Easy Oven Roasted Green Beans with almonds

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These oven roasted green beans are a simple, elegant side dish that pairs beautifully with just about any protein. Easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for company!

Green beans are a highly underrated vegetable if you ask me. It’s a mystery to me why people think they need to be drowned in canned cream of this-or-that to be palatable.

Honestly, even raw I think they’re perfectly delightful. Sweet, crunchy, and just so good! But like almost every vegetable it seems, a little turn in the oven makes them even better.

A handful of simple ingredients, 25 minutes or so, and suddenly these oven roasted green beans are the thing people are actually talking about at the dinner table.

You’ll be making them on repeat – for weeknight dinners, for holiday spreads, and honestly just because they’re that good.

Why You’ll Love This Oven Roasted Green Beans Recipe

They go with everything. Weeknight chicken, a holiday roast, grilled fish – these oven roasted green beans are the kind of side dish that never feels out of place on the table no matter what else you’re serving.

Simple to make. A quick toss with some essential flavorings, and once the green beans are on the baking sheet and in the oven, you’re 20 minutes away from green bean bliss!

Kids LOVE them. I don’t know if it’s the slightly crispy edges or the toasted almonds, but these are a much easier sell with kids than any other version of green beans I’ve tried. I’ll take the win!

Holiday table worthy. These oven roasted green beans are simple enough for a Tuesday night but impressive enough to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas!

Ingredient Notes

Fresh Green Beans

Look for bright green, firm beans at the grocery store – avoid any that look limp or have brown spots. Trimming the ends takes just a few minutes with a knife, or you can snap them off by hand.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

You need some olive oil to coat the beans evenly and help them roast up beautifully in the oven. It also helps the garlic and thyme stick to the beans rather than falling to the bottom of the pan.

Fresh Garlic

Fresh garlic, grated or finely minced, gives the beans a subtle but really lovely garlicky flavor that runs all the way through the dish.

Garlic powder works in a pinch, but fresh is noticeably better here.

Fresh Thyme

Just a teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme adds a delicate herby note that pairs really well with the garlic and lemon.

Rosemary makes a great substitute, or you can use a combination of both.

Slivered Almonds

These get added partway through roasting so they have time to turn golden and toasted without burning. They add a really lovely crunch and nuttiness to the finished roasted green beans that makes it feel a little more special.

Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice

These go on right at the end, just before serving, and they make such a difference. The lemon zest adds fragrance and brightness, and the lemon juice adds just enough acidity to lift all the other flavors and make the dish feel really fresh and alive.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. In a large bowl, toss the fresh green beans with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, thyme, and fresh garlic until evenly coated. Spread them out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

1. Roast for 10 minutes, then give the green beans a stir and sprinkle the slivered almonds evenly over the top.

1. Continue roasting for another 6-8 minutes, until the green beans are tender and lightly browned in spots and the almonds are golden and toasted.

1. Transfer the green beans to a serving platter. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the top, drizzle with the lemon juice, and toss gently. Serve immediately while everything is still warm.

Recipe Tips for Success

Don’t skip the parchment. Lining the baking sheet with parchment makes cleanup so much easier and prevents the garlic from burning and sticking to the pan.

Spread them out in an even layer. The single layer step is really important here. If the green beans are piled on top of each other they’ll steam instead of roast, and you won’t get those lovely browned edges. Use two sheet pans if you need to!

Thinner beans roast faster. If your green beans are on the thinner side, start checking them a couple of minutes early. You’re looking for tender with a little bite still left in them, not completely soft.

Finish with the lemon at the very end. Adding the lemon zest and lemon juice right before serving rather than before roasting keeps everything bright and fresh tasting. Lemon juice added before roasting can turn a little bitter in a hot oven.

Recipe Variations

Add some parmesan cheese. A generous sprinkle of parm over the oven roasted green beans adds a salty, nutty richness that is really delicious. This is probably my favorite variation!

Make it a heartier side. Toss in some halved little potatoes with the green beans before roasting for a more substantial side dish. Just make sure to cut them small enough that everything finishes cooking at the same time.

Add some heat. A pinch of red pepper flakes tossed in with the olive oil and salt before roasting adds a gentle kick that works really nicely against the sweetness of the roasted beans and the brightness of the lemon.

Swap the nuts. Not an almond person? Toasted pine nuts or roughly chopped walnuts both work beautifully here and give you a similar crunch and nuttiness.

Serving Suggestions

These oven roasted green beans are one of those sides that genuinely goes with everything. Here are a couple of combinations I love:

With a holiday roast. These are a natural alongside a big centerpiece dish like this top round roast beef, roast chicken, or this pork tenderloin with apples and onions.

As part of a weeknight dinner. These oven-roasted green beans a perfect pairing for something simple like pan seared salmon, balsamic grilled chicken, or this roasted red pepper chicken. Oh and I looooove them with this baked chicken with lemon and thyme, which mirrors the flavorings in these beans.

On a holiday vegetable spread. Pair them alongside my roasted root vegetables and some roasted brussels sprouts for a really beautiful, colorful vegetable spread that can mostly be done ahead of time.

Storage Tips

Let the oven roasted green beans cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. They’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Keep in mind that the almonds will soften a little as they sit, so if you’re making these ahead for a dinner party I’d recommend roasting the green beans in advance and adding the almonds fresh when you reheat.

Leftovers are also great tossed into a salad the next day, or reheated in a hot oven or skillet for a few minutes to bring some of their crispness back.