Sautéed Green Beans
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Sautéed Green Beans – These green beans are tender crisp, deliciously buttery and highlighted with flavors of caramelized shallots and sautéed garlic. It’s the perfect way to upgrade a simple fresh vegetable.
Sautéing Green Beans
I think for many the go to ways to cook green beans are to boil, steam and roast them. But after trying this simple skillet method though you’ll probably realize sautéing green beans hasn’t gotten the attention and praise it deserves.
I’d say it’s easily one of the best ways to make them! Once you try them you may likely be thinking “who knew green beans could be so good?” And you can have them ready in under 15 minutes!
Even the kids might come to enjoy “those green things” on their plate rather than turning their noses to another vegetable.
It’s amazing what that lightly browned flavor of sautéing can do, along with a hint of butter. This is such a tasty way to upgrade to fresh green beans!
Sautéed Green Beans Recipe Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Shallot
- Fresh green beans
- Water
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Garlic
- Lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
How to Saute Green Beans
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add shallot and saute 30 seconds.
- Add green beans, salt and pepper, and saute 4 to 6 minutes.
- Pour in water reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until green beans are tender, about 2 – 4 minutes.
- Add butter and garlic and saute uncovered 1 minute longer.
- Off heat toss in lemon juice and serve.
Can I use frozen green beans or canned green beans?
- Unfortunately no, frozen or canned green beans won’t work in this recipe. They are both to soft and contain too much moisture.
- Fresh will yield far superior results. If anything I would say fresh asparagus could work in their place.
Helpful Tips
- Look for the freshest green beans possible, brighter in color, not spotted and smooth. The old, soft, dull and withered ones won’t taste very good (obviously).
- Green beans can vary in thickness the petite or medium green beans will taste best. Plump, thick green beans don’t taste as good (they’ve overgrown their prime stage).
- Cook time can vary slightly depending on how thick the green beans you are using are (thinner cook faster thicker longer).
- You can also cook them longer if you want softer green beans, for this recipe I like them to just have a light bite to them (a hint of crisp to them still).
More Ways to Make Green Beans
- Green Bean Casserole
- Lemon Green Beans with Cranberries Walnuts and Feta
- Minestrone
- Roasted Vegetables with Garlic and Herbs
- Vegetable Beef Soup
Follow Cooking Classy
Sautéed Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 lb green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1/2 tsp salt, then more to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and saute 30 seconds.
- Add green beans, salt and pepper, and saute 4 to 6 minutes.
- Pour in water reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until green beans are tender, about 2 to 4 minutes.
- Add butter and garlic and saute uncovered 1 minute longer.
- Off heat toss in lemon juice and serve.