These simple, savory, and healthy garlic green beans will make your family love eating their vegetables!
The other night I was pretty exhausted so I decided to throw some buttermilk chicken drumsticks in the oven and cook up these easy green beans to go with them. I happened to have some boiled potatoes leftover from our shrimp boil the day before, so I incorporated them into the dish. If you don’t have cooked potatoes lying around, you could cook them in the microwave or leave them out for a low-carb side dish. As long as you have green beans, mushrooms, and garlic, you’ll be happy.
Green Beans are not just for Thanksgiving
These quick and easy green beans are a great all around side dish to serve with any meal. I sometimes wonder if Thanksgiving green bean casserole has put people off eating green beans the rest of the year. This dish is nothing like the Thanksgiving side and significantly easier to make. The mushrooms add some nice flavor and the potatoes add a starch so you can simply serve this side with the meat of your choice. I like this recipe because the green beans are light and crunchy, covered in garlic and finished with a little lemon juice to make the flavors pop. As you can see this recipe is different than green bean casserole.
What is the difference between green beans and haricot verts?
Hericot verts is French for green beans. They are the same species of green beans we get here in America. However, when you see them in the store or on a menu they actually mean something very specific. Haricot verts are a young green bean that is smaller in size and more tender than regular adult green beans. Sometimes people use the names interchangably, when referring to the smaller green beans. The larger and more fiberous green beans should never be referred to as hericot vert.
Tips and tricks for serving green beans as a side
I love green beans, especially in the summer when they are locally grown but they can make a great side dish all year round. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to keep in mind when buying and cooking green beans.
Buy small green beans. Look for small, young green beans or hericot vert because they are more tender and sweeter than the larger green beans.
Should you buy trimmed or clipped green beans? I like to but it is not necessary. When buying the small and young green beans you do not need to worry as much about trimming them and just need to remove larger stem pieces. With large green beans you will want to propperly trim the ends.
Should I steam or blanch the green beans before sauteeing? This is up to you. I prefer to simply cook them in the pan and add a splash of white wine or chicken stock so they partially steam while sauteeing and get some extra flavor and are less likely to accidentally overcook them. If you like your green beans with a little char or browning simply saute from raw and do not add any liquid. The bean swill take a little longer to cook but will get some nice browning on the outside.
Green beans love sauces and seasonings. Do not hesitate to use extra garlic and aromatics or sauces when cooking green beans. They can coat very nicely and become a great vehicle for flavor.
How to add more flavor to your green beans?
When it comes to this green bean recipe you can easily adjust the seasoning to better match or enhance the dish they are being served with. Here are some of my favorite recipe modifications.
Asian flavors. If you are serving green beans with an Asian inspired entree such as sweet and sour chicken, or teriyaki beef I recommend adding a 2 extra cloves of garlic, swapping the white wine or chicken stock with 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. I would also only add salt to taste as the soy sauce will make the dish saltier. You will not need to add lemon at the end. You can always add some chopped peanuts for extra texture and flavor.
American BBQ. If you are enjoying your green beans with a grilled steak or bbq chicken I recommend swapping out the wine/stock with 1 Tbs of worchestershire sauce, 3 Tbs of ketchup and 1 Tbs of brown sugar. You will want to cook these a little lower on medium or mediul-low heat due to the sugar and ketchup. If you want a little more sauce add 1-2 Tbs of water. You will not need to add lemon at the end.
Just Delicious. Sometimes you just want to make a dish even tastier and do not care what you are serving it with. In that case I recommend adding 1 Tbs of worchestershire sauce or soy sauce with the wine/stock which will add a little richness and sweetness but not dramatically change the flavor. I then recommend topping the green beans with grated parmesan cheese after you add the lemon. Worchestershire sauce, soy sauce and parmesan cheese all add a lot of yummy flavor to the green beans.
This savory side dish is quick, easy, and healthy!
Total Time:23 minutes
Yield:3-4 1x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
2 tsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced or crushed
1/4c. chicken broth or white wine
12oz. fresh green beans
8oz. sliced mushrooms
8oz. small new potatoes optional
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
Prick each potato a few times with a fork, place on a microwave-safe plate, and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high until fork tender, 5-8 minutes. Carefully cut potatoes in half (or quarters if your potatoes are on the large side).
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and saute for 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant. Add broth or wine.
Add green beans, mushrooms, and potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until green beans are tender but not too soft, 5-8 minutes.
Turn off heat, squeeze lemon juice over vegetables, and stir once more before serving.
How do you get around town? Do you drive or take public transportation? Even though I live in a city with a pretty good transit system, I generally drive everywhere. Besides the fact that I like to go where I want when I want and don’t want to wait for a bus, I also travel with two little kids who have a lot of stuff and aren’t the most patient individuals.
Well, my oldest had a doctor’s appointment yesterday, and there happens to be a bus that goes directly from our front door to the clinic’s front door. The kids have been asking to take the bus for novelty’s sake, so we decided to bus it to the doctor instead of drive this time.
Getting there wasn’t too bad, but the bus smelled a little less than fresh, and The Tall One asked a few times why it smelled so bad and how much longer it would take. By the time the first ride was over, he was pretty much unenamoured with the bus. We still had to make it home.
On the way home, it was about 4:30pm, time for people to be heading home. A lot of people. That bus was ridiculously packed. I was lucky to find a seat in the front where I could hold The Short One in my lap (plus my enormous purse full of snacks, diapers, and all the other aforementioned junk).
The Tall One had to hang on for dear life to a pole while being shoved on top of The Short One by the crowd around him. We were thrilled to claw our way out of that bus at home. Needless to say, we won’t be riding the bus next time. After that urban adventure, it was time to come home and make dinner.
Andi Gleeson is a passionate blogger and mom based in San Francisco who focuses on easy and delicious dinner recipes.
12 comments
Liz
11 years ago
Thank you Andi for the nice recipe.
Andi
11 years ago
My pleasure, Liz! Thank you!
Deb @ Cooking on the Front Burner
11 years ago
Hi Andi, love this recipe and like Julie I first saw it on FG. Stunning photo!
Andi
11 years ago
Wow, thanks so much, Deb! That is so sweet of you to say! :D
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
11 years ago
Love this recipe, Andi! And beautiful photos. Actually caught this one on Foodgawker. :)
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you so much, Julie! I hope you are having a nice weekend :)
Kelly
11 years ago
Yikes, sorry to hear about the bus ride – not fun at all with two little ones. We drive most places too since like you said, it’s hard lugging around so much stuff for your little ones. These green beans look delicious and perfect to whip up on a hectic day – I love green beans and am always looking for new ways to make them :)
Andi
11 years ago
Well at least now I can remind them of the stinky, crowded ride if they start bugging me to ride the bus again ;) Thanks for stopping by, Kelly. I love green beans too!
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
11 years ago
You were so brave going on the bus with your boys! I am such a baby and would have been scared I’d get lost or something! Good thing you’re amazing with quick recipes so you could come home and whip this awesome dinner up! I’m definitely going to try this because I’m always looking for more side dish ideas! Your pictures are beautiful, Andi! XO!
Andi
11 years ago
I wasn’t worried I would get lost since I know the route so well, but I’m spoiled and like to sit in my own car with my own music and without a bunch of strangers in my space!
I get stuck in a rut with side dishes too, so I was happy to try something new. I think your family might like this one if your little ones like green beans. Thanks so much for coming over :)
Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent
11 years ago
These green beans look absolutely delicious! Love the different combinations of flavors. I would definitely avoid the bus in the future :)
Andi
11 years ago
Thank you so much, Laura. Yes, I will definitely be avoiding the bus if possible!
12 comments
Thank you Andi for the nice recipe.
My pleasure, Liz! Thank you!
Hi Andi, love this recipe and like Julie I first saw it on FG. Stunning photo!
Wow, thanks so much, Deb! That is so sweet of you to say! :D
Love this recipe, Andi! And beautiful photos. Actually caught this one on Foodgawker. :)
Thank you so much, Julie! I hope you are having a nice weekend :)
Yikes, sorry to hear about the bus ride – not fun at all with two little ones. We drive most places too since like you said, it’s hard lugging around so much stuff for your little ones. These green beans look delicious and perfect to whip up on a hectic day – I love green beans and am always looking for new ways to make them :)
Well at least now I can remind them of the stinky, crowded ride if they start bugging me to ride the bus again ;) Thanks for stopping by, Kelly. I love green beans too!
You were so brave going on the bus with your boys! I am such a baby and would have been scared I’d get lost or something! Good thing you’re amazing with quick recipes so you could come home and whip this awesome dinner up! I’m definitely going to try this because I’m always looking for more side dish ideas! Your pictures are beautiful, Andi! XO!
I wasn’t worried I would get lost since I know the route so well, but I’m spoiled and like to sit in my own car with my own music and without a bunch of strangers in my space!
I get stuck in a rut with side dishes too, so I was happy to try something new. I think your family might like this one if your little ones like green beans. Thanks so much for coming over :)
These green beans look absolutely delicious! Love the different combinations of flavors. I would definitely avoid the bus in the future :)
Thank you so much, Laura. Yes, I will definitely be avoiding the bus if possible!