Smoked Green Beans Recipe: 3 Tips for Smoking Green Beans

Smoked green beans is a BBQ-inspired preparation of green beans, involving cooking these legumes over indirect heat in a wood pellet grill, charcoal grill, or electric smoker until they’re tender. Smoking is the process of exposing food to smoke to cook them and add flavor. It’s one of the oldest cooking techniques, likely developed right after cooking with fire.

Green beans differ from other beans because you cook them in their bean pods. You can steam or blanch green beans to retain their color and nutrients, sauté them in olive oil and lemon juice, or grill them for the ideal BBQ side dish. However, smoking green beans over wood chips infuses them with a pleasing smoky flavor.

Grillers and smokers of all levels can successfully create delicious smoked green beans. Follow these tips to smoke green beans.

1. 1. Experiment with seasonings. You can easily customize smoked green beans to include the seasonings, toppings, and added proteins of your choice. Sprinkle the beans with your favorite spices (like garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, and more), or add cubed pancetta to the beans before smoking. Top the green beans with fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, grated Parmesan cheese, or red pepper flakes before serving.
2. 2. Switch up the wood chips. If you’re using a wood pellet smoker, experiment with different varieties of wood chips to achieve variations in smoke flavor. Fruitier woods, like applewood and cherrywood, will infuse the veggies with a milder flavor; more intense options, like hickory, pecan, and mesquite, will result in a more distinct smoky taste. Learn more about smoking woods.
3. 3. Store properly. To store leftover smoked green beans, allow them to cool to room temperature before storing th

Smoked green beans complement a wide variety of main dishes, or you can enjoy them as a vegetarian main dish. Serve smoked green beans alongside a BBQ spread of brisket, pulled pork, and BBQ chicken, or stewed or braised ham hocks.

Before you serve a pan of freshly smoked green beans, garnish them with cheeses like grated Parmesan, crumbled feta, or cotija for different savory flavor combinations. Alternatively, top the beans with fresh lemon juice or chopped herbs (like parsley, dill, or cilantro) for a burst of freshness.