For those following a ketogenic lifestyle, finding satisfying snack and side dish options can sometimes be a challenge. These keto fried green beans are a fabulous option if you’re making low carb snacks for a party or low carb side dishes for lunch or dinner. This low carb recipes are insanely crunchy, perfectly salty with a deliciously fresh with a tender veg bite! But worry no more! This recipe delivers a crispy, flavorful, and healthy alternative to traditional fried snacks. These easy Green Bean Fries are the perfect crispy, salty snack! Green Bean fries are a lighter alternative to French fries and are similar to zucchini fries. They are perfectly crispy on the outside, but beautifully tender and full of flavor on the inside. This article explores various methods for creating delicious keto-friendly fried green beans, ensuring a delightful experience for any palate.
Why Keto Fried Green Beans?
Typically, fried green beans are made with flour, which jacks up the carb count. Just ¼ of a cup of white flour equates to 24 grams of carbs! Traditional fried green beans often rely on high-carb coatings like flour, making them unsuitable for a ketogenic diet. This recipe offers a way to enjoy the satisfying crunch of fried food without compromising your low-carb goals. While it’s delicious and fun to dip, it’s also a pretty healthy snack! You get tons of vitamins and minerals from the green beans, and we chose a coating that crisps up without adding a ton of carbs to keep your blood sugar in check. It even works great for a party appetizer.
Key Ingredients for Keto Fried Green Beans
Achieving the perfect keto fried green beans requires a careful selection of low-carb ingredients. Here's a breakdown of the essentials:
- Fresh Green Beans: Do not use frozen. The base of the dish, providing essential vitamins and minerals. Always use fresh green beans when you want to fry them because canned is way too soft. You could use frozen, but you will have to let them thaw first and then wipe them down with a paper towel.
- Almond Flour: A low-carb alternative to wheat flour, forming the base of the crispy coating. Since this is going to become really crunchy, you can use either almond meal or almond flour. Both options work just fine!
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a salty, savory flavor and contributes to the crispy texture when baked or fried. For the parmesan, the grated version in the green can from the grocery store works perfectly as it is very fine and sticks well! Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, off the block, is light-years better than the stuff you’ll find in the big, green can.
- Pork Panko (Crushed Pork Rinds): An alternative to almond flour, offering a super crispy coating with a salty flavor. I’m currently hooked on using crushed pork rinds in recipes. Pork panko breading is easily my favorite low carb and gluten-free coating. Pork panko is simply crushed pork rinds. Since it’s high in fat, you won’t need cooking spray because your food won’t stick to the air fryer basket or trays. You also don’t need to add extra salt, as pork rinds are already quite salty.
- Whey protein isolate (unflavored): This is a fast-digesting keto protein powder derived from milk. (When milk is processed to form cheese or yogurt, the remaining liquid is called whey). This is a handy ingredient to have in your pantry, as it adds structure to low carb recipes.
- Egg: Acts as a binder, helping the coating adhere to the green beans. This is the "wet" part of the breading and helps the rest of the ingredients stick to the green beans.
- Ranch Dressing: This is the wet mixture we use to help the breading stick.
- Seasonings: A blend of spices to enhance the flavor. I used sea salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika. For some heat, you could add some red pepper flakes. Use your favorite spices and change the type of cheese you use. Try it with shredded asiago cheese or parmigiano reggiano. For spices, I used garlic salt, garlic powder, and black pepper, but you could replace those with your favorite all-purpose blend.
- Frying Oil: Should have a high smoke point and mild flavor.
Optional Ingredients:
- Xanthan Gum: A popular food additive that is low carb and used as a thickener and/or stabilizer.
- Lime: this is optional. Absolutely.
Methods for Cooking Keto Fried Green Beans
Air Fryer Method
Air frying offers a healthier alternative to deep frying, achieving a crispy texture with less oil.
- Preparation:
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F. Preheat air fryer to 390°F.
- Trim the ends of the green beans and rinse/dry. Trim the ends of the green beans and rinse/dry.
- Coating:
- Prepare two dipping bowls. Prepare your two dipping bowls. One for the egg wash and the other with all the dry ingredientsOne at a time, dip green beans in the egg wash and then the dry mix.
- One at a time, dip green beans in the egg wash and then the dry mix. When coating the green beans in the egg, use a fork to dip them before transferring to the dry mix. This will help keep your fingers clean,
- Air Frying:
- Place in air fryer in an even layer and spray the beans with cooking spray. Place in air fryer in an even layer and spray the beans with cooking spray.
- At the halfway mark, be sure to shake the basket and spay the tops with cooking spray to help get a crunch texture. Spray the fried with cooking spray before cooking and again when you pull the air fryer basket to shake. This will ensure a nice crispy texture.
- Cook for 8-9 minutes until golden brown. Cook for 8-9 minutes until golden brown.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer. This recipe is for one pound of green beans and in my 4 quart air fryer I need to split it into 2-3 batches to allow for enough room for them to get crispy.
Oven-Baked Method
Baking provides a convenient, hands-off approach to achieving crispy green beans.
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- Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking pans (about 15.5x10.5-inches each) with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil.
- Cover sheet pan in a thin layer of spray oil or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Use foil on your baking sheets. You don't have to line the pans with foil, but I like that it makes cleanup easier.
- Wash green beans and cut off the ends/stems. Wash and trim green beans
- Coating:
- Beat together egg and olive oil in large bowl. Coat green beans in mixture.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.
- Mix remaining ingredients in separate bowl.
- Combine the smoked paprika, salt, Italian seasoning and black pepper to create a seasoning blend. Use half of this blend to season the egg wash.
- On a separate plate (or flat surface) combine the almond flour and parmesan cheese until well-mixed. Use the other half of the seasoning blend to season the flour mixture.
- A few at a time, cover the green beans in the egg wash before dredging in the flour/cheese mixture.
- Baking:
- Pour green beans onto prepared pans and bake about 15 minutes or until crisp. Place green beans on the sheet pan and spray lightly with spray oil.
- Bake green beans for 10 to 12minutes, or until they are golden brown.
- Optional - for additional browning place the pan under the broiler for two minutes.
Pan-Fried Method
Pan-frying delivers a quick and flavorful result, perfect for a small batch.
- Preparation:
- Heat oil to 375 F and line a large plate with paper towels.
- A large pan: for frying the beans.
- Coating:
- In a wide-mouthed bowl, combine unflavored whey protein isolate (3/4 cup), salt (1 teaspoon), xanthan gum (1 teaspoon), and baking powder (2 teaspoons).
- Add the soda water (6 tablespoons) and egg (1). Use a rubber spatula to fully incorporate.
- Frying:
- Working in batches, use tongs to add a handful of green beans (1 pound) to the coating, then into the preheated oil.
- Make sure your oil is hot before adding the green beans, and prep your “station” (the paper towel-lined plate) before cooking, as these cook quickly. Blink and they could burn!
Tips for Achieving Crispy Perfection
- Dry Green Beans Thoroughly: Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Ensure the green beans are completely dry before coating.
- Don't Overcrowd: Whether air frying, baking, or pan-frying, avoid overcrowding the cooking surface. This allows for even cooking and maximum crispness.
- Use High-Quality Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese provides the best flavor and texture.
- Monitor Cooking Time: Keep a close eye on the green beans to prevent burning. Cooking times may vary depending on your equipment.
- Spray with Oil: For air frying and baking, a light spray of oil helps to promote browning and crisping. Lightly spray the breaded fries with cooking spray to help crisp them.
Serving Suggestions
These keto fried green beans are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in numerous ways:
- Dipping Sauces: Pair with keto ranch dressing, garlic parmesan sauce, warm marinara sauce, or low-carb ketchup. I’m not sure ANYTHING goes better with this low carb fried green beans recipe than keto ranch dressing or garlic parmesan sauce! My favorite dip for green bean fries is warm marinara sauce. These green bean french fries are great dipped in a low-carb ketchup, but I prefer low-carb ranch.
- Appetizer: Serve as a crowd-pleasing appetizer at parties or gatherings.
- Side Dish: Complement your favorite keto-friendly main courses, such as grilled chicken, steak, or fish.
- Snack: Enjoy as a satisfying and healthy snack between meals. Try these low carb Crispy Green Bean Fries perfect for a game day snack!
Variations and Experimentation
The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability. Feel free to experiment with different flavors and ingredients to create your own unique version of keto fried green beans:
- Spice it Up: Add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or your favorite Mexican or Asian spices to the coating for a fiery kick. Try out different types of spices: garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion powder, red pepper flakes, Mexican spices, Asian spices, etc.
- Cheese Variations: Explore different types of cheese, such as asiago or parmigiano reggiano, for a unique flavor profile.
- Bean Variations: Use different kinds of beans: try flat beans or snow peas!
Storing and Reheating
- Storing: Cooled leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. If you have leftovers, you can store them in a plastic bag or airtight container in the refrigerator, but try to eat them the same day you make them. They really taste the best fresh out of the oven. The longer they sit in the refrigerator, the soggier they will become.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat these is to get them crisp again, reheat in the air fryer basket at 375 degrees F for 3-5 minutes. If your green beans became a little soggy, you can try to broil them for a few minutes. I prefer to only make as many as I am going to eat since the reheated green beans never taste quite the same.
Addressing Common Concerns
- Can I use frozen green beans? No, you will not get the same crispy texture from frozen. Frozen vegetables contain a ton of moisture, making it difficult for the coating to stick. Also, most frozen veggies have been partially cooked, meaning they won’t come out quite as crisp as fresh green beans would.
- Can I make these ahead of time? Yes, cooled leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3-4 days. To get them crisp, reheat in the air fryer at 375 degrees F for 3-5 minutes. If you close fries in a container while they are still warm, the remaining heat will create condensation, turning the crispy coating into a soggy mess.
- Which is better, the air fryer or the oven? Each method has their pros and cons. The air fryer gets them crispier and cooks them faster, but you likely will have to work in batches as most air fryers are small. The oven can cook a large batch (or 2) at once, but the fries don’t get quite as crispy because there is less air flow. Pick your method based on what works best for you!
Nutritional Information
The net carb count for these crispy green bean fries is about 5.6 per serving according to my nutrition calculator. However, that is assuming that all of the almond flour breading is used, which it usually isn’t. There is normally a bit of the breading mix left over, so in reality these are probably a bit lower, but I am going to quote the high end of the spectrum. Nutritional information will vary based on your whey protein powder. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
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