Easy Sautéed Green Beans Recipe
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This easy sautéed green beans recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and is packed with flavor. I cook the beans until lightly browned, then finish them with garlic, butter, and a touch of Dijon and soy sauce. It is simple, quick, and always a favorite at my table.
My family loves green beans, and it is one of the few veggies we all actually agree on. If your family is the same way, you have to try my green beans with potatoes and ham or my classic green bean casserole recipe that I always make for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Sauteed Green Beans
Sautéed green beans are tender and crisp beans cooked quickly in a bit of oil until lightly browned and flavorful. They are simple to make, full of fresh taste, and pair well with almost any main dish.
Based on my experience, it is best to boil the green beans ahead of time like I do in my recipe. This helps them keep their bright color and firm texture. If you try to sauté them raw, they take longer to cook, lose their color, and can turn soggy or even burn if the oil is too hot.
There are so many ways to add flavor to green beans, like using onions, garlic, herbs, spices, or a splash of citrus or vinegar. I always say make it your own and season it the way your family likes. I keep mine simple with butter, mustard, garlic, lemon, and soy sauce. You have to try it to understand what I mean when I say it is incredibly delicious.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beans – I use haricot verts in my recipe, which are French-style green beans. These tend to be a little longer and thinner. Regular green beans will work in the exact same way.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter in cooking and baking so that you control the sodium content and not a butter company.
- Oil – Olive or avocado oil is the best to use.
- Mustard – A little bit of Dijon mustard adds a wonderful punch of flavor to the beans.
- Garlic – Some finely minced fresh cloves are the hero for these sauteed green beans.
- Lemon – A little lemon juice will help to brighten up the beans.
- Soy – Any good shoyu or tamari soy sauce will work.
How to Make Sauteed Green Beans
Boil the green beans: First thing I do is add the green beans to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook them for about 3 minutes.
Drain the beans: I strain the green beans and leave them in the draining basket. I do not run them under cold water or place them in ice water, and I let them air dry slightly before cooking.
Heat the oil: While the beans are drying, I add oil to a large 12 inch frying pan and heat it over medium high until it just starts to smoke lightly.
Sauté: I add the green beans to the pan and sauté them for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they start to turn lightly browned.
Add garlic and butter: I lower the heat to medium low and push the beans to one side of the pan. On the other side, I add the garlic and butter, then stir and cook for about 30 to 45 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Combine and remove from heat: I mix the green beans with the garlic and butter until everything is well coated, then take the pan off the heat.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, I mix the mustard and soy sauce until they are well combined.
Season the beans: I pour the mustard and soy mixture into the pan with the beans, then add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Mix to finish: I stir everything together until the beans are evenly coated with the sauce and seasonings.
Serve: I finish the dish with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if I want a little extra flavor and serve the beans right away.
Chef Tip + Notes
The key to cooking this recipe is to boil the green beans briefly before sautéing. This quick step helps the beans stay bright green and crisp while allowing them to cook evenly in the pan later.
- Cook to your liking: These green beans will be al dente and slightly crunchy when finished. If you prefer them more tender, I recommend boiling them for 5 to 7 minutes instead.
- Dry the beans: I let the beans air dry after draining. This helps them brown nicely instead of steaming in the pan.
- Use a large pan: I cook the beans in a large pan so they have room to move around. This gives them a nice caramelized color and better texture.
- Add garlic later: I add the garlic after the beans brown a bit. It keeps the garlic from burning and gives a richer flavor.
- Finish with lemon: I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice and a splash of soy sauce at the end. It brightens the flavor and ties everything together.
Serving Suggestions
I typically serve these sautéed green beans with just about any main dish, but I enjoy them the most alongside my roasted chicken or my easy and delicious grilled salmon.
The garlic, soy, and butter flavors in these beans taste amazing with Asian-inspired dishes like my Asian chicken marinade. They are also delicious served next to Beef Rendang, a traditional Indonesian braised beef dish I cooked the other day. I highly recommend trying that combination.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten as soon as they are done cooking. You can keep them warm in the pan for up to 15 minutes before serving.
How to Store: Green beans will be kept in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 3 days. These don’t freeze well after being cooked because they lose a lot of moisture. If you decide to freeze cooked green beans, it is best to thaw and use them in a soup.
How to Reheat: I add the green beans with a small amount of chicken stock or water and 1 tablespoon of butter to a pan. I cook over medium heat until the green beans are warm.
More Green Bean Recipes
Easy Sautéed Green Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound trimmed green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- Juice of ½ lemon, about 1 tablespoon
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the green beans to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 3 minutes.
- Strain the beans and keep them in the draining basket. No need to run them under cold water or shock them in ice water. It’s best to let them slightly air dry.
- While the beans are drying out, add the oil to a large 12” frying pan over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Place in the beans and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes or until they become lightly browned.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and push the beans to one side of the pan in the other add in the garlic and butter and stir and cook for 30 to 45 seconds or until it becomes fragrant.
- Mix the green beans with the garlic and butter and remove the pan from the heat.
- In a small bowl, mix together the mustard and soy sauce.
- Add the mustard-soy mixture to the pan of beans along with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Mix until combined.
- Serve with optional red pepper flakes.
Side dish? Nah! These beans tasted so good that I had them for dinner—the entire pound!!
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed them!