Name: Easy Roasted Green Beans
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound green beans; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ teaspoon sugar; ½ teaspoon table salt; ⅛ teaspoon pepper; Lemon wedges for serving

Why This Recipe Works

These roasted green beans are a quick and easy side dish for family dinner. Adding just ¼ teaspoon of sugar to the seasoning encourages the beans to brown as they bake, but won’t make them taste sweet. (Plus, browned food is just more delicious!) We use a two-step cooking method in this recipe: First, we bake the green beans on a baking sheet tightly covered with foil so they steam and turn tender. Then, we remove the foil for the last few minutes of baking, which encourages the beans to brown. In step 5, remove a green bean or two when you remove the foil. Have kids taste those steamed beans alongside the browned beans. Do they notice any difference?

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

Line up several green beans on cutting board and cut off tough ends. Do same thing on other end of beans. Repeat trimming remaining green beans in small batches.

On rimmed baking sheet, toss together green beans, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Spread green beans into even layer on baking sheet. Cover baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil.

Place baking sheet in oven and roast green beans for 10 minutes. Use oven mitts to remove baking sheet from oven and place on cooling rack (ask an adult for help).

Ask an adult to carefully remove foil from baking sheet. Use oven mitts to return baking sheet to oven. Roast, uncovered, until green beans are spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Use oven mitts to remove baking sheet from oven and place on cooling rack (ask an adult for help). Serve with lemon wedges.