Garlic Green Beans (Printable)

Fresh green beans cooked with garlic and olive oil, garnished with lemon and almonds.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed

→ Aromatics & Seasoning

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish (optional)

06 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
07 - 1 tablespoon toasted sliced almonds

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 2–3 minutes until bright green and tender. Drain and immediately transfer to ice water to halt cooking. Drain thoroughly.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant without browning.
03 - Add drained green beans to skillet and sauté for 4–5 minutes, tossing frequently until warmed and lightly coated with garlic oil.
04 - Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, tossing to combine evenly.
05 - Optionally, drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with toasted almonds before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 20 minutes, making it the perfect side dish for weeknight dinners when you want something that tastes like you spent hours cooking.
  • The blanch-and-sauté method keeps the beans impossibly tender and bright green, not that sad mushy version some of us grew up with.
  • It's endlessly flexible—vegan as written, but butter-friendly if that's your thing, and it pairs beautifully with everything from simple roasted chicken to fancy steak.
02 -
  • The ice water bath after blanching is absolutely non-negotiable if you want tender, bright green beans. Skip it, and you'll have tough, dull-colored beans that taste like resignation.
  • Garlic burns faster than you think—keep your heat at medium and stay in the kitchen those crucial 30 seconds. Burnt garlic flavor can't be fixed once it happens.
  • Don't overcrowd your skillet or add the beans while they're still wet. Everything needs space to actually sauté and warm through, not steam and create that boiled vegetable smell.
03 -
  • Quality olive oil makes a real difference here since it's not hidden in a complex sauce—taste a few and find one you genuinely enjoy.
  • Fresh garlic minced by hand gives better texture and flavor than pre-minced garlic from a jar, even though it takes an extra minute.
  • If you're cooking ahead, blanch and chill the beans, then finish the sauté just before serving so the garlic flavor is at its peak.

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