These Butter and Garlic Green Beans are perfectly cooked and tossed with butter and toasted garlic. They’re a quick, easy, and delicious vegetable side dish.
Ready for your new go-to no-fail veggie side dish? I’d like to meet these perfect, wonderful garlic green beans that are ABSOLUTELY FOOLPROOF.
They’re boiled, so you don’t have to worry about burning them while they cook. You can make them with pre-trimmed green beans, so no cutting required if you don’t want to.
And, best of all, if your timing is off and the green beans finish cooking 20 minutes before your main dish, they get tossed in a hot pan with butter right before serving, so they’ll heat right back up!
Like I said, foolproof.
Ingredients
- Fresh green beans: You can use regular green beans or haricots verts. If using the latter, just adjust the simmering time as needed since they’re thinner and will cook a bit quicker.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter will work just fine.
- Fresh garlic: If you don’t feel like mincing the garlic, you can use a garlic press, but the little cubes of minced garlic are really delicious in this, so if you can mince the garlic, do!
- Salt and pepper: A little salt and pepper to taste is all the spicing up these green beans really need.
How to prepare green beans?
To prep your beans, wash them and use a sharp knife to trim the ends.
To trim the green beans, grab a handful of beans, line the ends up, and slice them all off at once. Line the beans up on the other side and trim the second side. Once all the beans are trimmed, they’re ready to go.
If prepping in advance, trimmed green beans can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days before cooking.
How to cook fresh green beans
- Transfer your prepared green beans to a medium pot and add just enough cold water to cover them. Add a couple good pinches of salt and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until they reach your preferred level of doneness.
- Drain and set aside.
- Just before serving, melt butter in a large skillet and toast garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until lightly golden. Add green beans and toss until they’re well coated in the butter and garlic and reheated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
FAQ
What to serve with garlic green beans?
Everything! Sauteed green beans go with practically everything, but to start you off, I’d recommend:
Can I use canned/frozen green beans?
Yes. Warm/cook the beans according to package instructions and then toss them with the melted butter and garlic.
More Green Bean Recipes
No-fail Butter and Garlic Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and washed
- 2 cloves garlic minced*
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium pot, cover green beans with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until they reach your preferred level of doneness. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and toast until golden, watching carefully to ensure it doesn't burn.
- Add the cooked green beans to the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat (and reheat if they've cooled).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says
We’re big on our veggie side dishes at our house. 🙂 Green beans are one of my favorites and sometimes I just have them with a bit of salt but I love them with butter and garlic. Yum.
Tracy says
Agreed. Green beans are such stars, you really have to do hardly anything to them to make them delicious!
Amy says
I made this for 1 of our dinner sides this evening & it was amazing! I tweeked it a bit to match our likings. When sauteing I added diced onion & sliced mushrooms. So so so good!
Tracy says
So glad you enjoyed it, Amy! Onions and mushrooms sound like a great addition!
Sandi (@fearless_dining) says
I love how easy you make this look to make 🙂
Tracy says
Thanks! It’s seriously the easiest side dish I know.
Angela says
Cook with chicken broth for greater flavor. I sautée first with 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 real butter. Add two cloves of elephant garlic and sautée all together, then add chicken broth. Stop cooking when eldantee.
Mel says
I like this method better add nutrients from string beans aren’t thrown out in the water from boiling them. This way you use one pan as well
Tressa says
That sounds really good. How much chicken broth did you add?
Rebekah | Kitchen Gidget says
I’m one of those people who think green beans are boring if they’re not smothered in cream of mushroom, but I really love this crispy garlic idea! I will give it a try!
Tracy says
Ha, I’m the absolute opposite. The ONLY way I will eat cream of mushroom is over green beans!
Revathi Palani says
I always cook beans with a lot of Indian spices and the green bean itself will be kind of lost in there. This one looks simple, yet very bright, colorful and vibrant.
Tracy says
I love how bright and pretty these look on a plate. It always makes me feel better about whatever else is on there. 😉 I never cook green beans with many spices, but your way sounds really good! I’ll have to give it a try sometime.
Tamara says
I love the way you emphasized that simplifying a veggie side dish makes it more likely that you’ll include one on the dinner table! They’re so important… and this side dish looks both approachable and delicious!
Tracy says
Thanks! Simple and easy sides are my favorite. Otherwise, I’m waaay too likely to just say forget about it.
April says
I grew up hating string beans but I love them now. I don’t think I ever tried them with garlic though. Def gonna try it out. Looks good!
Tracy says
I wasn’t much of a fan of them as a kid either. It was only when I got older and gave them another try that I discovered I really like them!
Jay @ IndustryEats says
Hi Tracy!
I love this post because I think a nice side dish is really important. It’s way too easy to just skip it, but when you have a good one, you remember it. And these types of beans are versatile enough to make again and again. I’m right in the middle of reading through an old copy of Victory Garden and the author gives tons of bean recipes. Some of them were pretty interesting. I tried blanching for the first time a few weeks ago and when I was finished, I thought I was like some sort of magician. Couldn’t believe how easy it was.
Nice job on the beans. I’ll give this one a try. Also, thanks for reminding me about that garlic crusher. I’ve been mincing for months and I’ll admit, I’m getting a little tired of it. Especially when those little pieces stick to my fingers and I have to fling them off in the sink.
Jay
Tracy says
Thanks, Jay! That sounds like my kind of book! Is it just recipes or is about the whole process of growing a victory garden? The whole concept of victory gardens is just endlessly fascinating to me.
And I love my garlic press. It really ups my lazy game!
Jay @ IndustryEats says
Hi Tracy, The author does talk about how to grow the garden. I don’t think there are any photos of the garden itself, but she tells how her husband “Russ” sows the seeds, timing, distances and all that. I think there’s over 700 recipes as well. It’s pretty good. You can check it out here is you want: http://www.amazon.com/Victory-Garden-Cookbook-Marian-Morash/dp/039470780X/
Tracy says
Thanks! I am definitely going to have to check this out.
Jay @ IndustryEats says
“if” you want. I made a mistake in my previous comment. Jay
Rochelle says
I made this tonight to go with brown sugar pork loin chops along with fried potatoes with onion in olive oil ..was a hit kids loved them.
Tracy says
I’m so happy to hear that, Rochelle. Sounds like a fantastic dinner! Thanks for sharing!
Ali says
Making these for Easter dinner tonight! I can’t think of a better way to say hello to a season of new birth than with fresh fresh fresh veggies!
Tracy says
Agreed! I hope you enjoy them and have a wonderful Easter!
Grace says
Would it be ok if I pre cooked the green beans the day before? I would then bring them up to room temperature before adding them to the garlic butter?
Tracy says
Hi Grace, I’ve never done it, but it should work just fine. Here’s what I would do: cook the green beans just shy of done, drain, and immediately place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once the beans are cooled, drain the ice water, dry well, and store in the refrigerator. When you go to cook them the next day, add the beans to the pan at the same time as the garlic and cook until beans are heated through and the garlic has toasted. Hope that helps!
Jean says
Living in France, I decided to grow green beans even though my Frank is a frozen pea and carrot man. . Great success with beans, so tried this recipe. We had BBQ steak and wedges and green beans. Absolutely fab. Husband has 2nds and 3rds. Amazed!
Tracy says
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed them! It sounds like a great dinner, and garden-fresh green beans are always the best. Thanks for dropping by to let me know they worked out for you!
Crystal Y. Sharp says
Hi! Can I use frozen green beans?
Tracy says
Hi Crystal, I’ve never used frozen green beans, but that should work fine. Just cook them according to the package and then skip right to step 2 of the instructions.
Melissa says
Oh wow, this recipe just saved me! I had a pound of green beans already blanched, butter cooking in the pan and garlic chopped up to make a green bean casserole when I found my mushrooms had gone bad. I didn’t know what to do so I searched green beans on Pinterest and this recipe popped up. A very simple and flavor way to enjoy green beans! I will make this again.
Tracy says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for reporting back, Melissa!
Dana says
These look SOOO good! Making them tonight!
Tracy says
Hope you enjoy them!!
Jessica W says
I’ve made this a few times (and making them tonight) and we love love love them! So simple and really delicious. I may even enjoy them more leftover!
Tracy says
I’m so glad you enjoy them!! Thanks, Jessica!
Austin says
Can I used canned green beans? Plus, I really like how simple this is! A 7 year old could make these!
Tracy says
Hi, Austin. That would probably work. I’ve never tried it. I would definitely drain the beans first and then just toss them with the butter and cooked garlic.
Pilar says
I tried your recipe today and love it. Thanks a lot
Tracy says
Thanks! I’m so glad you liked it!
Melissa says
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, Tracy! I have been looking for easy and healthy ways to incorporate a bigger variety of veggies into mine and my hubbies dinners and was inspired by thanksgiving to pick up some greenbeans this week. I made these tonight and they turned out great! I added some chopped carrots in with the greenbeans and sauted some onion in the butter before adding the garlic as well. So tasty and easy! Definitely will be coming back to this recipe again! Thank you!!
Tracy says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Melissa! And mmmm, carrots and onions sound like a wonderful addition, I’m going to have to give that a try the next time I make this!
Bob Kalal says
I love green beans just about any way, our dog loves green beans raw and tossed to her in the kitchen, but my wife – not so much. She likes green beans about as much as she likes football – and she’s the anti-sport. I made these tonight just to torment her and voila! She liked them as much as she likes the Campbell’s recipe with french fried onions on top! Previously the only way she’d eat green beans. Thanks! Now I have an alternative choice!
Tracy says
LOL. So thrilled to hear your wife can join you and your dog in your green-bean-loving ways! 😉
Sarah Stierch says
Made these green beans tonight – taste delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Tracy says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Sarah!
Monique says
I have to thank you for posting this!!! So perfect!
In the past I have had trouble getting string beans soft, but with this method they were perfectly soft and crisp, just how I want them. They taste so fresh, so much better than canned!
I made mine vegan and oil free by heating them in a skillet with a scoop of cream from a can of coconut milk, and a generous pinch of garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. So creamy and flavorful!
The elderly woman I caregive for gobbled them all up! I will make these regularly.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Tracy says
Thanks, Monique! And I’ve never made green beans with coconut milk, but it sounds delicious. I’m going to have to give it a try now!
Licia says
I “minced” garlic for years by hand but now I always use my rasp’s. I have several with different size grates depending on what I use them for. So much easier and put garlic in everything just about. Love your recipe, thank you
Tracy says
Oh, I love this tip! Thanks, Licia, and so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Marydale says
These green beans are absolutely delicious. A new favorite! I also put toasted sliced almonds on top. Yum!!! Thank you for sharing!
Tracy says
Thanks, Marydale! So glad you enjoyed them!
Kristen says
Can I use minced garlic straight out of the jar? I don’t have a garlic press and but I do have a small jar of minced garlic in the fridge…
Tracy says
Hi, Kristen, you can, just watch it really closely to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Marisa says
I love this recipe. It’s a perfect easy and delicious side dish!
Tracy says
Thanks, Marisa! So glad you enjoyed it!
Megan says
If prepared ahead if time, what do you recommend for reheating? I want to make these for Easter but I’m not hosting.
Tracy says
Hi, Megan, honestly, I’m not sure. I’ve never reheated these, because there are literally never leftovers. Either keeping them warm in the oven or just microwaving would probably be your best bet. Sorry I’m not more help!
Kelly says
This recipe was so good! It was exactly what I was wanting. Thanks for such an easy and tasty recipe!
Tracy says
Thanks, Kelly!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Mary Ellen says
These were delicious. It seems we eat green beans the majority of the week so I was looking for a new recipe. I was short on time and didn’t want anything with multiple ingredients. This recipe was perfect. I used a little more butter, but that’s all I added. Thank you so much for sharing. This was a great recipe!