How to make Easy Garlic Green Beans

Easy garlic green beans are delicious and simple to make. They can be prepared ahead of time and reheated right before serving. This is the perfect side dish for family weeknight dinners or special occasions.

Easy garlic green beans are a delicious addition to any dinner. They are a favorite vegetable with both children and adults. On their own, green beans can be bland. Garlic adds the perfect kick to make them go from bland to a dish with great flavor. Garlic and green beans just "go together!"

Why I make this recipe:

1. My son is a picky eater and he does not like very many vegetables. However, he loves these green beans because they have a crisp texture and the garlic gives it a nice flavor. I hate to make something and then no one eats it. So this recipe is one of my "go-to" vegetable dishes.
2. There are only a few simple ingredients in this recipe.
3. It is easy to make.
4. It is fast to make.
5. Easy garlic green beans can be prepared ahead of time. Sometimes, I cook the green beans and place them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Right before serving I cook the garlic and add the green beans until they are heated through.

Ingredients for Garlic Green Beans

Green Beans- Use fresh green beans. To make sure they are fresh, they should snap when you fold them in half. Canned green beans will not work in this recipe because you want the green beans to be crispy. Canned green beans are too soft. Frozen green beans are also not a good choice because of their texture. If you are short on time, purchase cleaned ready to cook green beans. You can find them in the produce section of the grocery store.

Garlic-Fresh garlic is best but you can purchase crushed or minced garlic in a jar in the produce section of the grocery store.

Olive Oil-I prefer the taste of olive oil in this recipe. You can also use canola or other vegetable oil. Olive oil also helps cut down on saturated fat by using it in place of butter.

Butter-I prefer to use unsalted butter because I can control the amount of salt in the food. Even though butter is saturated fat, I like to use a small amount because it adds flavor to the dish.

Pro-Tips

1. Before you trim the ends of the green beans, clean them by rinsing them under running water. Rinsing removes pesticide residues and prevents food born illness. If you cut the tips off before you wash them, you increase the risk of bacteria getting into the green beans.
2. Use fresh green beans. Canned and frozen green beans are not suited for this recipe because of their texture.
3. After you cook the green beans, drain them and run them under COLD water so that you stop the cooking process. Otherwise, the green beans will not have a crisp texture.
4. Green beans are done if they have a crisp texture and are bright green. This normally takes about 3-4 minutes.
5. Use fresh garlic and not garlic powder. Fresh garlic adds a contrasting color to the dish and is not as overpowering in flavor as garlic powder.
6. This is a great dish to make ahead. You can cook the green beans and place them in the refrigerator. Finish cooking them right before your meal.
7. I only need one pan to prepare it so I save time at cleanup.

Serving suggestions

Easy garlic green beans can be served as a side dish with beef, chicken, fish, lamb or pork. I make this recipe at Thanksgiving because it is simple and easy to make and goes well with the other sides. It has fewer calories than the traditional green bean casserole, and we like them better. I also like to serve it with Fast Roast Chicken and My Meat Favorite Meat Sauce for Spaghetti which I serve on Oven Roasted Spaghetti Squash.

Equipment you will need to make easy garlic green beans

1. 3-quart saucepan or soup pot
2. Cutting board (either plastic or wood)
3. Colander
4. Chefs knife
5. Garlic press (affiliate link)
6. Cooking Spoon or heatproof spatula
7. Measuring spoons

How to make easy garlic green beans

Rinse green beans under cold running water.

Cut the stems off the green beans.

Cook the green beans in simmering water.

Drain and rinse the green beans under cold running water.

Crush garlic to remove garlic skin.

Place garlic in the garlic press and crush the garlic.

Melt butter and oil together in a saucepan.

Cook garlic and green beans.

Season with salt and pepper. Place the green beans in a serving bowl or serve them directly from the pan (that's how I do it to save time on clean up).

Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat: place green beans in a saucepan and warm on low until heated through, or place in a microwaveable container and heat on high for 1-2 minutes.

Garnishes

The garlic green beans can be garnished with chopped parsley. If you like heat, sprinkle them with red pepper flakes.

I hope you try this recipe! Please give it a rating and comment below. I love to hear from you!

📋 Recipe

Easy Garlic Green Beans

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Gitta
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 people 1x
• Category: Side
• Cuisine: American

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Description

These delicious green beans are easy to make and they can be prepared ahead of time and reheated right before serving. This is the perfect side dish for family weeknight dinners or special occasions.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound fresh green beans
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic (about 8 cloves)
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper

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Instructions

1. Fill saucepan ¾ full with water.
2. Place on stove on high and bring to a boil.
3. While the water is heating, place green beans in a colander and rinse them with cold running water.
4. Drain the beans, and cut the stems off the green beans.
   
5. When the water is boiling, add the green beans to the pan. Lower the heat to medium-high so the water is simmering but not boiling. Cook for about 4 minutes. The beans should be crunchy. If you prefer softer, cook them for an additional 1-2 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and drain the beans into a colander under running COLD water. You want to stop the beans from cooking, so it is important to use cold water. Rinse them for about 1 minute with cold water. Place beans in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate if you will use them later in the day or the following day. They can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time.
7. Crush garlic cloves by laying them on a cutting board and laying the flat side of the knife on the garlic clove and pounding the knife with your hand.
   
8. Remove the skin from the garlic clove and crush the cloves with a garlic press.
   
9. Heat oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, until the butter melts Add the crushed garlic and toss in the mixture for 30 seconds. Add the green beans and cook them until they are hot, 2-3 minutes. Do not let the garlic burn.
10. Season the garlic green beans with salt and pepper. You might need to adjust this to your taste. 
11. Enjoy!

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Equipment

Garlic Press

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Chef's knife

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Notes

1.   This recipe is best made with fresh green beans.  Frozen or canned beans are not a good option.
2.    Cleaned green beans can be used and are located in the grocery store's refrigerated section. 
3.    You can purchase crushed garlic in a jar instead of using fresh garlic.  It is normally located in the produce section of the grocery store.  

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Portion
• Calories: 122
• Sugar: 2.8 g
• Sodium: 324.4 mg
• Fat: 7.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 11.8 g
• Protein: 3.1 g
• Cholesterol: 9.2 mg

Keywords: Vegetables

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