Boiled Green Beans Recipe with Butter Glaze: Amazingly simple boiled fresh green beans that are coated in a delicious butter glazed and then seasoned with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.
I know this Boiled Green Beans Recipe with Butter Glaze is beyond simple, but sometimes it’s the easiest dishes that can bring out the most joy. For me this recipe reminds me of my childhood a bit, because I always remember my mom outside watching us runaround while she picked fresh green beans and threw them into a pot.
We cook them different nowadays as I like a much firmer greener green bean, but the taste is still there.
How to Prepare Fresh Green Beans:
My mom and I actually even trim the green beans different as well lol, mom I promise your’s are still great! I remember when I was working at a country club in St. Louis I had to trim like 50 pounds of fresh green beans so there I was picking them with my hands…
Well, chef didn’t like that so he taught me how to line up then ends and snip’em off with one slice. That was the end of my picking green beans tenure, finished with a slice. I do have to admit, it’s a much faster process, sorry mom.
Just line up 10 to 15 fresh green beans with the bad ends on one side and then give them a little slice to remove.
I know it may seem like it’s more tedious but it actually goes quite a bit faster and you’ll be thanking me in the end if you’re ever trimming up 50 pounds of fresh green beans.
How to Boil Green Beans:
Next for this Boiled Green Beans Recipe is, well, boiling them. Instead of putting them picked in a pot, then filling them with water and bringing them to a boil, I instead bring the water to a boil first.
Doing this will ensure my fresh green beans only cook for a few minutes and remain nice and firm. There is nothing worse than mushy green beans!
Once the water is boiling, add enough salt to it so that it tastes like the ocean, which is a tip one of my old chefs game me. You add a lot of salt to the water to help keep the color of the beans as well as season them. Do it!
Next, you want to add the trimmed fresh green beans and boil them for 3 minutes. I know that seems like a short amount of time but just because you remove them from the boiling water does not mean they all of a sudden stop cooking.
The carry over cooking, as we call it, will continue on so by the time these green beans hit your plate they will be absolutely perfect.
Making the Butter Glaze:
While you are boiling the green beans for 4 to 6 minutes, add a few pads of unsalted butter to a large saute pan over low heat to make the butter glaze.
Start swirling the butter around by moving the handle in a circular motion. Remember we aren’t trying to fry with the butter, we want to glaze with the butter, so keep it over low heat while continuing to move until it’s completely melted.
The butter should appear milky and by doing this will allow you to coat all of the green beans instead of dropping a glob of butter of top hoping it touches all of the beans.
Glazing the Fresh Green Beans with Butter:
After the green beans are boiled, remove them from the pot and strain them through a colander and then immediately pour them into your buttered pan. Season the green beans with salt and pepper and fold them over using tongs or are rubber spatula in the butter mixture making sure to coat on all sides.
There it is, a Boiled Green Beans Recipe with Butter Glaze! These are so simple to prepare but wow is this the absolutely best way to prepare and eat fresh green beans.
If you want to see a few other recipes I have for green beans then check out, Fried Green Beans Recipe, or this Oven Roasted Garlic Green Beans with Lemon.
Boiled Green Beans Recipe with Butter Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 pound of trimmed green beans
- 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season heavy with salt. Note, it should taste like the ocean.
- Next, add in the trimmed green beans and boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until al dente or slightly crunchy.
- Immediately remove them form the pot and strain them. Set aside.
- In a large saute pan over low heat add in the butter and coat the bottom of the pan. Be sure the pan is not too hot, you simply want to melt the butter not cook it.
- Add the green beans to the butter, season with salt and pepper and fold the green beans into the butter until coated on all sides.
- Serve hot!
Nutrition
Melanie Smith says
I have to try this recipe. I’m a huge fan of green beans!
Erika says
Mmm! I love green beans – any green vegetable, really. This recipe is right up my alley!
Barb Bayer says
This is how I do mine too! Love the fresh picked taste of green beans, not the mushy gray-green beans of yesteryear.
Patti Gangi says
Love green beans
Charlotte says
These are absolutely delicious! I sometimes add some garlic salt. And, thanks for the tip on cutting the ends rather than snapping each one. Phew! Much easier.
Sharon says
Simple and delicious!
Mike says
Great cook time in the water. 4-6min is perfect