The Best Green Bean Recipes | Easy, Wholesome, and Fresh! (2024)

FAQs

What can I put in my green beans to give them flavor? ›

Butter: A bit of butter adds a rich flavor and helps the seasoning stick to the green beans. Seasoned salt: Buy seasoned salt from the store, or make your own seasoned salt at home. Chili powder: This is an unexpected knockout seasoning. Chili powder adds a touch of spice and color without being too overpowering.

Add green beans to pan and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add boiling water to pan and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes, just until beans are tender. Add vinegar, butter and salt and pepper and stir.

Fresh green beans do not need to be soaked. To help tenderize the beans, blanch them in a large pot of salted water.

A little butter, minced garlic, and lemon-pepper seasoning are all you need to bring the best out of fresh green beans.

Your Beans Will Cook Faster

Well, creating an alkaline (or basic) environment by adding a small amount (about 1 teaspoon per cup of dry beans) of baking soda to your soaking/cooking water can actually help your beans cook faster.

In doing a little research, America's Test Kitchen recommends adding some baking soda to the boiling liquid to help the beans tenderize faster, as well as absorb more flavor.

Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Meanwhile, trim the the beans. Once the water is boiling, steam or boil the beans until tender. Drain well, then tip the cooked beans into the bowl with your dressing and toss everything together, making sure all the beans get coated.

Toss drained/rinsed/dried beans with a bit of olive oil (or avocado oil) and your favorite seasonings. You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.

Add the water and immediately cover. Cook covered until the beans are bright green and crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve. Add the red pepper flakes, if using, and serve immediately.

Is it better to steam or boil fresh green beans? ›

Why Steam Instead of Boil Green Beans? Because it's faster. One inch of water takes a fraction of the time to come up to a boil compared to a full pot of water. Also, less nutrients are leached out of the green beans when they steam compared to when they're fully submerged in boiling water.

You'll need to trim the stem end of the green beans to prepare them for cooking. Do so by twisting about ⅛" to ¼" inch off the stem side of the bean until it snaps away (no need to snap the other side). You could also line the beans up and cut off the stems with a sharp knife.

My technique, typically, was to caramelize the onions and garlic a bit, then add the drained cannellini beans, finishing with salt, lemon zest, sherry vinegar or lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs.

Blanch Them

Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.

To blanch green beans, fill a large pot of water, set over high heat, and bring it to a boil. Salt the water (per quart of water, estimate a tablespoon of kosher salt), which will bring the green beans to life and enhance their flavor. Once the water is boiling, add the beans and cook for two to three minutes.

Use a steamer: If you prefer to boil or steam the green beans, use a steamer basket instead of boiling them directly in water. This will help to prevent the beans from becoming too soft. Don't overcook: Be careful not to overcook the green beans.