Looking for a quick and delicious side dish? This Easy Green Bean Recipe with fresh green beans, garlic cloves, and tablespoons of butter is perfect for weeknight dinners! With simple ingredients and fresh flavors, it’s sure to become one of your favorite green bean recipes.
Easy Green Beans are a versatile side dish that can be enjoyed year-round, but they tend to be especially popular during the holiday season. Whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other festive gathering, these flavorful green beans make a delightful addition to any holiday table. Their vibrant color and zesty flavor perfectly complement traditional holiday feasts, earning them a spot as a beloved favorite among family and friends during special occasions. Also try my Croissant Stuffing Recipe and Turkey Stuffing Meatballs.
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🌟 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Delicious Fresh Green Beans: This easy green bean recipe features fresh green beans sautéed with garlic cloves and butter for a simple yet delicious side dish.
- Perfect for Weeknight Dinners: With minimal prep and simple ingredients, this recipe is a great solution for busy weeknight dinners, giving you a flavorful dish in no time.
- One of Your Favorite Green Bean Recipes: The combination of fresh flavors and easy preparation makes this one of your favorite green bean recipes for any meal!
🥘 Ingredients
The ingredients in this easy green bean recipe are essential for creating a flavorful side dish. Fresh green beans get a flavor boost from the richness of butter, the aromatic punch of garlic cloves, and the zesty kick of lemon-pepper seasoning.
- Fresh green beans: Use fresh green beans for the best flavor and texture. Trim the ends before cooking to ensure even cooking and a neater presentation.
- Butter: Opt for tablespoons of butter to add richness to the green beans. For a vegan alternative, use vegan butter or extra-virgin olive oil.
- Garlic Cloves: Finely mince garlic cloves to maximize their flavor. Sauteed garlic enhances the overall taste of the dish with its aromatic qualities.
- Lemon-pepper seasoning: Add lemon-pepper seasoning to give the green beans a zesty kick. Adjust the amount to your taste for the perfect balance of tanginess and spice.
- Kosher Salt: Use kosher salt for seasoning to bring out the best flavors in the green beans. You can also experiment with sea salt for a different flavor profile.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Boil Fresh Green Beans. Place fresh green beans into a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for about 3-5 minutes until they are just tender but still have a bright green color.
Step 2: Drain and Prepare. Drain the green beans and return them to the large skillet.
Step 3: Add Butter. Melt tablespoons of butter in the skillet over medium heat. This will add a rich flavor to the green beans.
Step 4: Sauté Garlic. Add minced garlic cloves to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant. Be careful not to burn it!
Step 5: Season. Sprinkle lemon-pepper seasoning and kosher salt over the green beans. Stir well to evenly coat the beans with the seasonings.
Step 6: Finish and Serve. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve immediately as a tasty and simple side dish for your meal.
👩🏼🍳 Chef's Tip
- Avoid Overcooking the Green Beans: Simmer the green beans just until they’re tender but still crisp to keep their bright green color and fresh texture. This step is key to a perfectly cooked side dish!
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Use gluten-free lemon-pepper seasoning and check that all other ingredients are gluten-free to make this an easy green bean recipe for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
- Herb Infusion: Add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or basil to the butter for a new twist. This herb infusion adds extra fresh flavors and complexity to your green beans.
- Citrus Zest: Boost the lemon-pepper seasoning by adding freshly grated lemon zest for an extra zesty kick. It brightens up the dish and enhances the overall flavor.
- Crunchy Topping: For some extra texture, try a crunchy topping of toasted breadcrumbs or chopped nuts like almonds or pecans. It adds a nice contrast to the sautéed green beans.
- Vegan Alternative: Swap butter for vegan butter or extra-virgin olive oil for a vegan green bean recipe that’s still rich and satisfying.
🍴 Equipment
- Large Skillet: Use a large skillet to sauté the green beans and garlic cloves evenly over medium heat for the best results.
- Sharp Knife: A sharp knife is essential for trimming fresh green beans and mincing garlic cloves for optimal flavor.
- Pot of Water: Boil the green beans in a large pot of salted water to achieve the perfect bright green color before sautéing.
- Colander: A colander is useful for draining green beans after boiling, ensuring excess water is removed for the best texture in the finished dish.
- Wooden Spoon: Use a wooden spoon for stirring the green beans, butter, and garlic in the skillet to combine the ingredients evenly.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen string beans instead of fresh green beans. Just thaw them and drain excess water before cooking. For the best results, follow the same steps in the green beans recipe.
Absolutely! Feel free to add black pepper or experiment with your favorite ways to season the beans. A sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a bit of parmesan cheese can also enhance the flavor.
To add some heat, try adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce. You can also use black pepper for a subtle kick. Adjust the amount based on your taste for a spicy twist on this easy green bean recipe.
🥣 Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days to maintain freshness and flavor.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until the green beans are warmed through for a quick and easy side dish.
- Freezing: Blanch the green beans, let them cool, then freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for a convenient make-ahead option.
🍷 Wine Pairing
Its bright acidity and citrus notes complement the garlic and lemon-pepper seasoning in the dish, enhancing the overall freshness of the green beans without overpowering their delicate flavors.
👩🏼🍳 Top Tips
Trimming Green Beans: Trim the ends of fresh green beans before cooking to ensure even cooking and a neater presentation. This simple step helps achieve a more appealing and perfectly cooked side dish.
Garlic Preparation: Finely mince garlic cloves to release their full flavor. Properly prepared garlic adds a deliciously aromatic touch to the green beans and boosts the overall taste.
Avoid Overcooking: Simmer green beans just until tender to avoid overcooking. This helps maintain their bright green color and crisp texture, ensuring the best results for your side dish.
🌿 Related Recipes
🥗 Pairing Recommendations
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Easy Green Bean Recipe
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Equipment
- Large skillet
- Knife and cutting board for trimming and mincing garlic
- Strainer or colander for draining the green beans
- Measuring spoons for accurate measurements of seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans trimmed and snapped in half
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning or more to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the green beans into a large skillet and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the beans simmer until they just start to soften, which usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Drain the green beans and return them to the skillet.
- Add the butter to the skillet and stir until it's melted, which typically takes 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook until it becomes tender and fragrant, usually around 1 to 2 minutes.
- Season the green beans with lemon-pepper seasoning and salt according to your taste preferences.
Video
Notes
Reheating: Heat on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.
Freezing: Blanch, cool, then freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags.
🌡️ Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Meghan
This is such a flavorful and easy side that even a beginner cook can ace!