Frozen veggies can be an easy, convenient side dish. Here's a simple recipe and helpful tips that show you the best way to roast frozen roasted green beans in the oven.
Before writing this recipe, I tried all of the frozen green bean recipes out there (and ate a lot of green beans) so I could test the absolute best way to cook frozen green beans in the oven.
Keeping your freezer stocked with frozen vegetables makes it easier to get veggies on the table for busy weeknight dinners. Frozen vegetables are an easy side dish, healthy and affordable.
But the question is, what is the best way to cook frozen vegetables? Two easy frozen vegetable recipes that I really like are pasta with frozen mixed vegetables and Instant Pot frozen broccoli. A fantastic side dish is crispy roasted frozen cauliflower with garlicky breadcrumbs.
If you're looking for a recipe that uses frozen green beans, braised Mediterranean green beans are really good!
Frozen vegetables can also be boiled or microwaved, but with these cooking methods flavor is often lacking and the texture can turn soft and mushy. If you'd like a crispier, saltier green bean, then roasting frozen green beans in the oven is a great option.
This simple green bean recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. Baked frozen green beans can be flavored with nothing more than salt and olive oil. Or, you can add more flavor with the serving suggestions below.
Jump to:
Types of Frozen Green Beans
There are four main types of frozen green beans that you will see at the grocery store: whole green beans, cut green beans, haricots verts and French cut green beans.
This recipe for roasted green beans works best with frozen whole green beans.
Frozen whole green beans: These are your typical green bean, often the Blue Lake variety, that are long and fairly thin. The tips are usually trimmed off. Depending on the brand, the green beans might all be long and the same length or there might be a mix of long and short beans. These are the best type of frozen green bean to roast in the oven.
Frozen cut green beans: These are green beans that have been cut into bite-sized pieces. Cut green beans are shorter and fatter than whole green beans. They tend to hold the most water and will have the softest texture when roasted. Cut green beans are better used in soup or stew and don’t roast quite as well. When roasted on a sheet-pan in the oven, the texture will remain a little bit chewy. You can, however, bake cut beans in a baking dish with a generous amount of melted butter or olive oil.
Frozen Haricots verts (also called French green beans): Haricots verts are a French variety of green beans. They are long and very thin. Frozen haricots verts tend to dry out very quickly in the oven.
Frozen French cut green beans: This are green beans that have been thinly sliced into several long, thin strands. They are too thin to roast in the oven and will just shrivel and dry up. The best way to cook frozen French cut green beans is in the microwave or on the stove top.
String beans: This is an outdated name for regular green beans. Fresh green beans use to have long fibrous "strings" that ran down the length of the beans. However, the strings have been bred out of most modern varieties.
How Long to Roast Frozen Green Beans
After roasting close to a dozen pans of frozen green beans, I have found that the ideal cooking time is around 8 - 10 minutes.
When frozen green beans are roasted for 8 to 10 minutes, the beans are defrosted and have a texture that is tender and not overly chewy. They can get slightly crispy as well.
You can roast frozen green beans for a longer amount of time, but watch out - they will quickly become chewy, shriveled and dry.
Keep in mind that different brands of frozen beans cook differently in the oven. Some brands have a tougher texture and it's difficult to roast them and get good results.
How to Cook Frozen Green Beans in the Oven
For the best results, follow these easy steps. Cooking frozen green beans requires very little effort but a few helpful tips will make sure they turn out great.
Step 1: Spread the frozen green beans out on a lined sheet-pan. Leave space between the beans.
Step 2: Roast the beans for 5 minutes in a 400F degree oven. This defrosts the beans and removes the frozen layer of ice.
Step 3: Take the sheet-pans out of the oven and toss the defrosted beans with oil. Season with salt.
Step 4: Roast the green beans 5 minutes more. You can roast longer if you like, but make sure to take the bean out of the oven before they get dry and chewy.
A detailed recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions can be found at the bottom of the post.
Expert Tips
Use parchment or silicone baking mats. Line the sheet-pans with parchment or silicone baking mats. The parchment/silicone will prevent the beans from sticking to the pan.
In some cases (like broccoli) it's best to roast frozen vegetables directly on the sheet-pan. This is because parchment can trap the moisture that frozen beans release and the texture of the frozen vegetables will be soggy. However, for frozen green beans it's best to cover the sheet-pan. Green beans are more likely to burn and stick to the pan and parchment or a baking mats prevent this.
Spread the beans out on the sheet-pan. Leave space between the beans, so the moisture can quickly burn off.
Remove excess ice. If you dump a bag of frozen green beans onto a sheet-pan, there will be pieces of ice that fall onto the sheet-pan as well. Be careful not to dump a lot of loose ice out onto the sheet-pan or there will be too much moisture.
Roast the beans for 5 minutes to defrost, then toss in oil and salt. Oil doesn't absorb well into frozen beans and salt won't stick. It's helpful to roast the beans for 5 minutes to defrost and release moisture, then take the pan out of the oven and toss the beans in oil and salt.
Add More Flavor - Seasoning Frozen Green Beans
You can add more flavor to green beans by seasoning with herbs, spices and condiments.
For more flavor, add one of these ingredients midway through the roasting process when you add the salt and oil:
- Very finely grated parmesan cheese
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes - add a spicy kick
You can also add flavor after the green beans have baked if you add one of these ingredients:
- Lemon juice or grated lemon zest
- Horseradish Aioli (serve on the side with cooked beans)
- Soy sauce
- Balsamic vinegar
- Melted butter
- Freshly chopped dill
- Freshly chopped parsely
- Chopped kalamata olives
Storage and Leftovers
Roasted, frozen green beans taste best if eaten immediately after they are cooked. If you have to store leftover green beans, put the beans in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
Frozen Green Bean FAQ
You will get the best results if you cook frozen whole greens beans, which are longer and thinner. Frozen cut green beans are short and fat and hold more moisture. Cut green beans will always have a softer texture and are best used in recipes like soup, stew and casseroles.
To prevent roasted frozen beans from being mushy, first spread the green beans out evenly on a sheet-pan. Let them roast in a 400F oven for 5 minutes to release moisture and defrost. Then, toss the beans lightly in oil and roast 5 minutes more.
Yes, you can simmer the beans briefly in a saucepan with just a thin layer of water (about ¼ inch), then turn up the heat and let the water cook off. When the pan is nearly dry, add a drizzle of olive oil and saute the green beans briefly to finish. You can also add fresh garlic.
This recipe tends to work best with garlic powder, which evenly coast the beans and doesn't burn. Fresh garlic works well if you are sautéing green beans.
Instead of roasting the green bean on a sheet-pan, you can put the frozen beans in a small baking dish. This works especially well with frozen cut green beans. Add a generous amount of butter or olive and season with salt. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the beans are soft and warm. This will make roasted green beans that have a softer, less crispy texture. However, they are also less likely to dry out.
More Green Bean Recipes
Looking for green bean recipes? Try one of these flavorful recipes.
Frozen Vegetable Recipes
📖 Recipe
Frozen Roasted Green Beans Recipe
Frozen roasted green beans are simple side dish that's really easy to cook, as long as you follow a few helpful tips.
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 3 servings
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce bag frozen whole green beans
- 2 tablespoons oil (vegetable oil, avocado oil or olive oil)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Line two sheet-pans with parchment or silicone baking mats. The parchment/silicone will prevent the beans from sticking to the pan. Using two pans allows for enough space on the pans so the beans aren’t crowded.
- Take the green beans out of the freezer and immediately spread them out evenly in a single layer on two sheet-pans. Be careful not to dump a lot of loose ice out onto the sheet-pan.
- Roast the frozen green beans for 5 minutes.
- Take the sheet-pans out of the oven and toss the defrosted beans with oil. Season with salt. Garlic powder is optional.
- Roast 5 minutes more.
- You can roast the green beans longer if you want but be careful - they can quickly turn shriveled and dry.
- Add more salt to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Frozen Cut Green Beans
Frozen whole green beans roast better than frozen cut green beans, which are smaller and fatter and hold more moisture. If you must roast frozen cut green beans, I've found that it's best to defrost them first to remove some moisture. Put the frozen cut green beans in a large microwave-safe or glass dish filled with 1-inch of water. Microwave for 20 seconds. This will defrost the beans without drying them out. Drain off the water and spread the beans out on a lint-free dish towel. Pat the beans dry. Toss the green beans in oil and season with salt. Spread the beans out on a baking sheet, leaving space between the beans. Roast for 10 minutes. Add more salt to taste. Serve immediately.
What other methods can be used to bake frozen green beans?
Instead of roasting frozen green beans on a sheet-pan, you can put the frozen beans in a small baking dish. Add a generous amount of butter or olive and season with salt. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the beans are soft and warm. This will make roasted green beans that have a softer, less crispy texture. However, they are also less likely to dry out, which is a plus.
Seasoning for Frozen Green Beans
Add more flavor to the green beans with one of these seasonings: very finely grated parmesan cheese, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, Red pepper flakes, freshly chopped dill or parsley, lemon zest or lemon juice.
Jenny Meier says
Love this easy way to make frozen green beans taste good!