Can I use frozen green beans?

Frozen works in a pinch, but skip the blanching and steam them for a few minutes in the skillet with a splash of water, before patting dry and proceeding with the butter, olive oil and garlic.

How do I keep green beans from getting soggy?

Do not skip the ice bath (which stops the cooking process) or the drying step, because excess moisture is the enemy.

Can I prep this for the holidays? How do I store it?

Absolutely. Blanch, ice bath and pat dry earlier in the day or the day before. Sauté right before dinner. Store cooked green beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Perfect Every Time Lemon Butter Green Beans (easy recipe!)

Description

These lemon butter green beans are crisp, bright, buttery and so easy. A flavorful vegetable side dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights or holiday dinners.

Ingredients

1 lb green beans, ends snapped off
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ lemon, juice of
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Optional toppings: shaved parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon, toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds

Instructions

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat.* (see note) Add the green beans and cook at a low boil/simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the beans are bright green and fork tender. They will still have a little rigidity, that’s okay.
While the beans are cooking, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
Using tongs, plunge the green beans into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When they are fully cooled, use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to pat them completely dry.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 ½ tablespoons butter over medium heat. Sauté 2 minced garlic cloves for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the green beans, tossing to get them evenly coated with garlic butter, reduce heat to low, and sauté until the beans are warmed through, a few minutes.
Toss the green beans with 1 teaspoon lemon zest, juice of ½ lemon, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper until evenly seasoned. Serve warm with any additional toppings you like!

Notes

I didn’t for the photos here, but you could boil the green beans in your skillet, drain, pat dry and sauté per the recipe so you only dirty one pan. 💯

For haricots verts (French green beans) reduce boiling time to 3-4 minutes.

Refer to the above blog post for step-by-step photos, expert tips, answers to frequently asked questions and recipes to pair them with.

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 recipe, about 2/3 cup cooked green beans
Calories: 72
Sugar: 2.6 g
Sodium: 295.9 mg
Fat: 5.4 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Fiber: 2.2 g
Protein: 1.5 g
Cholesterol: 7.6 mg