Rosemary Green Beans with Walnuts

These rosemary green beans with walnuts have a wonderful roasted flavor, take only 27 minutes to prepare, and require only five ingredients. Using an oven-roasted method, the walnuts become golden, fragrant, and toasted, and the beans’ flavor intensifies while they take on some color from the roasting process. Vegan and gluten-free, these beans don’t include any animal or wheat products, instead relying solely on fresh green beans, walnuts, rosemary, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Although they are simple enough to make on a weeknight, they are equally wonderful for Thanksgiving dinner with the piney taste of fresh rosemary.

In April 2026, a reader named Nancy said, “My all-time favorite green bean recipe! The walnuts and rosemary are such an awesome combination of flavors!” Make sure that you comment and rate the recipe if you try it!

The Origins of These Rosemary Green Beans With Walnuts

In our house, green beans or cooked green vegetables often take the place of a salad, especially in winter when it’s cold outside and we are all craving warm foods.

It started on a busy weeknight. I had a bag of fresh green beans, a sprig of rosemary on the windowsill, a handful of walnuts in the pantry, and no time to chop a big salad. So I tossed everything on a sheet pan and slid it into a very hot oven.

Fifteen minutes later, the kitchen smelled incredible. Woodsy rosemary. Toasty walnuts. Green beans blistered and caramelized in spots. We ate them straight off the pan.

That simple tray of green beans has become one of our most-made sides. On weeknights, it’s the fresh green companion to dinner. And at the holidays, it earns a proud spot right next to the mashed potatoes.

It’s the dish I make when the oven is crowded, and the stovetop is full. It needs almost no attention, and it brings something bright, green, and crunchy to a table full of rich, cozy dishes.

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones you come back to again and again.

Why do I like roasted string beans? Steamed green beans are nice. Roasted green beans are irresistible. The hot oven concentrates their flavor, adds golden, browned spots, and gives them a tender bite with a little chew. No more limp, watery beans!

Ingredients and Substitutions

These Thanksgiving green beans only need a handful of ingredients, making them easy to pull together quickly. Here are the key ingredients you will need to make these walnut green beans:

• Green beans – Fresh green beans are the star of this dish, and they will gain some color and caramelized flavor in the oven.
• Walnuts – Walnuts toast up and become fragrant in the oven. However, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios all work beautifully in this dish as well. For a nut-free version, try pumpkin seeds.
• Fresh rosemary – A key flavor note in these roasted green beans, fresh rosemary gives the beans a fresh, piney taste. If you would prefer to use dried rosemary, use about 1 ½ teaspoons, crumbled between your fingers to release its flavor.
• Olive oil – Olive oil coats the beans, helping them cook in the oven without drying out.

How to Roast Green Beans with Rosemary and Walnuts

This recipe is great to use for your Thanksgiving green beans because they come together so quickly and require minimal chopping and prep. Here are all the steps to making this vegetable side dish:

1. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, toss the green beans with the walnuts, rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper until combined.
3. Spread the green beans on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer, and roast them, while stirring occasionally, until they are tender and have some brown spots, about 15 to 17 minutes.
4. Serve immediately.

Tips for Roasting Green Beans

Despite the simplicity of these rosemary green beans, there are some things to consider to ensure that the beans roast properly and the walnuts don’t burn. Here are some tips to help you make the best green beans ever:

• Do not use frozen beans for this recipe. They won’t color up as well and will have a softer texture.
• Dry the beans well. Moisture will make them steam instead of roast.
• Don’t crowd the pan. A single layer with a little space gives you those golden, blistered spots.
• Use fresh rosemary. Its flavor is brighter and more aromatic than that of dried.
• Watch the walnuts. Ovens vary. If your walnuts brown too quickly, add them for the last 5 to 8 minutes instead.
• Serve right away. Roasted green beans are at their crispiest when served straight from the oven.

Variations

These green beans are wonderful as they are, but you can also change them up easily to make them all your own. Here are some ideas for some variations:

• Use Another Type of Nut: Any nut that you enjoy will work well in this recipe in place of the walnuts, including pistachios, almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts.
• Make Them Nut-Free: Try replacing the walnuts with pumpkin seeds if you need a nut-free dish for the Thanksgiving table. They will add beautiful crunch along with an earthy taste.
• Add Candied Pecans: These Vegan Candied Pecans are sweet and crunchy and are coated in a mixture of maple sugar, sugar, and molasses. Since they are already roasted, you can toss them with the hot beans at the end of the cooking time and omit the walnuts.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

Leftover green beans store well in the fridge. Simply store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Then, when you are ready to reheat them for serving, you can warm them in a hot oven or skillet for a few minutes to bring back the crispness. The microwave works too, but they’ll be softer.

Prepping Ahead

If you would like to do some advance prep for this green bean dish, but don’t want to cook the entire dish ahead, here are some ways you can do it.

• Trim the green beans and store them in a bag in the fridge, wrapped in a paper towel. Trimmed beans can stay in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
• Chop the walnuts and rosemary, and keep them in separate containers on the kitchen counter or in the pantry – nuts and rosemary do not need to be refrigerated.
• On the day of, while you are making dinner, toss everything together and roast the bean mixture while the main dish rests. The beans will be ready in about 15 minutes.

What to Serve the Beans With

If you want to round out your Thanksgiving meal or are simply looking for some other side dishes to have on a weeknight, you will enjoy my Vegan Mashed Potatoes with Brussels Sprouts. My Tangy Brussels Sprouts recipe is another great option if you want to serve another hot vegetable with your meal.

 

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Related

For other vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes or green bean dishes, you may be interested in these:

• Green Bean and Potato Stir Fry
• Green Beans With Coconut