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 garlicky green beans are a huge win. You give them a quick blanch, toss them in a hot pan with some fresh garlic, and they're instant side dish magic.
Green beans (or if you call them string beans) are a staple green veggie I have on hand on a regular basis because they're always a crowd pleaser, and my boys are huge fans too. Making sides like my fall roasted squash or a simple salad of shaved brussels sprouts are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to focusing on fresh and colorful veggies.
TL; DR Summary - Garlic Green Beans
- 👩🏼🍳 Cook Level: Easy/Beginner
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- 🗝️ Key Ingredients: Garlic, string beans, olive oil, salt
- 📖 Dietary Info: Alliums (garlic)
- 😋 Taste: Buttery, savory, garlicky, crunchy, salty
- 💖 Why You'll Love: These garlic string beans are great for any dish you're whipping up to go with it. Plus, it's a great leaner, healthier side for Thanksgiving without the cream of mushroom and fried onions.
- Best Served With - You can't go wrong by serving string beans with pan fried juicy chicken cutlets, baked lemon pepper chicken quarters with garlic butter, a pasta dish like classic baked stuffed shells or one pan creamy chicken tortellini.
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Jump to:
- TL; DR Summary - Garlic Green Beans
- String Beans Trusted Tips and Key Reminders
- The Main Ingredients
- Simple Swaps and Substitutions
- How to blanch green beans before sautéing
- How to make garlic sautéed string beans
- Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)
- Garlic String Beans FAQs
- Check out these other options for sides and veggies:
- Sautéed Garlic Green Beans (One Pan)
String Beans Trusted Tips and Key Reminders
- If you over-blanch the green beans (aka if they over 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 the 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 on too high of a flame, 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 very finely chopped is better than jarred, and gives a much fresher taste.
- Salt - Table salt to season the string beans as they cook and sauté. I like to add the salt and the pepper halfway through when I see the string beans have some char on them.
- 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 to sauté the string beans. You can always add in more if you need to.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Simple Swaps and Substitutions
- Garlic: Omit the chopped 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.
How to blanch green beans before sautéing
After cooking green 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 to make garlic sautéed string beans
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.
Mistakes I've Made (so YOU don't have to!)
- Do NOT leave the stove for long periods of time while the string beans are steaming and blanching in the water. I cannot tell you how many times I've done this thinking, "Oh, they'll be fiiiine." No, it was not fine. Water spilled everywhere and the string beans completely fell apart. 3-5 minutes is the sweet spot when the water starts to boil.
- Do your best to drain the green beans immediately after they blanch, do NOT pour the water-soaked string beans directly into the oil. If you know anything about water and oil, they don't usually play well together in the sandbox. Trust me, if you like your clothes and your skin, you won't want to have sputtering oil and water everywhere.
- Do NOT mince your garlic. You want larger pieces of garlic in the pan so that you have more surface area of garlic flavor. Yes, minced garlic gives a robust aroma, and we also want to be eating chunks of garlic as you bite into the vegetable.
Garlic String Beans FAQs
There's a few reasons why I always suggest blanching, or steaming, the string beans before sautéing them. One big reason is that it helps to soften the flesh of the green bean/string bean, so that when they do sauté and cook in the oil and garlic, they soften and don't have that raw snap most people don't love. Another reason for blanching is to give it a milder flavor, so that the string beans can absorb the oil and garlic.
You can add the leftovers to an air-tight container and place in the fridge. These string beans will be good for up to five days.
You can definitely blanch the veggies a day before cooking them, and then throw them directly into the oil and garlic when you're ready to cook. Bring them to room temperature before adding them to the hot oil, though.
Yes, you can 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.
Check out these other options for sides and veggies:
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Sautéed Garlic Green Beans (One Pan)
Equipment
- 1 frying pan
- 1 steamer strainer
- tongs
Ingredients
- 2 cups green beans trimmed and rinsed
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
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 3-5 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!