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These Buttery Garlic Green Beans are almost too easy to make. Gently simmered green beans, tossed with garlic butter? That’s the kind of side dish that I can get behind more than once!
My friends, is there anything better than a super simple, extra tasty side dish? Well, other than a super simple, extra tasty side dish that also limits the number of dishes. Yes, that is exactly what this recipe for buttery garlic green beans achieves. The method is very similar to the one I use for our pepper garlic green beans. Dare I say that I like this one even better?
Buttery Garlic Green Beans
I love getting creative in the kitchen, but sometimes, it takes a recipe like this to remind me that simple can also bring a great deal of joy at the table. Butter and garlic together transform mild, unassuming green beans into the flavor-packed spears of heaven that I’ll be making again.
Whipped up on busy weeknights or served while reconnecting with loved ones around a holiday table, these garlicky green beans are worth adding to your rotation. But make more than you think you’ll need, because they WILL run out.
Ingredients and Substitutions
The Green Beans – Full size fresh green beans are the choice here. They stay crisp and bright after that quick simmer. You can swap here, but check the FAQ for full details if you’re substituting for another type of green bean, i.e. haricots verts or thin French green beans.
The Coating – Minced garlic and salted butter give each green bean that rich, fragrant flavor I can’t get enough of. This is not a place where you want to use garlic powder.
Seasonings – I use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes on Equipment
- Chef’s knife. This is my all-time favorite knife. The weighting makes it an absolute dream to use for food prep. And, it holds an edge incredibly well. If you’re ready to graduate to a higher quality knife, this one is my pick.
- Cutting board
- Strainer or colander
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Tongs
- Large enamel skillet. This enamel casserole skillet has become my go-to choice over the past few years. It goes from the stovetop to the oven and then the table, and it looks great all the way. It even cleans up like a dream with that durable enamel coating.
How to Make Buttery Garlic Green Beans
Preparing the Beans: I start by snapping the green beans in half and trimming off the wiry ends.
Covering with Water: Place your green beans in the bottom of a large skillet and add just water to barely cover them.
Boiling and Simmering: Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to medium heat for a simmer. The green beans need to cook just until softened, about 4-6 minutes.
Straining: Strain the beans and remove them from the pan.
Heating the Butter: Now that it’s empty, you can return the skillet to the stove over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt.
Combining the Ingredients: I saute the minced garlic with the butter for a minute or two. Then, I’ll add the green beans back to the skillet and toss everything together to coat it.
Serving: Just before plating, I like to add the salt and pepper to taste and squeeze lemon over the beans.
Expert Tip
Perfect green beans are all about the texture. You want them tender and toothsome, not a sad, soggy mush. One of the ways that I’ve come to rely on for determining when the beans are cooked properly is to judge them by their color. When they turn a vibrant emerald green, I immediately strain them.
Check More Than Once – If you are worried about overcooking or undercooking your vegetables, pasta, and more, then this is the most important piece of advice in the whole post: Taste the food as it cooks. More than once! Yes, trust the recipe, but also, trust what your taste buds tell you.
Adjust the butter – I’m generous with butter when I make green beans. I love the flavor it brings when it is the saucy coating! If you prefer a lighter side dish, or have nutritional concerns, you can adjust the amount of butter to your liking, here. I just don’t recommend dropping it below 2 tablespoons for this amount of beans.
Finish With Lemon – If you want to brighten up the flavors, then let me recommend adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the beans as you toss them. The acidity of the citrus balances the garlic butter quite well.
Serving Suggestions
One of the things I love about these buttery garlic green beans is that they go next to just about anything. You can’t go wrong with my roasted chicken thighs with red potatoes. Dinner roasts in the oven while the beans simmer on the stove.
But, when I want something a little more fancy, I like to serve them with my meatloaf with mushroom gravy (or even this zucchini meatloaf), with a scoop of savory mashed sweet potatoes to catch the extra garlic butter. Dinner, done.
Storage & Reheating
How to Store: Any leftovers can be transferred to a covered container. Keep chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating Leftovers: Reheat leftover green beans in the microwave. For best results, add a tablespoon of water to the green beans and lightly cover them with a paper towel. This keeps the green beans from drying out as they warm up.
More Sauteed Green Bean Recipes
- Green Beans with Butter and Herbs
- Thai Green Beans
- Green Beans Amandine
- Italian Green Beans
- Mexican Green Beans
Frequently Asked Questions
If they’re very thin or baby green beans, (i.e. haricots vert) they could be finished in as little as 2-4 minutes. For those on the thicker side, it could takes as long as 5-8 minutes. Regardless, keep an eye on the color and test the texture and flavor, and pull them as soon as the beans have started to soften.
Ok, this is a really important step that a lot of newer cooks (and even some experienced cooks) tend to skip over. You really should be tasting things as they cook! This is what professional chefs do at every stage of the process to make certain that the food is prepared exactly how they want it to be.
Start testing before the green beans are finished. What’s the texture and flavor? Taste again every minute or so afterward. How do they change? Taste tests are critical to the learning process. How else can you know that the dish is finished to YOUR liking?
If your garlic burned, it’s almost certainly because the heat was set too high. Keep the stove setting between medium and low. The garlic should not be darkening, here. The goal is just to warm and soften it to release its fragrance.
Buttery Garlic Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds fresh green beans trimmed and snapped in half
- ¼ cup butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- fresh lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Place green beans in the bottom of a large skillet and add water to barely cover them; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans begin to soften, about 2-4 minutes. Transfer beans to a strainer to drain.
- Add butter to the hot skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Return the green beans to the skillet, toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over the green beans, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
