These sauteed green beans are simple, easy, and delicious and make a flavorful, healthy side dish in a snap! This simple recipe requires fresh green beans, but no blanching is required, and you will have perfectly tender-crisp green beans every time! They are perfect for any occasion!
Easy Sauteed Green Bean Recipe
Green beans are an American classic. We eat them in casseroles for holidays, roasted with a hearty beef or pork roast and with garlic and bacon or cheddar.
Sauteed green beans are a fast and straightforward way to make your vegetables, and they’ll go well with anything you decide to make alongside them. This recipe highlights garlic and onion flavors alongside the fresh taste of the green beans. They’re impossible not to like.
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With just a few ingredients from your spice cabinet and some hot oil, you can have a savory side packed with all the healthy things we look for in vegetables. There’s no bacon, cheddar, or gravy. Just green beans and some seasoning.
It’s a light dish that goes well with a light lunch or balances out an indulgent steak dinner. There’s a reason this is one of my well-loved go-to's.
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- Super Easy! There are only 3 steps to this supremely easy and tasty side dish!
- It’s simple! Minimal ingredients allow the taste of the green beans to be the star!
- Family-Friendly! This garlic green beans recipe is a favorite of all ages!
🥘 Sauteed Green Beans Ingredients
These are simple ingredients for a simple recipe. The flavor, however, is anything but.
- Olive Oil (extra virgin) - 1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. EVOO not only provides fat to cook in, but it helps the seasonings stick.
- Green Beans - ¾ pound of green beans. Make sure these are fresh, washed, and trimmed before you begin.
- Onion Powder - ½ teaspoon of onion powder. You can also use ½ tablespoon of dried, minced onion.
- Garlic Powder - ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. If desired, you can also try this with 1 clove of minced garlic, but be careful not to let it burn.
- Salt & Pepper (to taste) - ¼ teaspoon of both salt and pepper. These staple spices are just what you need to highlight the green bean flavor.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Sauteed Green Beans
There are only 3 quick and easy steps for this recipe. Get out a colander, a spatula, and a skillet to get started.
When finished, you will have enough green beans for 4 servings.
- Heating the skillet and oil. Start by heating 1½ tablespoons (22 milliliters) of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add ¾ pound (340 grams) of green beans and toss to coat.
- Season and saute. Sprinkle green beans with ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of onion powder, ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) of garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) of both salt and pepper. Stir and saute for another 5 to 10 minutes or until green beans are as tender as you want them to be.
- Serve. Remove from heat and serve hot.
🍴 What To Serve With Green Beans
Green beans are good with nearly everything, but I especially love serving them with a bechamel pasta bake or beef stroganoff. For an extra pop of flavor, garnish with a bit of Parmesan or asiago cheese. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- No need to blanche. This recipe was created for those who prefer not to blanche their green beans before cooking. It’s not necessary for sauteing. That said, if you prefer to do so, they will also turn out very tender.
- Add more flavor. Thyme, bacon, onions, lemon zest, feta, and pesto all make delicious additions to green beans. Pick 1 or 2 to highlight. Keep it simple for the best results.
- Want your green beans more tender? Cook these easy sauteed green beans for as long as you like. Serve once your desired level of tenderness has been reached.
- For extra buttery goodness, toss the green beans with a tablespoon or two of butter before removing from the heat and serving.
- Add more veggies. If desired, onion, peppers, or mushrooms can be sauteed with your green beans.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
To store extras, use an airtight container. In the fridge, leftovers will be good for 3 to 5 days.
Freezing Green Beans
If you freeze any leftover green beans, do so in an airtight container. Thaw and eat them within 6 months.
Reheating Sauteed Green Beans
To reheat, transfer leftovers into a skillet and heat slowly over medium-low heat until the desired temperature. Note that sauteed green beans that have been frozen may reheat slightly softer than originally made.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Boiling your green beans (or blanching them) is not necessary. It takes up extra time and uses an extra pot that you'll need to clean later. With these simple steps, you can have perfectly cooked green beans without blanching them first!
I don't recommend it. Canned green beans are already cooked, so they would need to be prepared using a different method. Frozen green beans also would not have the best results. For tips, check out my post on how to cook frozen green beans.
This all comes down to personal preference. If you ask me, I always like my green beans the best when they are tender-crisp. This means that they are somewhat soft but still have a firmness about them. Cook your green beans until they are as soft as you like.
🍽️ More Easy Side Dishes
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad - Chilled pasta salad that includes mayonnaise, vinegar, and pineapple juice.
- Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage - A 4-ingredient side dish that comes together in a snap.
- Microwave Baked Potato - The easiest and quickest way to prepare a fluffy baked potato.
- Succotash - Butter beans, bacon, corn, and bell pepper make this a super versatile side.
- Cucumber Vinegar Salad - A simple salad that is both tangy and sweet.
- Steamed Corn On The Cob - Enjoy some tender and sweet corn on the cob in only 15 minutes.
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📖 Recipe Card
Sauteed Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ lb green beans (fresh, trimmed)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder (or ½ tablespoon dried, minced onion)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add green beans and toss to coat with the oil.
- After adding the green beans, season them with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Saute until the green beans reach your desired tenderness, usually about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- No need to blanche. This recipe was created for those who prefer not to blanche their green beans before cooking. It’s not necessary for sauteing. That said, if you prefer to do so, they will also turn out very tender.
- Add more flavor. Thyme, bacon, onions, lemon zest, feta, and pesto all make delicious additions to green beans. Pick 1 or 2 to highlight. Keep it simple for the best results.
- Want your green beans more tender? Cook these easy sauteed green beans for as long as you like. Serve once your desired level of tenderness has been reached.
- For extra buttery goodness, toss the green beans with a tablespoon or two of butter before removing from the heat and serving.
- Add more veggies. onion, peppers, or mushrooms can be sauteed with the green beans if desired.
Wayne says
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Carol Fatzinger says
Can these green beans be prepared prior to the actual dinner time?
Angela Latimer says
You can. Cook them completely if desired and follow the reheating instructions in the post. Or cook until a bit crisp still, refrigerate until later, and finish cooking them for a few minutes to both reheat and finish before serving.
Michelle says
Génial de ne pas faire bouillir les haricots verts!
"Great not to boil the green beans!"