Crispy Beans

My parents went on a trip this past weekend and my mom hit up the health food store before they left for some snacks to take in the car with them.  She told me about these crispy green beans that were so delicious.  They were baked until crunchy, sort of like a potato chip.  I asked her what was in them and she read me the ingredient list that included canola oil, salt and a handful of other ingredients I didn't recognize.  I told her I bet I could make them.

As things would turn out, a couple of days later I spent all morning picking green beans in our garden.  I canned all of our blue lakes, but I had a bunch of the hericots verts that I didn't feel like cooking for supper and didn't have everything I needed to pickle them.  Then I remembered my mom's crispy beans. I figured I would take a shot at recreating the health food store version that my mom picked up.  I am SO glad I did.  I think we have a new favorite in our house - and they couldn't be easier.

Crispy Beans


fresh green beans (I think a slender bean would turn out best, but haven't tried the thicker variety.)
olive oil
salt (I used sea salt.)

Snap the ends off of the beans and give them a good rinse and dry.  Place them in a bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to cover.  Toss to coat.  Lay on a cookie sheet or two, depending on how many beans you have.  Sprinkle with salt.  Place them in a 200 degree oven until no longer chewy, but crispy.  This will take about 6 - 8 hours.  The key to these beans is to cook them low and slow to basically dehydrate them without burning them.  The best way to go about this would be to stick them in the oven in the morning and let them cook all day - or stick them in the oven before bed and let them cook all night.  Don't let the length of time in the oven keep you from trying these.  The temp is extremely low and you don't even have to flip them over.

The nice thing about these crispy beans are that they only have 3 ingredients, no preservatives and your kids will love them.  I don't know about you, but I would much rather see my kiddo reaching for a green bean than a gold fish.  These are ridiculously inexpensive (especially if you have a garden) and take all of 5 minutes to prepare.  Once they're in the oven you barely have to think about them.

Just a word of caution though, these are very addicting.  They didn't stick around long at our house.  I've made 2 batches of these, so far, upon request.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love having a garden?  :0)

Pam