your snaps. For more Big Delicious Life, follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, or subscribe to my YouTube channel!