Green beans with some style. This recipe gives these fiber-rich string beans a new look and flavor as a side dish for an easy weeknight dinner or a bountiful holiday feast. Tossing crisp, tender green beans with toasted parmesan breadcrumbs is the vibe. Cheese and bread just make everything better, don’t they? It comes together in less than 15 minutes and is a total game-changer to the boring old green bean. Amp up your veggies in style with this one!

When it comes to purchasing green beans, I don’t mind fresh or frozen. I do have an aversion to canned green beans. I understand the utility of having the beans cut and cooked, but the flavor suffers because of this. It’s the same way I feel about jarred garlic. Utility, but the flavor suffers. Frozen green beans are always in my freezer for an easy weeknight recipe like this one, and I use fresh green beans for a special occasion or holiday. They just look prettier fresh.

Growing up with a Mom and grandma who just loved the taste of overcooked green beans, let me be the first to say, don’t do it! Having a snap to your green bean is what makes them so delicious in the first place.

My perfect method for doing this is boiling your beans for exactly four minutes in salted water. Immediately submerge the beans in cold water or just run them directly under the faucet.

Once your beans are cooked, set them aside and let’s make the breadcrumbs. This is my go-to breadcrumb recipe, whether it’s for a baked Mac and cheese or for stuffing an artichoke. For a personal touch, I added some dried Italian herbs to give the cheesy crumbs some extra flavor. When you’re cooking the breadcrumbs and add the cheese, the cheese may start to clump up. Use the wooden spoon to break up the clumps.

Trust me that these are such an upgrade to green beans. Add some meat to these and make it a perfect dinner for any week.