Steaming green beans in the microwave is one of the easiest ways to prepare them and cacio e pepe is one of the tastiest ways to dress them!

With fresh green beans and a microwave, you can easily whip up a batch of cacio e pepe green beans in minutes! In this simple side dish, fresh green beans are steamed in the microwave until tender-crisp, while the cacio e pepe toppings take the beans to the next tasty level.

Cacio e pepe simply means cheese and pepper in Italian. Cacio e pepe is typically made with freshly grated pecorino romano, but you can easily substitute freshly grated parmesan. The sharp, rich cheese is paired with freshly ground pepper for a little spice and heat. We also dress the green beans with butter and a few squeezes of fresh lemon, which ties everything together so well.

Steaming green beans in the microwave is ideal on busy weeknights since it allows you to get a vegetable side dish on the table in minutes. Plus, steaming green beans in the microwave is just as healthy, if not healthier, than other ways of cooking since the beans retain most of their nutrients.

Key Ingredients

Fresh green beans: We get the fresh green beans in the produce aisle. We recommend organic if you can get. If you get haricots verts (French green beans), they're typically skinnier and longer, so they'll require less time in the microwave (we recommend checking for doneness at 2 minutes and heating to the preferred tenderness from there).

Freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese: Cacio e pepe is typically made with freshly grated pecorino romano, but you can easily substitute freshly grated parmesan. Pecorino is a softer, younger and brighter cheese than parmesan. But parmesan works just as well in this recipe. Note that freshly grated cheese makes all the difference in this recipe (as oppose to pre-grated cheese at store)!

Freshly grinded black pepper: We strongly recommend freshly grinded black pepper in this recipe since it creates a stronger, fresher flavor than pre-ground black pepper.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice brightens up this dish, and we highly recommend it!

Step-by-Step Directions

STEP 1: Rinse green beans and trim off the ends. Place trimmed green beans in a microwave-safe bowl. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of bowl, about 2 tablespoons

STEP 2: Cover bowl with a plate and microwave for 4 minutes. Carefully remove bowl from microwave and test beans for doneness. The beans should be tender but slightly crisp. If they need more time, cook for an additional minute and test for doneness. Repeat if necessary. When done, carefully remove plate and drain water from bowl.
Please note that cooking times may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave or the thickness of the green beans. In our microwave, the beans are typically done in 5 minutes.

STEP 3: Add a tablespoon of butter, grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, freshly grinded pepper and salt to the steamed green beans. Toss to coat. Add a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice (about a tablespoon). Serve immediately.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover green beans in a covered container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Simply heat the green beans in the microwave until warm, about a minute or so.

More Microwave Veggies

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

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