Easy Garlic Lemon Green Beans Recipe
Tasty Garlic Lemon Green Beans are a light and delicious side dish to compliment just about any meal, or make a batch for a healthy and crunchy snack.
The past few weeks I’ve been trying to focus on having some non-carb options on hand. I’m always in the mood for potatoes. Like a bunch. But I need to focus on the green a little more. These Garlic Lemon Green Beans are just the ticket.
These tasty beans are the perfect side for steak. In fact, what triggered me to make these this week was a visit to our local steakhouse. They offer a similar green bean side to substitute instead of a baked potato. It actually hurts a little to order green beans instead of a baked potato. Just a bit. But once the initial pain subsides, honestly, I really do find these green beans ultimately satisfying, and without feeling like I’m going to bust.
Garlic Lemon Green Beans are fuss-free and something that can be served as a side, or enjoyed on their own as a lighter lunch or crunchy snack. This recipe is seriously simple. I’ve made these beans no less than five times in the past two weeks. That’s a lot of green beans.
A couple of Garlic Lemon Green Beans recipe notes:
- Easily change up the seasonings as you like to compliment any main dish.
- Prep ahead of time. Par boil the green beans ahead of time and store in the refrigerator ready to toss in a pan for a few minutes before serving make it a super duper quick healthy option to have on hand.
If you’re looking for other easy side dishes that are sure to satisfy, check these out:
Garlic Lemon Green Beans Recipe
These Garlic Lemon Green Beans are the perfect side dish, or healthy snack.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds green beans, cleaned and trimmed
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (depending on pan size; basically will need enough to cover pan and coat green beans)
- 4 tablespoons, butter, salted
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (if you really like garlic, add more)
- additional salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook green beans for about 3 minutes. Drain beans and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. Allow beans to cool completely. Once cool, drain beans, and proceed to next steps. Or store covered in refrigerator for up to a couple of days until ready to finish cooking.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet* over medium-high heat. Add green beans and butter to pan, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Add lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Continue to toss, cooking for about 3 minutes.
- Additional salt and pepper as needed to taste.
*Depending on skillet size, you may need to work in smaller batches, dividing lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and paper as you work through smaller amounts.
Originally published January 17, 2013.
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Perfect for a dinner party. When can we come? 🙂
I love fresh green beans. And garlic!
OOH, I love green beans and I know that the lemon and garlic would be a fantastic combo!
I love the par-boil tip – I need more carb-less options these days!
Looks fantastic and super easy! I have a query though, you have mentioned 4 tbsp salted butter in the ingredients.. when do we have to add that?
Whoops! Fixed the recipe. Thanks for letting me know. The butter should be added when the green beans are added. A little at a time if working in batches.
Delicious! I love lemony seasoning on vegetables.
I can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Gorgeous and easy–love it!
Always a great side dish! I should make some of these with the Meyer lemons that are still on my tree!
Simple and flavorful — my favorite kind of veggie recipe!
This makes me cry. The sexy kind.
Adding garlic and lemon is our favorite way to prepare fresh green beans!
i am ALWAYS in the mood for potatoes too…haha! they are just so good…
but these garlicky lemon green beans look tasty enough that i might be able to forget about the potatoes…hehe
I know what’s for dinner tonight!
I’ve been making a lot of green beans lately as well, so good!
Lemon on green beans is my favorite! These look perfect 🙂
love these! perfect side dish for any meal!
love me some green beans!
Perfect for Sunday dinner!
These look AMAZING! Going to have to try this recipe out this weekend.
Beautiful! I bet my family would actually eat the beans if I prepared them like this!
OH these green beans look awesome. I too am always looking for non-carb side dishes!
Served these Friday for some guests — they were a hit! Thanks for posting. 🙂
Can this be done with frozen green beans?
Hmmm … if you tried with frozen, you would need to thaw them, then make sure they are totally dry.
Thank you! I have a 5# bag in my freezer and need the room! lol
I made this recipe with frozen green beans. I steamed them first, instead of cooking them in boiling water. It turned out great! This recipe is delicious!
Made these tonight– no fuss, great flavor! Even my 2 year old was insisting on more!
I love fresh green beans but my husband does not (the crispiness of fresh veggies grosses him out) will this recipe work with green beans out of the can. I’m sure y’all are cringing at the thought but if it will get him to eat better
Made this tonight with some marinated lemon pepper chicken and it was DELISH! All 4 of us enjoyed (and that’s a rare thing for us!) thank you!
Greeting from Indonesia!
I love the way you serve green bean as healthy snack. It’s always better to consume healthy natural food, especially the home-made. Allow me to pin it on Pinterest. Thank You!
I just cooked these to finish preparing them tonight for dinner. Just a helpful hint (for those who don’t think of it). When you throw your beans in the water, get a big (4-8 cup) measuring cup and fill it with ice. Drain your beans in your pot and then put the ice (with cold water) back in the pot…then you don’t have to wash an extra bowl!
I love fresh green beans so much! These look fantastic Amy.
These sound delicious and can’t wait to try them, but FYI, boiling veggies cooks the good nutrients out of them so you’re better off sautéing or baking and skipping the boiling.
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I made these tonight, they were delicious! Paige loved them too!
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These were, hands-down, the best green beans I’ve ever had. I will be making these every week. Thank you so much for the recipe! DELICIOUS!
Happy to hear you like them! I’m actually making them tonight (and maybe tomorrow night too).
These look absolutely delightful! I have a similar recipe but without lemon, so I really look forward to making these. Thanks so much, Amy!
I love green beans and garlic and lemons are my friends too. This dish is just as pretty to look at as I’m sure it is to eat. I can’t wait.
It is a pretty dish, Maureen. I have really enjoyed it as a quick colorful addition. While I enjoy fresh produce, I recently found the thin green beans in frozen form at Whole Foods and Fresh Market. It has been helpful on many occasions to know I have a bag tucked away for those meals I find myself less prepared for.
Love these! I’m doing my spring resolutions (for some reason these seem to work better for me than New Years) and more green veggies is on that list, so this is perfect delicious timing. 🙂
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I made these for Easter dinner, and they were scrumptious!!
Yay! So glad to hear it, Susie. I hope y’all had a lovely Easter. Tell everyone hello! xoxo
I make green beans with a can or Ro*tel tomatoes* (regular, mild or Mexican-lime & cilantro), grated garlic, onion, lemon pepper & crisp bacon. My family loves them.
Those look so good. The parboil trick is something I wouldn’t have thought of.