Healthy Air Fryer Garlic Green Beans with Fresh Lemon Zest
Crisp, snappy green beans tossed with fresh garlic, olive oil, and bright lemon zest, then air fried to perfection for a healthy, flavorful side dish. Ready in under 15 minutes, this easy recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and can be made vegan.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- Zest from 1 medium lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Optional: 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Optional: 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- Optional: 2 tablespoons toasted almonds or pine nuts
Instructions
- Wash and trim green beans. Pat dry thoroughly.
- Peel and finely mince garlic cloves (or use garlic powder).
- In a large mixing bowl, toss green beans with olive oil, minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes until evenly coated.
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes.
- Zest lemon using a microplane or fine grater; set zest aside.
- Transfer beans to air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 8-10 minutes, shaking basket halfway through. For extra crispiness, add 2 more minutes.
- Transfer cooked beans back to bowl. Immediately sprinkle with lemon zest and, if desired, Parmesan or toasted nuts. Toss gently.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra lemon zest and flaky salt if desired.
Notes
For best results, dry beans thoroughly before air frying and avoid overcrowding the basket. Add lemon zest after cooking for maximum flavor. Recipe is easily doubled—just cook in batches. For vegan, skip Parmesan or use nutritional yeast. Leftovers are great cold in salads or reheated in the air fryer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup (100 g)
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 2
Keywords: air fryer green beans, garlic green beans, lemon zest green beans, healthy side dish, vegetarian, gluten-free, easy air fryer recipe, quick vegetable side