Okay, hear me out: sautéed veggies are hands-down one of my favorite things to whip up. They're quick to prep (and serve), they go with literally everything, and to me, sautéed veggies always hit.
So, these sautéed garlicky green beans? A total game-changer and your new favorite green bean recipe. You give them a quick blanch, toss them in a hot pan with some fresh garlic, and they're an instant side dish magic. These garlicky green beans about to become your go-to veggie for every single meal.
Green beans, aka string beans, are one of the green vegetables I have on hand on a regular basis because they're always a crowd pleaser and my son is a huge fan too.
Making sides like vegetables such as roasted squash or a simple salad of shaved brussel sprouts are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to focusing on fresh, healthier, plant-forward options.
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Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time - Yes, blanching the green beans will add a small additional step, but it's an important one! When you blanch and then sauté in the same pan, there's no fuss. Blanch, sauté, and serve.
- Cook Time - The blanching takes a quick 5 minutes, and then the sauté portion of the recipe takes approximately 15 minutes, so you're looking at about a 20 minute cook time from start to finish.
- Taste - Buttery, savory, garlicky, tender green beans.
- Best Served With - You can't go wrong by serving these with pan fried juicy chicken cutlets, oven roasted chicken thighs, a pasta dish like baked ziti or creamy chicken tortellini, or for a more gourmet meal with a whole roasted spatchcocked chicken.
Trusted Tips and Key Reminders
- If you over-blanch the green beans, meaning, if the boil and steam for too long, they will fall apart when sautéing in the olive oil. Be mindful of the heat when blanching, and time it!
- Trim the green beans before sautéing them so that they ends are not in tact.
- Wait to add the garlic until halfway through with cooking the green beans in the olive oil. We don't want any burnt or overcooked garlic, we're aiming for a pungent smell of garlic, but if we add it too early, it'll burn.
The Main Ingredients
- Green Beans - I like to buy these in bulk at my local BJ's Wholesale Club or Costco. They go a long way and I can make a larger batch and have them as meal prep for the week.
- Garlic - A few garlic cloves (2-3) minced or very finely chopped is better than jarred here.
- Salt - I love using Diamond Crystal salt iodized salt for this recipe. Just a pinch is all we need.
- Pepper - Fresh cracked pepper reigns supreme. I love cracking it fresh into the green beans as they cook and char.
- Olive Oil - A few tablespoons (2-3) is all we need.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Step by Step Process Photos
Step 1: To blanch the green beans, add a few cups of water to a pot or a deep pan with a strainer or steamer insert. Add the green beans and close with a lid. Bring to a medium heat, the water will bubble and begin to cook the green beans. Keep the green beans blanching for approximately 5-7 minutes or until just fork tender, then turn off the heat.
Step 2: Strain the green beans and add back to the deep pan or if you've blanched in a pot, strain and add to a skillet or frying pan with olive oil on medium heat.
Step 3: On a medium heat, let the green beans sauté in the olive oil until they start to char and get softer. Cooking the green beans will take approximately 5 minutes. The green beans should be fork tender, but have a slight snap or crunch.
Step 4: To the green beans, add in the garlic, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook until the garlic becomes slightly translucent and fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, and serve.
Simple Swaps and Substitutions
- Garlic: Omit the minced garlic and add in jarred if that's all you have access to, or use powdered garlic.
- Seasoning: If you'd rather not use garlic at all, other seasonings I recommend including shallot or onion, parsley, sesame seeds, slivered almonds, or even some parmesan cheese.
- Olive oil: You can easily use avocado or coconut oil instead of olive for this recipe.
Is blanching green beans necessary?
Yes! After cooking green or string beans over the last few years, and finally perfecting this recipe the last year, I've become fond of blanching vegetables before sautéing them as it helps them soften and cook a lot easier than when raw.
If you don't want to blanch, you can add a handful of the beans to a microwave with some water in a large bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel, and cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on medium power.
If the bag is microwave-friendly, the entire bag can go in the microwave for a few minutes. One less pot or kitchen tool to dirty.
How do I store this recipe? Can I freeze this?
To Store: Add the remaining green beans to an air-tight container and place in the fridge. These beans will be good for up to five days.
To Freeze: Place the beans in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to two months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, and toss in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil on medium-low heat.
Hungry for More?
Check out these other options for sides and veggies
Did you love this recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you!
Garlicky Sautéed Green Beans
Equipment
- 1 frying pan
- 1 steamer strainer
- tongs
Ingredients
- 2 cups green beans trimmed and rinsed
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 whole garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp black pepper fresh cracked if poss2ible
Instructions
- To blanch the green beans, add a few cups of water to a pot or a deep pan with a strainer or use a steamer strainer.
- Add the green beans and close with a lid. Bring to a medium heat, the water will bubble and begin to cook the green beans. Keep the green beans blanching for approximately 5-7 minutes or until just fork tender, then turn off the heat.
- Strain the green beans and add back to the deep pan or if you've blanched in a pot, strain and add to a skillet or frying pan with olive oil on medium heat.
- On a medium heat, let the green beans sauté in the olive oil until they start to char and get softer. Cooking the green beans will take approximately 5 minutes. The green beans should be fork tender, but have a slight snap or crunch.
- To the green beans, add in the garlic, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook until the garlic becomes slightly translucent and fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, and serve.
Annabelle says
These string beans are seriously perfect. The char on them, so good! I was a little turned off with having to Blanche them first BUT I can see why this recipe is done the way it is. Blanching or steaming them first made them extra delish!
Aggie says
I absolutely LOVED these string beans. They were so ridiculously easy to make and tasted delicious. I didn't ever think to blanch first, but i really like that step. Helps soften the beans and then they cooked so well. Will be making this again next week!