Roasted Green Beans with Cranberries and Walnuts
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Roasted green beans with tart cranberries and crunchy walnuts make the perfect simple yet elegant holiday side dish.
If you’ve never tried roasted green beans, you’re in for a real treat. Unlike boiled green beans that can be bland and squeaky, roasting brings out their natural sweetness and gives them a tender, caramelized flavor. In this version, dried cranberries add a pop of color and tart-sweetness, while walnuts bring a savory crunch. It’s a simple yet elegant side dish, perfect for the holidays.
What You’ll Need To Make Roasted Green beans with Cranberries & Walnuts
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by toasting the walnuts.
While the walnuts toast, rehydrate the cranberries: Place the cranberries in a small heat-proof bowl.
Cover with boiling water and let sit until the green beans are cooked.
To roast the green beans, line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Toss the green beans with the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and sugar directly on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast the beans for 15 minutes, then stir with a spatula to promote even cooking. Continue roasting until beans are tender, slightly browned and just starting to shrivel, about 10 minutes more.
Add lemon zest, lemon juice, drained cranberries, and walnuts.
Toss well.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.
You May Also Like
Roasted Green Beans with Cranberries & Walnuts
Roasted green beans with tart cranberries and crunchy walnuts make the perfect simple yet elegant holiday side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans, stem ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced into quarters
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from one lemon
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, from one lemon
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the walnuts on the prepared baking sheet and bake until until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the nuts so they don't burn. When cool enough to handle, transfer the nuts to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Place the foil back on the baking sheet (you'll use it for the green beans) and increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
- Place the cranberries in a small heatproof bowl. Cover the cranberries with boiling water and set aside.
- Directly on the foil-lined baking sheet, use a rubber spatula to toss the green beans with the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar. Roast the green beans for 15 minutes, then stir with a spatula to promote even cooking. Continue roasting until the beans are tender, slightly browned and just starting to shrivel, about 10 minutes more.
- Drain the cranberries.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, drained cranberries, and toasted walnuts to the green beans. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 104
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 301 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This is what I love about your blog & recipes … made this last night for a houseful of people, 1st time and it was a star! Your instructions, photos & hints make for a no-fail dish on the very first time. Great recipes, great stories, great pics … when’s the cook book coming out???
These received rave reviews at the Thanksgiving table last night. I think it took me almost 10 mins extra to get them tender. I’m sure this will be on our Thanksgiving table again next year!
Elizabeth, These would be fine made ahead of time and you can reheat them in the microwave. Hope you enjoy!
So if I wanted to make this for thanksgiving, could I roast the green beans ahead of time? How would you suggest reheating them? Oven, stove top, microwave?
I had to make this dish and it was fabulous. The tiny bit of sugar and then, the lemon juice, just made these beans pop with flavor! Of course, roasting them was also key. I just made them for myself. I am home alone this weekend and like I said, just had to make them, and couldn’t wait for Thanksgiving. I have already forwarded the recipe to at least 4 friends. Thank you again for another simple, tasty recipe and may you and your family have a safe, and delicious Thanksgiving!
Made these the other night and they were delicious. Even my kids loved them. Thank you and look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Beautiful – and it looks so easy! I’ll have to incorporate this into my holiday menu. 🙂
That looks so pretty!!! 🙂 Yum…
The beans were so tasty. I made them last night and the family loved them. I didn’t have dried cranberries and used frozen ones instead – delicious. Thanks for your blog. Every recipe I have made, my family has truly enjoyed. Keep coming up with great recipes.
Looks yummy. Just in time for a new Thanksgiving idea 🙂