Roasted Green Beans With Pancetta and Lemon Zest Recipe (2024)

Maybe it's just me, but Step 1 seems unclear. Do you mix the green beans and pancetta together first then spread the mix onto 2 different sheet pans? Or spread the green beans on one sheet pan and the pancetta separately on the other?

You will need 2 sheet pans for the amount of string beans. The mixture of beans and pancetta will be divided among pans. You do not want to crowd the beans, as they will not roast properly. Separate them from each other, to brown.. if crowded, they will be mushy instead.

Would it not be simpler to sauté the pancetta and then toss the beans into the same pan?

I tossed half of the lemon zest with the green beans before roasting to really infuse the flavor. Sautéing the pancetta on the stovetop allowed me to manage the amount of fat in the dish, tossing the crispy pancetta with the the rest of the zest, the lemon juice and parsley right before serving! Absolutely fantastic, a new staple!

Prepared as written. Very good, and I’m especially glad I didn’t leave out the lemon zest and juice. I think cooking all in one pan is convenient, but cooking the pancetta separately, then adding at last wouldn’t sacrifice flavor. Plus the idea is to use just one pan.

• changed ratios a lot--12 oz green beans to 4 ozs pancetta (ate this as a main course over couscous)• added a shallot with beans (roasted in oven), could have doubled• pan-fried pancetta, then quick-fried/browned 3 cloves of garlic in pancetta fat at end--could have doubled the garlic, didn't really taste it• lemon flavor is delicious• too much salt (pancetta was v. salty)--wait until end? or halve it

Works just as well with Asparagus!

I did prepare this recipe and followed everything exactly except I used one sheet pan. It’s quite large so I didn’t have a mushy result. Some of the beans however were a bit tough, so I’m wondering if I should have blanched first. The combination of lemon and pancetta is excellent. Those flavors go together extremely well.

Added some chopped onion and these were absolutely amazing!

Made this as originally written and it was absolutely delicious. I think it’s important to roast the pancetta with the beans so that the beans cook in the rendered pancetta fat and take on more of its flavor. Also I think adding the lemon zest at the end rather than before roasting maximizes the brightness of the volatile oils in the zest— and thus their impact on the dish. A keeper to be sure.

Wow, these were amazing! The family fought over them! I didn’t have pancetta, so I chopped up some bacon and fried it up before adding to the green beans. Don’t skip the lemon zest and juice. The flavors work together well. I will probably make this again for Christmas dinner.

Excellent side dish for Thanksgiving and got rave reviews. In order to prep this early I did sauté the pancetta first then added to green beans and roasted about half the required time, set aside to prepare other dishes, and finished off just before mealtime with a final roast in the hot oven. Variation: I added lemon zest before roasting and added some blanched almonds to the pancetta for crunch.

Seems so to me.

I read it as spreading the mix of green beans and pancetta equally onto 2 sheet pans.

Excellent recipe but pancetta makes added salt unnecessary.

Added gnocchi and garlic at the start and a splash of red sauce half way through when rotate the pans.

So. An alternative.... I could not find fresh green beans, so I used brussel sprouts, cut in quarters. No pancetta, so I used thick cut bacon. It was sublime. My new joy is lemon zest and juice with bacon! And with brussel sprouts. So good. Try it!

Prepared as written. Excellent

I accidentally used prosciutto and loved the crispy texture and flavor. Upon realizing my mixup, I tried making the recipe with pancetta and did not like it as well. Going back to prosciutto.

For us vegetarians, what would you substitute for the pancetta? Sun-dried or cherry tomatoes? Red peppers?

I made half the recipe; it served 4 servings. We do like green beans; we used bacon because we had it. The char was tasty.

Tasty. Cooked half recipe for a side with turkey for 6.

I just made this for the first time this evening. Excellent recipe. The only thing I would say is that the pancetta is very salty. I don’t think you really need to add salt, and if you do just a little, I would definitely make this again and again. I used a little less lemon at the end as well.

My beans were nice and fresh, the oven was hot, but after 10 minutes, the beans did not cook and the pancetta lay limply in the pan. The pan wasn’t crowded. I moved them around and left them another 10. Then I put them under the broiler and the pancetta at least was browned and the beans were better. The lemon juice and grated rind made the dish. Next time (?) I’d do pancetta separately.

I recommend roasting beans with pancetta and adding juice and zest afterwards. If the pancetta is placed on the outside of the sheet pan, it will cook faster than the beans and the taste of the pancetta will still permeate the roasting green beans.

Made this as originally written and it was absolutely delicious. I think it’s important to roast the pancetta with the beans so that the beans cook in the rendered pancetta fat and take on more of its flavor. Also I think adding the lemon zest at the end rather than before roasting maximizes the brightness of the volatile oils in the zest— and thus their impact on the dish. A keeper to be sure.

I substituted diced prosciutto for pancetta. I didn't realize my mistake until I was sharing the recipe with a friend. The diced prosciutto gets flavorful and crisp and contrasts well with the lemon. The lemon juice and zest are essential.

How does this recipe reheat? I need to make something ahead of time and reheat it just before the meal begins possibly in the microwave.

Made as directed, was excellent side with chicken marsala. Wegmans here on east coast offers pre-diced pancetta, super convenient. Same technique works great with brussels as well. Honestly this is as easy as boiling or steaming and much more flavor.

Excellent as written. The best roasted green beans I have tasted. I think it's important to roast the beans and pancetta together -- flavors mingle. And I agree that the lemon juice and zest at the end make the dish special.