Roasted Green Beans With Pancetta and Lemon Zest

By Lidey Heuck

Roasted Green Beans With Pancetta and Lemon Zest
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(999)
Comments
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This simple, bright green bean dish is as welcome alongside weeknight salmon as it is a Thanksgiving turkey. Green beans are delicious roasted at a high temperature and take just 15 minutes to cook, which particularly important on Thanksgiving when oven space is precious. Trim the green beans ahead of time, and this dish will come together in a flash. Many grocery stores sell packages of diced pancetta, a shortcut that makes this recipe a cinch. If you’re dicing the pancetta yourself, make sure to chop it very finely so it roasts in time with the green beans. (This recipe is easily halved: Simply cut the quantities in half and roast all the green beans on one sheet pan. The cooking time will remain the same.)

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Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings
  • 2½pounds green beans, trimmed
  • 1(4-ounce) package diced pancetta
  • 4tablespoons olive oil
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1teaspoon black pepper
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

131 calories; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 281 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees and position the oven racks in the lower and top thirds of the oven. Divide the green beans and pancetta evenly between two sheet pans. Drizzle each sheet pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss well, and roast for 10 minutes. Toss, switch racks, and roast for 5 to 10 more minutes, until cooked to your liking.

  2. Step 2

    Sprinkle with the lemon juice. Season with salt to taste, toss, and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the lemon zest and serve hot or warm.

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4 out of 5
999 user ratings
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Comments

STH

Maybe it's just me, but Step 1 seems unclear. Do you mix the green beans and pancetta together first then spread the mix onto 2 different sheet pans? Or spread the green beans on one sheet pan and the pancetta separately on the other?

Sndym

You will need 2 sheet pans for the amount of string beans. The mixture of beans and pancetta will be divided among pans. You do not want to crowd the beans, as they will not roast properly. Separate them from each other, to brown.. if crowded, they will be mushy instead.

Anne

Would it not be simpler to sauté the pancetta and then toss the beans into the same pan?

Kali

This recipe is now a requested holiday tradition in my home with one caveat. Instead of pancetta, I use proscuitto. I tried the pancetta once, but it wasn't nearly as tasty as the pancetta which crisps up deliciously. Yesterday's Christmas dinner was elevated due to this simple dish. The lemon zest and bit of juice creates a nice contrast with the crispy salty proscuitto.

Kali

This recipe is now a requested holiday tradition in my home with one caveat. Instead of pancetta, I use proscuitto. I tried the pancetta once, but it wasn't nearly as tasty as the prosciutto which crisps up deliciously. Yesterday's Christmas dinner was elevated due to this simple dish. The lemon zest and bit of juice creates a nice contrast with the crispy salty proscuitto.

LO

Made this for Thaknsgiving. Simple and delicious. I doubled the pancetta, crisped it in a pan and added it to the beans at the end.

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