Learn how to cook frozen green beans so that they are perfectly tender, incredibly flavorful, and not mushy at all. With just a few ingredients and a couple of minutes, you'll be ready to enjoy this tasty vegetable side dish. They are so easy to prepare that you'll want to keep your freezer stocked at all times!
If you love green beans, try my air fryer green bean fries, green beans almondine, fresh green bean casserole, and Crockpot green beans and potatoes.
Jump to:
- Fresh vs Frozen Green Beans
- Choose The Best Green Beans
- Ingredients For Cooking Frozen Green Beans
- How To Cook Frozen Green Beans In The Oven
- How To Saute Frozen Green Beans
- How To Cook Frozen Green Beans In The Microwave
- How To Steam Frozen Green Beans
- How To Boil Frozen Green Beans
- Tips For Cooking Frozen Green Beans
- ❓ Recipe FAQs
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments & Reviews
I always make sure to keep an assortment of frozen veggies in my freezer for a variety of reasons. They are simple to prepare, can be added to so many recipes, and taste amazing!
Cooking with frozen vegetables not only saves time but also ensures that you can enjoy some tasty green beans all year round! Plus, I find that they are much more fresh tasting than the kind from a can!
Fresh vs Frozen Green Beans
Surprisingly, frozen green beans are just as nutritious as fresh ones! That's due to the fact that frozen green beans were picked at the peak of freshness and then flash-frozen!
I feel like the taste is really similar between the two, so it really just comes down to convenience! Keeping a couple of bags of frozen green beans in your freezer means that you always have them when you need them and won't have to run out to the store to find fresh ones!
Choose The Best Green Beans
Not only frozen green beans are created equal! In fact, there's a wide variety of different kinds that go by various names and labels. You could find green beans, haricot verts, string beans, wax beans, snap beans, French green beans, or cut green beans.
For the best-tasting green beans, I recommend grabbing bags that use terms such as haricot verts, petit green beans, or thin green beans. I typically avoid cut green beans (they can be watery or tough) and regular green beans (lack flavor and are tougher).
Ingredients For Cooking Frozen Green Beans
There are many different herbs, spices, and other ingredients that can easily add tons of flavor to your green beans! These items are set in stone, so feel free to choose your favorite and mix and match what you like to pair with your beans the best!
Really all you need is the green beans and oil. After that, everything is completely up to you!
- Frozen Green Beans - Of course, the star of the show is going to be frozen green beans. Go ahead and grab a 16-ounce bag.
- Oil - 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. You could also use butter or even ghee if you prefer.
- Seasonings - If desired, you could add different seasonings such as onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, or fresh herbs. Choose your favorite and use 1-2 teaspoons.
- Garlic - I think garlic tastes amazing when paired with green beans and is the perfect addition for when you are cooking them using the saute method. Add 1-2 minced cloves while sauteing.
- Lemon Zest - Another great addition for sauteing your green beans is lemon zest! Use as much as you like.
- Parmesan Cheese - Finally, sprinkling some Parmesan cheese over your freshly cooked green beans adds a ton of flavor and makes them ultra tasty!
How To Cook Frozen Green Beans In The Oven
Roasting your green beans in the oven is incredibly simple and effortless, but the results are delicious!
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (215°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread. Spread your green beans onto the sheet in an even layer, and pop them into the oven for only 5 minutes to dry off any excess moisture.
- Season. Remove them from the oven and drizzle them with your oil and preferred seasonings if using.
- Roast. Return the green beans to the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
How To Saute Frozen Green Beans
This is one of my favorite ways to prepare frozen green beans as it is simple, and you can easily add in other veggies if you like!
- Prepare. Place your green beans into a large skillet and ¼ cup of water for every 8 ounces of green beans (½ cup of water for a full 16-ounce bag).
- Take the chill off. Cook on medium heat until all of the ice has melted off of the beans, about 3 or 4 minutes.
- Drain. Drain the green beans in a colander and shake off any excess moisture.
- Heat. Wipe out the pan and add your oil, then place the skillet over medium heat., At this point, you can add any diced onion or garlic if you like (saute for a couple of minutes before adding the green beans).
- Cook. Add the green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until they are as tender as you like, adding any of your preferred seasonings.
How To Cook Frozen Green Beans In The Microwave
The microwave is the quickest way to whip up some green beans if you are in a pinch.
- Prepare. Add ½ pound of frozen green beans to a microwave-safe bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons of water.
- Cover. Cover the bowl tightly with a lid, or set a microwave-safe plate on top.
- Microwave. Heat for 2 minutes on high power.
- Finish. Remove from the microwave, stir, and continue to heat in 30-second increments until heated all the way through.
How To Steam Frozen Green Beans
Steaming green beans is also incredibly hands-off and really lets the natural flavor of the green beans shine as you aren't cooking them in oil. Of course, you can always season them afterward!
- Heat. Add some water to a large pot and then place a steamer basket into it. Bring the water up to a boil.
- Steam. Add your green beans and then reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pot and steam for 5-8 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender.
- Season. Drain the water and place the green beans into a bowl to toss with your preferred seasonings.
How To Boil Frozen Green Beans
Boiling frozen green beans is very similar to steaming them, except they will be completely submerged in the water.
- Heat. Add water to a large pot, season generously with salt, and then bring it up to a boil.
- Boil. Once boiling, add the green beans and boil, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes.
- Serve. Strain the water and then toss the green beans in butter and/or seasoning if desired.
Tips For Cooking Frozen Green Beans
- Green beans don't need to be defrosted before cooking. It's actually best to cook them straight from frozen! However, if you want to defrost them, you can do so by placing the bag in the refrigerator overnight.
- You can rinse frozen green beans under cool water to remove any ice crystals before cooking if desired.
- If boiling or steaming your green beans, try to avoid overcooking them, as they could become overly soft.
- Green beans aren't super flavorful on their own, so make sure you incorporate some seasonings! Salt and pepper are great, but you can also use ingredients like garlic, butter, and lemon zest!
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Nope! It is actually best to cook them straight from frozen! All of these methods use green beans that are still frozen and have not been defrosted.
Once melted, the ice from the packaging can add too much moisture to the green beans. This is why I recommend baking them for a couple of minutes in the oven (when roasting) or melting down the ice (when sauteing). Steaming, boiling, and using the microwave aren't affected by this since they are cooking with water anyway.
You can use a variety of seasonings, such as salt, pepper, onion powder, or garlic powder to add flavor. Additionally, you can use butter instead of oil or even add some lemon zest, minced garlic, or onion! Finally, some Parmesan cheese always makes a fantastic finishing touch!
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How To Cook Frozen Green Beans
Ingredients
- 16 oz green beans (frozen)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin, or butter)
- 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Oven
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (215°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread 16 oz green beans onto the sheet in an even layer, and pop them into the oven for only 5 minutes to dry off any excess moisture.
- Remove them from the oven and drizzle them with 2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon each, salt & pepper.
- Return the green beans to the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Stovetop
- Place your green beans into a large skillet and ¼ cup of water for every 8 ounces of green beans (½ cup of water for a full 16-ounce bag).
- Cook on medium heat until all of the ice has melted off of the beans, about 3 or 4 minutes.
- Drain the green beans in a colander and shake off any excess moisture.
- Wipe out the pan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then place the skillet over medium heat., At this point, you can add any diced onion or garlic if you like (saute for a couple of minutes before adding the green beans).
- Add the green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until they are as tender as you like, adding any of your preferred seasonings.
Microwave
- Add ½ pound (8 ounces) of frozen green beans to a microwave-safe bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons of water.
- Cover the bowl tightly with a lid, or set a microwave-safe plate on top.
- Heat for 2 minutes on high power.
- Remove from the microwave, stir, and continue to heat in 30-second increments until heated all the way through.
Steam
- Add some water to a large pot and then place a steamer basket into it. Bring the water up to a boil.
- Add your green beans and then reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pot and steam for 5-8 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender.
- Drain the water and place the green beans into a bowl to toss with your preferred seasonings.
Boil
- Add water to a large pot, season generously with salt, and then bring it up to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the green beans and boil, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes.
- Strain the water and then toss the green beans in butter and/or seasoning if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published June 3, 2023
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