Garlicky Green Beans
May 24, 2024
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Do your side dishes often feel like an afterthought? Well, not anymore. These garlicky green beans are the headliner! These tender yet crisp beans with their amazing garlic flavour can knock any plain roast dinner off its perch. Plus, they're ready to eat in just 15 minutes!
Need a couple more sides to round out a special meal? Save these recipes for roasted duck fat and garlic potatoes and these steamed artichokes with garlic butter.
I just love the humble green bean. It’s such an easy vegetable to cook, and the payoff is fantastic. I make sure that these ones are (to the surprise of no one, but the delight of everyone) extremely garlicky--like a garlic explosion in the mouth!
These tasty beans are ready to eat in only 15 minutes. This is wonderful when you're preparing a whole meal and need to have spare time to focus on other dishes. But these green beans are so good that they may become the main star of your meal after all!
Ingredients
All you need is a handful of simple ingredients, and you'll be ready to make these amazing garlicky green beans in no time. Let me tell you about the key ingredients.
- Green Beans: Use either regular or French green beans that are bright green and crisp, and have been topped and tailed (trimmed).
- Garlic: You'll need 6 fresh cloves for this recipe. Don't skimp on this; it's the key to getting the mouthwatering flavour that makes this dish so special!
- Chilli Flakes: I like to add a touch of chilli flakes to bring a subtle heat to this dish, but feel free to leave them out if you're sensitive to heat.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Add lemon zest and toasted sliced almonds after cooking the beans for brightness and crunch.
- Finish the dish with a drizzle of chilli oil for extra spice!
- Garnish with grated Parmesan for a hint of cheese.
- Drizzle the beans with balsamic reduction after cooking for to add a unique flavour.
How to Make Garlicky Green Beans
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the green beans until they're slightly charred but still tender. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon, turn the heat down, and cook the garlic and chilli flakes until they're fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add some water and simmer for 8 minutes to evaporate the water and finish cooking the garlic.
- Add the cooked green beans back to the pan and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve these garlicky green beans right away as a side dish and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
I wouldn't recommend using frozen green beans here, because they are often mushy when thawed and won't be as crisp as fresh ones.
The best types of green beans for sautéing are haricot verts (French green beans) and regular string beans. Haricot verts are thinner and more tender, cooking quickly while maintaining a crisp texture. Regular green beans work just as well, but may need a bit more time to cook.
When choosing green beans, look for fresh, firm beans that snap when bent for the best results. Avoid browned or older beans, as they can become tough when sautéed.
Make sure to lower the heat and stir frequently to keep it from sticking or burning as it cooks. It should take about 3 minutes over medium-low heat to cook the garlic and chilli flakes. Then, you'll add some water to the pan and simmer to finish cooking the garlic without burning it.
It's best to cook and serve these green beans right away, but you can do some prep work in advance. Washing and trimming the beans can be done a day in advance, then simply pull the beans out of the fridge when you're ready to cook them.
Serving Garlicky Green Beans
Garlicky green beans are a wonderful side dish, and they go beautifully with my garlic butter steak bites (and olive oil mashed potatoes, if you’re looking to add a bit more texture and colour to the plate). Green beans are one of those amazing vegetables that go well with poultry dishes like roast chicken with salsa verde.
Also, it might seem a bit left-field, but try these green beans with classic fish and chips instead of mushy peas! It will be an ideal side for the delicious, battered fish and twice-fried chips.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh, firm green beans (either French ones or regular string beans) for the best results.
- When sautéing the garlic, keep the heat at medium-low and stir it constantly to prevent burning. Also, simmering it in water for a few minutes after sautéing allows it to finish cooking without burning.
- Serve immediately so everyone can enjoy these beans when they're hot and fresh.
Other Vegetarian Dishes You'll Love
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Garlicky Green Beans
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1.3 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ cup water
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sautéing Beans: Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the beans and cook until partially cooked through and slightly charred on the outside, about 3-5 minutes. Be sure that the beans still have a slight crispness to them. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beans from the pan, leaving most of the olive oil in the pan.
- Cooking Garlic: Add the garlic and chilli flakes to the oil and stir constantly over medium-low heat until the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to low, add the water, and simmer for 8 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the garlic is soft and almost sweet.
- Finish: Add the beans back to the pan, season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir until everything is evenly mixed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use fresh, firm green beans (either French ones or regular string beans) for the best results.
- When sautéing the garlic, keep the heat at medium-low and stir it constantly to prevent burning. Also, simmering it in water for a few minutes after sautéing allows it to finish cooking without burning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!Images by Alanna Penna Photography
Our family has always enjoyed having sautéed green beans like these on special occasions, like Thanksgiving, as it's nice to have something simple to contrast with the other, more complex dishes. This garlic-dominant version would be a huge hit with my family--we're all big garlic fans--and this sounds amazing.