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.
Dana says
These look SOOO good! Making them tonight!
Tracy says
Hope you enjoy them!!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
Jay @ IndustryEats says
“if” you want. I made a mistake in my previous comment. Jay
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
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!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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?
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!