Easy Skillet Green Beans Recipe | How to Cook Green Beans on the Stove (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to green beans for flavor? ›

Butter: A bit of butter adds a rich flavor and helps the seasoning stick to the green beans. Seasoned salt: Buy seasoned salt from the store, or make your own seasoned salt at home. Chili powder: This is an unexpected knockout seasoning. Chili powder adds a touch of spice and color without being too overpowering.

You want them to be blistered and tender, but still have a little “snap.” When properly cooked, green beans should still have a crisp texture, and a vibrant, bright green color.

The key to the best beans is to master how long to boil green beans. Cook the green beans, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water until crisp-tender: 10 to 15 minutes for whole or cut green beans. 5 to 10 minutes for french-cut green beans.

After the green beans are boiled, remove them from the pot and strain them through a colander and then immediately pour them into your buttered pan. Season the green beans with salt and pepper.

The vegetable helps fight inflammation and is a good source of folate and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Green beans also are a good source of protein and fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, Vadiveloo said. "Fiber is underconsumed by U.S. adults and children, and it's good for gut health," she said.

Should I Soak Green Beans Before Cooking? Fresh green beans do not need to be soaked. To help tenderize the beans, blanch them in a large pot of salted water.

Place soaked beans in a large pot; cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently until beans are tender but firm. Most beans will cook in 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the variety. Periodically, try a taste test or mash a bean against the side of the pot with a fork or spoon.

When properly cooked, green beans should still have a crisp texture, and a vibrant, bright green color. As discussed above, overcooked green beans can be identified by their drab, olive-green color and their mushy texture. Overcooking can also cause nutrient loss.

A serving of green beans is one cup. This is about 20 medium green beans.

Is it better to steam or boil fresh green beans? ›

Steaming is a simple way to cook vegetables, and it leaves the flavor and much of the nutrients intact. It's slightly healthier than boiling since fewer nutrients end up in the water. Plus, steaming requires little time and attention. A steamer basket is a great kitchen tool to have on hand.

While the beans are cooking, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. As soon as the beans are done cooking, transfer them immediately to the ice bath to stop the cooking process and preserve their bright green color. Leave the beans in the bowl of ice water for a few minutes before removing them with tongs.

Before cooking, snap off the stem end of the vegetable. Some green beans come with this end already detached. If yours still have it, just snap off the very end of the stem of each bean—a great task for any helping hands in the kitchen.

Maxibel ~ If you only get one bush bean variety, make it Maxibel. This is a full-size (7-inch pods) French filet bean that has straight, dark green pods. A very gourmet-type bean, Maxibel has a flavor that can't be beat.

Blanch Them

Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.

To blanch green beans, fill a large pot of water, set over high heat, and bring it to a boil. Salt the water (per quart of water, estimate a tablespoon of kosher salt), which will bring the green beans to life and enhance their flavor. Once the water is boiling, add the beans and cook for two to three minutes.