Not gonna lie, my favorite appetizer ever is probably TGI Friday’s green bean fries. We’ve given them a few healthier modifications to turn them into these Crispy Baked Green Bean Fries. It’s the best of both worlds! Now you can enjoy one of your favorite snacks, without any eater’s remorse.
Have you ever had the opposite of a picky eater?
A kid who from the get-go has eaten their greens and loved them too? I’m talking one of their first foods being salad, and the less dressing the better.
Son # 4 would eat green beans like they were French fries. Something I, obviously, encouraged.
And then I got to thinking, why not? Let’s just roll with that.
Weve made the tried and true green bean ‘fries’ that are battered and fried, and they’re so good.
But they’re not a super great alternative to every kids all-time favorite finger food, the French fry.
But, again, were rolling with it.
We swapped the heavy batter for a light breading. We kept the French in our fry by using some fresh, crisp French beans.
And in lou of a deep fry, we used a much healthier egg wash and light breading before baking them to stiff, crisp ‘fried’ perfection.
With this you can ditch the guilt and totally give in to your (kids) craving. And you can feel good about it too.
If you’ve tried these CRISPY BAKED GREEN BEANS FRIES. or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Crispy, Oven Baked Green Bean Fries
Ingredients
- 1 cup Panko or regular, bread crumbs (panko will yeild a more sparse coating, but a crispier texture)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 lbs green beans trimmed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the pinch of cayenne. Stir them together until evenly incorporated. Stir in salt and pepper, to taste, and set the bowl aside.
- Spread the flour out onto a plate, and have the eggs in a s eperate work bowl. Working in batches, dredge the beans in the flour, then dip them into eggs. Use a slotted spoon, or a fork, to remove the beasn from the egg and allow any excess yolk to drain away, then dredge the beans in the bread coating, gently tossing them and pressing them if need be, to coat.
- Transfer the prepared beans onto a baking sheet lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, into a single layer. Bake the beans at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve immediately.
Other Healthy Snack & Appetizer Alternatives You Might Enjoy:
Carlee says
What a great idea! My little one isn’t too into green beans, but maybe if I let him eat them like fries and gave him something to dip them in he’d enjoy them more. It might be worth a try!
4sonsrus says
You know those total Mom moments when necessity is the mother of invention, that’s where great recipes like this are born.
Michele @ Alwayzbakin says
Meaghan, these green bean fries sound SO good! My two older kids have always eaten veggies, but sadly, my youngest will not eat ANY. Maybe I can get him to try these!
4sonsrus says
Our second son went through a (several year) stage where he tried to subsist entirely on macaroni & cheese, hotdogs, and spaghetti and meatballs. Oh the wars I have waged over veggies! Keep fighting the good fight Michele, you will persevere, and yes for those times when you can’t beat em, and you can’t join em… There’s compromises like green bean fries.
Lily says
What a simple and delicious recipe for green beans. I like that they are crispy which just might win my kids over. Thanks for sharing and happy FF!
4sonsrus says
I’ve found that a crispy coating can soothe many things, including my boys when they’re in a particularly picky mood. Hope this recipe helps, and thank you.
Judith Graber says
I’ve seen this recipe before and like the idea that they are baked. A favorite veggie that I’m afraid I would have a hard time to quit eating, especially with a good dip! Happy FF!
mary schepers says
are you using fresh green beans, can you use frozen?
4sonsrus says
For this recipe I’ve always used fresh, Mary.
Katie Miller says
Loved these! I made them w/o the flour last time but this time I followed ur recipe and they were even better. Thanks for sharing!
4sonsrus says
The flour does make all the difference for me. It helps everything ‘stick’ better ensuring more crispy, crunchy goodness- which is always a win 🙂
Michelle says
Loved this recipe! I used one can of green beans instead of fresh. Loved the crunch!
Leena says
Was going to make these tonight…..would it make a difference if I baked these beans on a wire rack on top of the baking sheet? I always worry about it getting soggy. Thanks!