6 Green Bean Recipes to Try

Green beans are the unripe fruits of the common bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), of which there are numerous cultivars. Green beans are also known as string beans, snap beans, French beans, and haricots verts in French. Green beans are bright green in color, neutral in flavor, and unlike some other types of beans, you cook them in their pods.

Green beans are lower in carbohydrates than many other legume family members and high in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. Green beans are also low in total fat and packed with a ton of dietary fiber, which can help you process cholesterol.

Toss raw beans in a vinaigrette to make a green bean salad, or cook green beans to soften them. Consider the following ways to prepare beans:

1. 1. Fry: The quick frying heat will ensure the green beans retain some crunchiness. Green beans have a short cook time. Avoid overcooking the beans, which will make the texture mushy.
2. 2. Roast: Roast green beans by tossing them with olive oil, then roasting them in the oven. Roasting gives the beans a crispy char. Green beans hold up well under high heat, so you can also grill them on an open flame. For extra flavor, top the green beans with Parmesan cheese or lemon juice and feta cheese.
3. 3. Sauté: Sauté green beans with olive oil in a pan on the stovetop until crisp-tender.
4. 4. Steam: Steaming or cooking green beans in boiling water helps them retain their color and nutrients. Blanch the beans to keep their snap—drain them in a colander, then shock them in ice water.
5. 5. Stew: You can slowly cook green beans in a soup or stew. Ensure you add them to the end of the stewing process to prevent the beans from becoming mushy.

There are various green bean side dishes and main dishes. Consider making one of the green bean recipes below for your next weeknight dinner or holiday meal:

1. 1. Green beans almondine: Green beans almondine (from the French term “amandine”) is a side dish that combines fresh green beans with lemon juice, garlic, and slivered or sliced almonds. Green beans almondine is a lighter alternative to classic green bean casserole and has a nutty flavor because of the toasted almonds. It is especially popular for holiday meals—the recipe contains a few essential ingredients, so you can easily scale it up to feed a crowd.
2. 2. Green bean casserole: A green bean casserole is an oven-baked side dish that combines the legumes with a creamy sauce, onions, and other spices and ingredients. Often served alongside sweet potatoes or cheesy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole also pairs well with soy sauce or a cream sauce. You can top green bean casserole with fried onions or shallots and Parmesan cheese.
3. 3. Fried green beans: To make fried green beans, bread and coat the beans in batter, then air-fry, pan-fry, or deep-fry until crispy. You can serve fried green beans, also known as bean fries, as a side dish or with ranch dressing as an appetizer.
4. 4. Pickled green beans: Make pickled green beans by preserving fresh green beans in a pickling mixture of vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and seasonings. You can serve pickled green beans with a salad, on a sandwich, in a grain bowl, or include them in an antipasto spread. You can also eat them straight out of the jar for a crisp, healthy snack or side dish packed with briny flavor.
5. 5. Smoked green beans: Smoked green beans is a BBQ-inspired preparation of green beans, involving cooking these legumes over indirect heat in a wood pellet grill, charcoal grill, or electric smoker until they’re tender. Smoked green beans complement various main dishes, or you can enjoy them as a vegetarian main dish. Serve smoked green beans alongside a BBQ spread of grilled meats, mac and cheese, and potato salad.
6. 6. Stir-fry: Stir-fry is a Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking food over high heat in a wok—similar to the French technique of sautéing. Constantly tossing the ingredients allows the food to become crispy without getting scorched. Before stir-frying the green beans, use sharp kitchen scissors to trim the beans into one-inch pieces. They take about one minute to stir-fry in a large skillet. You can flavor the veggie stir-fry dish with soy sauce or white wine or keep it simple with salt and black pepper. Stir-fry the green beans with multiple cloves of garlic to make garlic green beans.

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