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These 15 minute fresh sautéed green beans with garlic are an easy vegetable side dish recipe that is full of flavor and comes together in no time at all. Cooked over medium-high heat in a skillet this recipe is great for dinner tonight or your holiday table!
These green beans are fresh, buttery, and full of garlic flavor. They taste so delightful it is unreal!
If you're looking for other side dish suggestions you have to check out my sautéed shaved Brussels sprouts (with bacon!) and my easy sheet pan roast veggies.
Ingredients for this recipe
- Fresh Green Beans (nothing canned or frozen)
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic
A note on using fresh green beans
There is something special about a fresh green bean. The snap, the crunch, the fragrance. But there are a few tips and trick to storing and preparing them properly.
Storing Green Beans. Keep green beans in the crisper drawer of your fridge. They will last for a few weeks like this.
However, if the beans begin to turn brown, develop mold, or a bitter or “off” smell, it is best to discard them. Those beans are bad.
Washing Green Beans. I do not rinse my green beans until I’m about to use them. Rinsing early introduces moisture into the beans and if not properly dried off before being returned to the refrigerator, the beans can grow mold or go bad.
To avoid that, right before cooking place the beans in a colander in the sink and rinse them with cool water. Jostle the beans around to ensure they are all clean and discard any that look like they’re past their prime.
Trimming Fresh Green Beans. Trim off the end where the bean was connected to the plant. If the beans are fresh enough, this end should snap right off without any problem. Don’t worry about trimming the bottom end if you don't want to!
How to sauté green beans with garlic
- Rinse the beans. Then trim them. As directed above.
- Sauté. There’s no need to blanch the beans before cooking in this recipe. Just toss the beans in a preheated pan with olive oil. Cook for a few minutes. The beans will go from a dull green to a shiny and vibrant deep green. Season with salt.
- Add butter and garlic. A tablespoon of each to add real flavor. Cook for another minute or two more, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Serve warm. On the side of anything delish. Like a pot roast.
Storing cooked green beans
As with virtually any leftover veggie, these green beans can be stored in the fridge after cooking. They will keep for another day or two.
Though they may not still have the impressive snap and crunch from when first cooked, the flavor will still be delicious! And, truth be told, sometimes I enjoy a softer, more wilted green bean.
Maybe one that’s even got a little char on it from being cooked at a very high heat. Yum!
15 Minute Fresh Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound green beans cleaned and trimmed
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Heat until oil begins to shimmer.
- Toss in green beans and sprinkle with salt. Stir constantly and cook until tender, about 5 – 7 minutes. The beans will turn a deep, rich green color. Lower heat and add in butter and garlic, stirring until garlic is fragrant and butter has melted, about 1 minute more. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- To prep green beans: place beans in a colander and rinse under cold water. Snap off the end of the bean that was once connected to the entire plant (it will have a little stem attached). Voila! A prepped green bean!
Mary says
Excellent. Made for Christmas dinner for 2. Actually didn’t over cook. Both of us liked it
Mary says
Excellent way to cook green beans. Will make again
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Mary! So, so glad you are going to make this recipe again! It's one of our favorites too!
Jordan H says
If I'm bringing this as a side dish how do I cook it. It says serve immediately. What do I do?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Jordan,
You can easily reheat these! I'd put them in a heat safe serving dish and either pop in the oven before serving or toss back in the pan to heat them up. They'll still be tasty as can be!
Thanks,
Amanda