This easy recipe for roasted string beans with walnuts is my go-to side dish! Tender string beans and crunchy walnuts are a great flavor combination.
Before I get into the specifics of these super easy roasted string beans with walnuts, can I just ask if anyone else out there is continually stumped by side dishes?
I have more ideas for main courses and appetizers and of course desserts than I can possibly make, but then I inevitably get to that moment where I think oh yeah – vegetables. A vegetable would be good.
And immediately I draw a complete blank that never happens when I am figuring out which of my one million cookie recipes to make next.
As a result, I tend to make what I think of as Old Faithful veggie recipes over and over again. This plate of string beans with walnuts is one of those – good and good for you and easy and phew! Done with thinking about the side dish for one more supper.
String beans are happily one of those veggies that you can find all year long, and while of course I love the fresh local beans the best (and I tend to dunk them in salted boiling water for a nanosecond and serve them with a scatter of sea salt on top and that’s it), when the seasons start to change and the local beans start to get scarce, this is when I pull out this recipe again and again.
There is something about roasting veggies that brings out every last morsel of flavor.
And I am all about last morsels.
Here’s how you make roasted string beans with walnuts!
I toss the beans with a little bit of olive oil, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Then I add a handful of walnut pieces, toss again and spread the whole mixture in a single layer on a rimmed baking pan on either a piece of parchment or a piece of non-stick foil.
The pan goes in a hot oven for about 12 minutes, and voila! Gorgeous roasted beans with toasted walnuts, and the elusive side dish is solved for another day.
More tips for making Roasted String Beans with Walnuts!
Frozen yes, in a pinch – thaw them out first. Canned, nope. They are too, well, soggy. But honestly, it’s rare that your supermarket won’t have string beans – sometimes already trimmed for you!
According to Serious Eats, they are the same thing. They also say the term “string beans” is outdated, but I have always called them string beans and I am too stubborn and set in my ways to change now!
Chopped pecans would be delicious in this dish (and if you have a different favorite kind of nut, odds are those will work too). And if you need to leave the nuts out, the roasted beans will still taste marvelous!
As for tomorrow? Well, there is absolutely no law that says you can’t make ’em again. I’ve checked.
PrintRoasted String Beans with Walnuts
This easy recipe for roasted string beans with walnuts is my go-to side dish! Tender string beans and crunchy walnuts are a great flavor combination.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Vegetable
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh string beans, stems snapped off
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans!)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
- Toss beans with oil, nuts, salt and pepper. Roast until the beans are tender, about 12 minutes, tossing once halfway through baking.
- Serve immediately with whatever you are making for dinner!
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!
Joanne says
I am THE WORST at side dishes. Seriously. I do love roasted string beans though, so these have my name written all over them!
Somehow I don’t believe you on the whole side dish thing, seeing as you are one of the best cooks I know! :P
Mindy says
Funny, I have an endless list of side dishes that I’m always trying to come up with main dishes for. I’m definitely a sides girl. :)
I made similar beans the other night, but with almonds. We had grilled tri-tip and gratin potatoes to go with. Mmmmmm.
That sounds like my kind of meal! I’m giving almonds a whirl with my string beans next time.
Ala says
As far as side dishes go, I’m actually far better at coming up with a bajillion ideas for them – and virtually no ideas for a suitable entrée! So I guess we’re in opposite boats here – maybe we should cook together sometime so that we can fill out the entire menu, right? But the string beans would definitely need to be on the menu, Kate! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend!
Oh my gosh, cooking together would be SO much fun!! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend too. :) xx
grace says
i definitely have a very short list of side dishes that i prepare until either i or my fiance (or both of us) get sick of them. right now, i do my green beans with peppers, basil, and balsamic vinegar, but this is a great option for a replacement dish! :)
Oooh, I love that summery take on green beans – I have to try that one before the snow flies!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
I love anything roasted. . this side looks fabulous! My go-to for the kids is probably roasted broccoli and cauliflower! my kids love it!
Oh, roasted cauliflower – my heart be still! That’s a great one!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I love that you roasted these green beans, Kate! And I’m always stumped by side dishes, too. But these sound just perfect!
Why are side dishes so haaaard? I did come up with an apple potato hash that I am going to post this week, so now I have two current faves!
Nancy Stern says
Was just going to roast the beans from my CSA box but I love the addition of the walnuts. My favorite side dish is Cherry tomatoes sauteed with minced garlic and thyme..
I’m with you on the cherry tomatoes – that’s one of our faves as well!