Italian Green Beans
With a tasty mix of green beans, Italian dressing, grape tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese, this easy Italian green bean side dish is a great fit for any occasion.
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Table of Contents
- About Italian Green Beans
- What’s in Italian green beans?
- Can you use frozen green beans?
- Can you use canned or pre-cooked green beans?
- Should you shred your own cheese?
- Can you make Italian green beans in advance?
- How long are Italian green beans good for?
- Can you freeze Italian green beans?
- Notes & tips for Italian green beans
- More delicious side dishes
- How to make Italian green beans
- Recipe Details
About Italian Green Beans
Quick, easy, and flavorful, this Italian green bean side dish is a great fit for weeknight dinners to fancy holiday spreads.
What’s in Italian green beans?
- Green beans – The star of the show! Tender veggies with an oh-so-slight crunch.
- Italian seasoning and Italian dressing – Creates the sauce that gives this side dish its namesake flavor.
- Grape tomatoes – For a pop of color and their trademark tart and tangy flavor. These can either be baked with the green beans or added after baking.
- Parmesan cheese – Because cheese always pairs well with vegetables.
Can you use frozen green beans?
Yes, you can, but be sure to thaw, rinse, and pat the green beans dry before using.
Can you use canned or pre-cooked green beans?
Unlike frozen green beans, canned green beans are stored in liquid and have (most likely) already been cooked, giving them a significantly softer texture. Because of this, I can’t recommend using canned green beans in this recipe; they would fall apart and/or become mushy.
Should you shred your own cheese?
Using pre-shredded cheese is extremely convenient, but it contains some preservatives (such as potato starch) that help keep the shredded cheese separated in the bag. And while this is great for grabbing a quick pinch of shredded cheese, it will also cause the melted cheese to appear lumpy or harden faster than it normally should.
So if you’re a cheese lover like me and want the creamiest experience possible for your side dish, I highly recommend shredding a block of Parmesan. It’s a bit more work, but the improved consistency is worth the effort.
Can you make Italian green beans in advance?
Certainly!
Follow the recipe instructions up to mixing the green beans, Itlaian seasoning, and Italian dressing. From there, cover the baking dish and store it (and any other prepared ingredients, such as the tomatoes, placed in separate containers) in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.
When ready to serve, allow the ingredients to come to room temperature on the counter for 30 minutes, then follow the rest of the recipe instructions as written.
How long are Italian green beans good for?
Once prepared and cooled, Italian green beans can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three to five days.
Can you freeze Italian green beans?
This dish can be frozen, but keep in mind that the green beans will become softer and the tomatoes may break down (fall apart) during the freezing and thawing process. If this doesn’t bother you, then feel free to store any leftovers in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 8 to 12 months.
Notes & tips for Italian green beans
- When serving, have the bottle of Italian dressing on the table in case someone needs more.
- If you’d prefer the tomatoes to be uncooked and firm, bake the green beans on their own for 15 minutes and then toss in the grape tomatoes after it’s out of the oven.
More delicious side dishes
How to make Italian green beans
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, then toss in the following ingredients: green beans, Italian dressing, and Italian seasoning. Gently mix everything together.
Step 2 – Bake!
Step 3 – Remove the baking dish from the oven and add the grape tomatoes. If you’d like, gently mix the tomatoes in so they’re evenly dispersed.
Step 4 – Bake again!
Step 5 – Garnish the top with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Step 6 – Serve and enjoy!
Italian Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Add green beans, Italian seasoning, and Italian dressing to baking dish, then gently toss to coat.1 pound green beans, 1/4 cup Italian dressing, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove baking dish from oven and add grape tomatoes, gently mixing to distribute evenly.2 cups grape tomatoes
- Return dish to oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until tomatoes are cooked and green beans are tender.
- Serve immediately with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top (optional).2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
Nutrition
I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.
