Charred Green Beans with Pecorino Cheese

I don't know about you but green beans are actually one of my favorite vegetables. The secret? Roasting them! Or in this case, broiling them. Long enough to get them soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Enter Charred Green Beans with Pecorino Cheese.

What is Pecorino Romano cheese?

Pecorino is hard crumbly salty Italian sheep cheese usually grated just like parmesan. Pecorino and Parmesan are pretty much interchangeable. I try to avoid cow's dairy which is why I'm opting for Pecorino cheese in this recipe. To be honest, I actually prefer goat's and sheep's milk cheese over cow's. Pecorino goes so well with the green beans and the balsamic glaze here.

What is balsamic glaze (reduction)?

I'm using balsamic glaze, NOT balsamic vinegar in this recipe. Balsamic glaze, also called balsamic reduction, is a thick and sticky dark sauce. It's simply cooked down balsamic vinegar. You can buy it at the grocery store or make it at home. There are a bunch of recipes online, some of them call for maple syrup or sweetener of some kind, and although it helps it to cook quicker and adds extra flavor and sweetness, it's not necessary. All you need is balsamic vinegar. I usually use store-bought balsamic glaze I buy at Wholefoods with no sugar or additives because it just makes my life easier. I put it on anything and everything so it just makes it much more convenient to always have it on hand. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it! Don't skip it in this recipe! It's the best part! Well, along with the cheese, duh.

How to make Charred Green Beans

It's super easy! Preheat your oven broiler. Wash the beans, chop off the ends and chop them into bite-sized pieces (I cut them into thirds). Transfer to a baking sheet or a shallow baking dish, drizzle with avocado oil (or any other high heat cooking oil), sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and pepper, and toss. Broil for 10-20 minutes (the cooking time varies based on how strong your broiler is. You just want them to be soft on the inside and crispy and charred on the edges. Take them out of the oven, drizzle with the delicious balsamic glaze and sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese. That's it! These green beans are delicious both hot right out of the oven or cold on a salad or as is as a snack.

Want to make this dish vegan? Simply sprinkle the green beans with nutritional yeast when you take them out of the oven instead of the pecorino.

Looking for another simple green bean recipe? Try these Sauteed Mushroom with Green Beans.

Charred Green Beans with Pecorino Cheese

• Author: Veronika | thehealthfulideas
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2-4 1x
• Category: Side
• Method: Broiled
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Charred green beans, balsamic glaze, garlic, and grated pecorino cheese. A delicious side dish for any meal! I love using these as a topping on salads. Delicious both hot and cold!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb Green beans (about 5 cups chopped)
• 1 tbsp Avocado oil 
• 1 ½ Tsp Garlic powder
• 1 Tsp Onion powder
• Sea salt and pepper
• 2-4 tablespoon Balsamic glaze (or to taste)
• ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

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Instructions

1. Start by preheating your broiler. Cut off both ends of the beans and chop into thirds (or bite-sized pieces) and transfer them to a shallow baking dish. Drizzle with the avocado oil and balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
2. Broil on the upper rack for 10-20 minutes depending on the strength of your broiler. Keep a close eye on the beans, the broiler is strong and the beans could burn in a matter of seconds. 
3. Take the green beans out of the oven, drizzle with the balsamic glaze, and sprinkle them with the grated cheese (save some for the cheese for serving). Enjoy!

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Notes

• Prep tip: chop the green beans into bite-sized pieces before broiling to make them easier to eat if you're adding them to a salad.
• Vegan option: substitute the pecorino cheese for 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Keywords: green beans, pecorino, cheese, balsamic glaze