This Easy Green Bean Recipe is great to have on hand for a quick and easy vegetable side dish that tastes amazing. You need just green beans, olive oil, tamari, granulated garlic, and salt. You can use fresh or frozen green beans to enjoy as a dinner side dish or a healthy snack.
I’ve been making these green beans for a couple of months now, and I’m not lying when I say they’re addicting! It’s the kind of veggie side dish you just stand over the pan and can’t stop eating. This Easy Green Bean Recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients and packs tons of flavor.
I’m hoping to grow some green beans in our garden this year, but in the meantime, I’ve loved these frozen French green beans from Trader Joe’s. They’re thin and don’t have as thick of a skin as regular green beans. Any green bean will do, though!
Easy Green Bean Recipe Ingredients
- Green Beans – I love these French green beans from Trader Joe’s. They’re affordable, don’t require any prep time (breaking off the stems), and cook up in under 15 minutes. You can use any kind of green beans you like. Fresh is always a great option if you can get them.
- Olive Oil – I cooked my green beans in olive oil, but you can use any oil you like. I haven’t made this exact recipe using water instead of oil, but it should also work.
- Tamari – I always call tamari and soy sauce liquid salt because they brown the green beans and add a really nice salty flavor. You can use tamari, soy sauce, or liquid aminos.
- Garlic – I use granulated garlic in this recipe because it’s easy to throw in, and I enjoy the flavor. You can use fresh minced garlic but ensure it cooks fully.
- Salt and Pepper – I love adding lots of freshly cracked black pepper and a few pinches of salt to these green beans. Tamari adds a salty flavor, but I like adding some regular salt to the mix.
How To Make The Best Green Bean Recipe
- This recipe works the same whether you use fresh or frozen green beans. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add your green beans and about 1/3 cup of water. Place the lid on the pan and let the green beans steam in the water for about 5 minutes until they cook to your desired texture. I like mine to be pretty tender.
- Drain the water out of the pan (I hold the lid on tightly and pour the water out; you could also strain and add the beans back into the pan). Add in the olive oil, tamari, granulated garlic, freshly cracked black pepper, and salt to taste. Mix everything together and let the green beans cook until tender and browned, about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. I like my green beans to be brown and caramelized; that’s when they have the most flavor!
- If desired, place green beans on a serving platter and sprinkle another pinch of salt and black pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to three days.
Easy Green Bean Side Dish Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes, if you use gluten-free tamari.
- Should fresh or frozen green beans be used? You can make this recipe with fresh or frozen green beans. I usually use frozen green beans because they’re convenient and honestly don’t taste much different than fresh ones.
- How should these green beans be served? They’re great as a vegetable side dish for dinner but I often enjoy them as a stand-alone snack.
- How long do leftovers last? If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last about four days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Easy Vegetable Side Dish Recipes?
Vegan Cheezy Roasted Broccoli with Garlic
Roasted Purple Potatoes with Lemon Dijon Thyme Dressing
Crunchy Baked Broccoli with Spicy Soy Sauce
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The Best Easy Green Bean Recipe
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Easy Green Bean Recipe is great to have on hand for a quick and easy vegetable side dish that tastes amazing! You only need green beans, olive oil, tamari, granulated garlic and salt. You can use fresh or frozen green beans and they can be enjoyed as a dinner side dish or just a healthy snack!
Ingredients
- 24 oz green beans, fresh or frozen
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari, soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, or about 2 cloves minced fresh garlic*
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- This recipe works the same for using fresh or frozen green beans. If using fresh green beans, wash them well and then snap the stems off, if desired. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add your green beans and about 1/3 cup of water. Place the lid on the pan and let green beans steam in the water for about 5 minutes or so, until the green beans are cooked to your desired texture. For this recipe, I like mine to be pretty tender.
- Drain the water out of the pan (I just hold the lid on tightly and pour the water out, you could also strain them and then add them back into the pan). Add in the olive oil, tamari, granulated garlic and freshly cracked black pepper and salt, to taste. Mix everything together and let the green beans cook until tender and browned, about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. I like my green beans to be mostly browned and caramelized.
- Place green beans on a serving platter and sprinkle on another pinch of salt and black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days.
Notes
*If using fresh garlic, add in when you would add in all the other ingredients and cook until garlic is fragrant and cooked through.
I really love the French green beans from Trader Joe’s that come frozen. If you like green beans that are a little thinner and have a more refined taste, you should definitely try using Haricot Verts.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Side, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Since I stopped taking vitamin D I cook green beans this way and then add mushrooms to them to help with the missing
vitamin D.
Nice! That sounds delish!