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    Home » Sides + Appetizers

    Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Lemon

    November 20, 2020 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

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    Looking for an easy veggie side dish? These green beans are sautéed to perfection with garlic and lemon and ready in 8 minutes.

    I often forget that green beans exist. They're a vegetable I tend to think about around the holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas for us) but they're a tasty side dish to have with so many meals. It's also a side dish that's fuss-free, which you know is my favorite. These sautéed green beans are tossed with plenty of garlic and lemon zest to add just enough flavor without much effort. These bad boys can be made in 10 minutes, too!

    With Thanksgiving around the corner, these green beans will definitely be on our table. And the kids are learning to like green beans, too. That's a recent development -- and I ain't mad about it.

    flat lay picture of white plate with dinner on it: chicken breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans with a glass of red wine.

    The Trick to Sautéed Green Beans

    There's really not much to it, but there are a couple of things to remember.

    1. Get your pan nice and hot before adding your green beans. You want the green beans to begin to blister (get black spots)
    2. Cook green beans just long enough to blister but not long enough to get them soggy. The high heat will definitely help with this, but that's only about 5 minutes total (3-4 then 1 more minute with the garlic and lemon zest).
    3. Lower the heat before adding garlic and lemon zest. Garlic burns really easily and nobody likes burned garlic in their green beans, so lower the heat and when you're confident the heat has lessened, add your garlic and lemon zest and toss for another minute.
    4. Finally, the piece de resistance: butter. This is totally optional -- you don't need to add butter at the end -- but it's highly recommended. It makes the green beans buttery smooth and adds a little bit more flavor with the addition of some fat. In lieu of cooking green beans in animal fat...I'd say this is a much healthier alternative. Sea salt is also a great addition to sprinkle on just before serving.
    aerial picture of green beans sautéing in cast iron skillet

    Ways to Jazz Up Your Green Beans

    • Add almonds or walnuts for a little more crunch
    • Spicy them up with red pepper flakes
    • Give them an Asian-inspired twist with soy sauce, a dab of hoisin, and top with sesame seeds
    close up picture of white plate with green beans and garlic on top. Mashed potatoes and chicken are in the background.

    Easy Side Dish to Serve With Just About Anything

    There's so much to love about these green beans, but one of my favorites is that you can put these green beans with just about anything. Try some of these favorites:

    • Juicy Stove Top Chicken
    • Zero Effs Chicken
    • Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
    • Oven-Roasted BBQ Baby Back Ribs
    • Maryland Baked Crab Cakes
    • Pecan Crusted Halibut
    aerial view of whit eplate with green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and chicken breast with a glass of red wine.

    A very happy, healthy Thanksgiving to you all!

    xox,

    kathryn

    As always, if you make anything from the blog, be sure to let me know! I love hearing from you in the comments on this post below or find Worn Slap Out on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Lemon

    Looking for an easy veggie side dish? These green beans are sautéed to perfection with garlic and lemon and ready in 8 minutes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: green beans, side dish, vegetables
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 people

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 lemon, zest and juiced
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans, stirring often until green beans start to blister, about 3-4 minutes. Lower heat to medium, then add in garlic, lemon juice from half the lemon, and zest from whole lemon. Cook for one more minute.
    • Remove from the heat, add butter (if using) and stir until melted and the green beans are coated. Top with sea salt before serving warm.

    Notes

    These green beans can be made 1-2 days in advance. Reheat in the microwave or placing them back in a skillet on medium heat until warmed. 

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    Hi, I'm Kathryn! Welcome to Worn Slap Out, a Southern-inspired recipe corner for busy people on the go. As a mom of two littles who also loves food, I need meals on the table ASAP but I also want to eat well. Here, you'll find quick, easy, and reasonably healthy meals you can make in a flash. Other loves include Georgia football, cake of all kinds, and elastic waistbands.

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