Sautéed Green Beans with crispy bits of garlic is an easy, classic preparation for a green beans side dish. Though not the most explosively exciting recipe on my website, it’s a life essential recipe that will serve you well for the rest of your days!
I serve this as a side with all cuisines. Yes, even Asian food – read on!
Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic
I have a surprising number of recipes starring green beans on this website. From sides to mains (Sichuan Green Beans with Pork, anyone??), it turns out that green beans may just be my favourite vegetable. Second perhaps only to potato which, as my mother would quickly point out, doesn’t have great nutritional value and thus qualify as a vegetable whose vast intake you ought to boast about.
Saying I love green beans on the other hand does make me feel somewhat virtuous.
Having said that, to date all the green bean-centric recipes have been things I classify as interesting or just plain fabulous (pretty sure there’s been an excessive use of both these words in all these recipes). Like Ottolenghi’s herb loaded Green Bean Salad. Or a luxe Green Bean Casserole. And this Green Bean Salad with a Creamy Avocado Dressing.
All worthy dishes, but they’re either a wee bit on the rich side and/or are a little more involved. In other words, not the simple green bean side that I make “all the time”. Rather that place is often filled with today’s recipe: Sautéed Green Beans with crispy little golden garlic bits!
Handy tip: Prepare ahead!
To get ahead, boil the beans then let it cool, dry, and store the beans in the fridge. Then when you’re ready to serve, you just need to toss with the garlic which takes a mere 2 minutes. An instant side dish, ready on demand!
What you need to make Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic
Here’s what you need to make Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic:
Green beans – Look for fresh perky ones, not sad and floppy ones speckled with black dots.
Garlic – Two smallish cloves or one large one. Finely mince the garlic using a knife. Do not use a garlic press/crusher. This makes the garlic go wet and pasty so you won’t get nice golden bits, like pictured. In fact, the garlic will just spit when it hits the skillet.
As for jarred garlic paste? Not on my watch! This stuff doesn’t really taste like garlic and it’s oddly sour due to the preserving agents. Plus it’s wet so it too will spit like crazy.
Olive oil or butter, if you’d like a buttery flavour on your beans. If you want to dial up the butter factor, use clarified butter / ghee instead!
How to cook Sautéed Green Beans
Boil the beans for 4 minutes until they become bright green and are barely tender. Drain and then toss the beans in a skillet with the garlic.
Well … you could toss … or be a normal person and just STIR!!! I promise it works just as well. 😂
What to serve with Sautéed Green Beans
The beauty of this dish is that it’s so simple and neutrally pitched that it goes with almost anything. It would be great with an elegant piece of fish with white wine sauce or a big juicy steak, or from a giant pan of paella to a big cosy lasagne.
And although you wouldn’t think of it, this dish works alongside Asian foods too! Either serve it as-is, or give it an Asian-inspired touch by adding a bit of minced ginger, and finishing with a drizzle of sesame oil or a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
No recipe video is included today because it’s a quick and easy side! However if there’s a process in this recipe you’d like to specifically see, I’d be happy to do a quick little video for you. Just leave your request in the comments section below! – Nagi x
Overloaded with green beans? More ideas!
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Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic
Ingredients
Blanched Green Beans:
- 250g/ 8oz green beans , trimmed (Note 1)
- 1 tsp salt
For Sautéing:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or… butter!)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced (~ 2 tsp), do not use jar or garlic crusher (Note 2)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Blanch beans: Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with 1 teaspoon of salt. Add beans, cook for 4 minutes (they will turn bright green), drain, then rinse under cold tap water to cool. (There's really no need to shock in ice water). Shake off excess water.
- Sauté: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add green beans and garlic. Toss (or stir!) for 2 minutes until the garlic is golden and crispy. Add salt and pepper, then toss.
- Serve: Transfer beans to serving dish. Serve warm!
- Prepare ahead: Blanch beans per step 1, cool and dry, store in fridge until required. When ready to serve, just toss with garlic. It's an instant on-demand side!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Cookbook prospective recipe. He doesn’t realise it’s meat free….😂 Well, possibly he doesn’t care.
Constantly coming back to this recipe!! The green beans are the perfect amount of crunchy from blanching and I always add extra garlic because, well, we love garlic 🙂 So good!
These were absolutely yummy.
Thanks again Nagi ☺️
These were great! I added in cherry tomatoes sliced in half and the acid tasted great in the dish. The remaining olive oil, garlic and tomato juice was great to soak up with crusty bread.
These are delicious green beans!! I like to add Ajika Georgian seasoning blend to this too
On a soft diet, had to cook the life from beans. The beans were the last picking from my garden and these were over done, so tough and stringy and normally would have been headed to the compost pile. Used mostly butter to sauté them in and a little extra garlic (also home grown). First time at your site, so anxious to look around. My grandson has a stuffed golden retriever also named Dozer (came from the sleep number bed, Dozer was their mascot.) Loved the recipe!!!
Add sliced almonds please!
I’ve made this recipe for years. One thing you would appreciate is adding sliced or slivered almonds to the pan of oil and butter (I use both) and garlic. Gently infuse the oil and butter with garlic and at the same time toast a handful of almonds in the fats so they get some colour. Then I toss in my parboiled green beans and bring up the heat so they’re warmed though (and coated with the flavours and almonds). Everyone asks for this recipe; at times I’m embarrassed to share it as it is so easy compared to its wonderful taste and presentation !
We’ve been using this recipe for years but you are missing an essential ingredient: Lemon. Squeeze one or two lemons before serving. You should try it sometime.
Delicious and easy recipe. Thanks for the tip about garlic. I always wondered why mine burned.
Can you freeze left over beans. I live alone, so like to cook more than one meal at a time. Thank you
Hi Gaye – these don’t freeze well, sorry. they go mushy. N x
Thank you, Nagi, you answered my question about freezing green beans. But, too late, I froze my first batch yesterday. 🙁 I am amazed at how you go through a recipe and hit every note on what can go right and what can go wrong and how to deal with it. Thank you much.
I am lovin’ your posts etc, I have cooked quite a few of your wonderful recipes I read them then watch the video which helps me tremendously, so thank you. Keep up the great work. Cheers Marko
So glad you enjoyed them Marko! N x
I make a similar side dish in which I add sliced or diced shallots along w/ my garlic. I don’t parboil my beans so I think I will include this step next time! I usually just slap a lid on during cooking which steams the beans
Sounds delicious Ann! N x
These beans are the bomb, so much flavour. Blanched ahead, and chopped garlic in the same bowl. 2 mins in a pan and we were having dinner, roast pork, roast veg, sprouts, beans and gravy! Thanks xx
Can you use frozen green beans
I think frozen green beans would give out too much water.
Beans never tasted so good. Even the kids have requested this again. Simple and so easy.
Besides the fact I am over 60 but still like to learn every day, I always thought I was a pretty good cook. I have cooked garlic green beans for years yet never knew why they did not taste as good as others I have had. Well I also have been using a garlic crusher for just as many years. Thank You for teaching me my something new today and it’s a winner!
Same here Donna I’m 65 & wondered that same thing. Glad I saw this tip – makes perfect sense! Duh! Going now to try.
Dozer has great taste!
He does! N x
That’s the veggie we will be having with Thansgiving dinner on Monday. Looks easy and delicious. Thank you. Must admit, whilst I love your recipes, I always check out Dozer before I check out your recipes.lol
Dear Nagi and Dozer,
in South Tyrol, that’s where I was born, we sautee onions in butter, add the green beans, garlic and spice them with 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard. Give it a try, you will love it.
Sounds delicious! Nx❤️
I make this all the time, but I dress it with toasted flaked almonds, chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
Also, I feel privileged that I have the same gas cooktop as Nagi, the Queen of Cooking 😍🔥
Potatoes have little nutritional value? The Irish in the 1800s lived almost exclusively on potatoes and yet they generally enjoyed better health than the poor Europeans that lived on corn and polenta in the same times.
Potatoes are much more nutritious than you think!
I knew there was a reason I love them so much! Nx❤️