Sautéed Green Beans

It always helps to have a few quick and simple vegetable side dishes in your repertoire, and knowing a few basic cooking techniques will help you harness the unique flavor of each vegetable. Sautéing is one of the easiest and most effective cooking methods, used in everything from soups to stir-fries—and this easy green bean recipe. 

Green beans are long and thin, so they cook in a snap. When sautéed, they become slightly tender while maintaining their shape. In this recipe, we take one extra step to make sure the green beans are cooked perfectly. We start by blanching the beans for a few minutes, then finishing them in a sauté pan. This way, they hold onto some of their crunchy texture and green color. All you’ll need is a few tablespoons of butter, salt, and pepper to bring these beans to life.

How to Prep Green Beans

Depending on how you buy your green beans, the stem-end may or may not come removed. If you buy green beans bagged or wrapped, they may already be trimmed. If you buy loose green beans, you'll probably need to remove the ends yourself. It's super simple–just use your hands to snap the ends off. If you have a lot of green beans to trim, line them up on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to remove the ends. 

If the recipe uses whole beans, you don't need to do anything else. If the recipe calls for bite-size pieces of green beans, you can use the same knife to slice the beans into pieces.

When Are Green Beans in Season?

While you can find green beans in the grocery store's produce aisle year-round, they are at their peak throughout the summer and into the early autumn months. During this time of year, you’ll find them overflowing at farmers' markets, farmstands, and supermarkets. 

When green beans are in season, they will have a bright, sweet, and vegetal flavor.

Shopping for Green Beans

When purchasing green beans, look for ones that are bright green, smooth, and firm to the touch. There shouldn't be any blemishes or discoloration on the surface.

Ways to Upgrade Sautéed Green Beans

While we love a simple recipe, there are easy ways you can add to take this dish up a notch:

• Spices: Add crushed spices like cumin, coriander, or fennel. They will toast and become very fragrant if added while you are sautéing the green beans. 
• Infused oils: Swap the butter in this recipe for olive oil that has been infused with chile flakes, citrus zest, or fresh herbs. 
• Acid: A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice or a light splash of white wine or champagne vinegar at the end will brighten up the finished dish. 
• Fresh herbs: Scatter any of your favorite tender herbs over the sautéed green beans jut before serving. We like to use mint, parsley, or basil.