Easy Lemon Garlic Green Beans Recipe
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Tasty Lemon Garlic 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.
On a regular basis, we try to focus on having some non-carb options on hand. Usually, I’m always in the mood for potatoes. When I say “usually,” I mean like every day I could eat potatoes. But I need to focus on the green things a little more. These easy Lemon Garlic Green Beans are just the ticket and surprisingly quick to make.
These tasty beans are the perfect side for many main dishes like steak, chicken, or fish. In fact, what originally triggered me to make this version at home 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 after eating.
How to cook lemon garlic green beans
- Cook the green beans in salted water for about 3 minutes. Drain them and transfer to the bowl of ice water.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with butter and olive oil. Once the pan has been preheated, add the green beans along with the lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook occasionally stirring for 3-4 minutes.
What to serve with lemon garlic green beans
Lemon Garlic 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. These tasty green beans are a perfect complement to steak, chicken (like Oven Fried Chicken from The Cookie Rookie), fish, or pork. 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:
- Change up the seasonings as you like to compliment any main dish. I like to add ground ginger to these beans for extra flavor.
- French green beans are best for this recipe. They are a shorter and thinner variety and cook quicker, which means you may skip the parboiling step.
- Prep ahead of time – parboil the green beans ahead of time and store in the refrigerator, ready to toss in a pan for a few minutes before serving to make it a super duper quick healthy option to have on hand.
If you enjoyed this green beans recipe, you’d also love:
- Quick Baked Potatoes
- Coconut Milk Roasted Green Beans
- Roasted Broccoli Recipe
- White and Black Bean Salad Recipe
- Cucumber Dill Greek Yogurt Salad
Easy Lemon Garlic Green Beans Recipe
Garlic Lemon Green Beans Recipe
These Garlic Lemon Green Beans are the perfect side dish, or healthy snack.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds thin green beans, cleaned and trimmed (I like French green beans the best for this recipe.)
- 4 tablespoons, butter, salted
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (depending on pan size; basically will need enough to cover pan and coat green beans)
- 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (if you really like garlic, add more)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- (If you can find French green beans (a shorter and thinner variety), you may skip the par boiling steps, and go on to #3.) 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 a large skillet* over medium-high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once butter and olive oil are hot, add green beans, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper; toss to coat all beans well with oil, butter and seasonings. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes. If skipping the par boiling step, continue to cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness.
- Serve warm.
Notes
*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.
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.
I made these tonight, they were delicious! Paige loved them too!
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. 🙂
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.
Great stuff!
Love your skills,
keep sharing things like this.
I cook and freeze meals for a friend, do you think these would be ok reheating from frozen ?
They may be okay but I would test it first.