Sautéed green beans
In need of a quick side dish? Our easy sautéed green beans recipe is ready in only 25 minutes. The beans are blanched and then sautéed with garlic and honey. A sprinkle of white cheese and roasted hazelnuts brings a final flourish of creaminess and crunch.
Ingredients
|
Salt
|
1 tsp |
|---|---|
|
Green beans, trimmed
|
250 g |
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Garlic cloves, finely chopped
|
2 |
|
Salted butter
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20 g |
|
Honey
|
2 tsp |
Garnish
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Roasted hazelnuts, chopped
|
40 g |
|---|---|
| 100 g | |
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Salt
|
½ tsp |
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Black pepper
|
|
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Fresh thyme
|
Choose the right type of green beans
Select trimmed French beans for a finer texture and quicker cooking. Haricots verts, a slimmer and more delicate variety of French beans, also works well. Their thin skins help them stay crisp and tender without turning stringy or tough. These types are best for this recipe, as they hold their shape when blanched and sautéed. You can also replace fresh beans with frozen ones and add them straight to the pan from frozen. If they release a lot of water, let it cook off before adding the other ingredients.
Master the blanching technique
Blanching gives the beans their bright green colour and the perfect crunch. Bring a large pan of water to a full boil before adding the beans so they cook quickly and evenly. Use plenty of water to give them space to move around. After 3 minutes, drain them and cool them straight away under cold running water to stop them from cooking.
Use high-quality butter
Since the butter helps coat the beans and carries the garlic and honey, it plays a significant role in the final taste. Use a high-quality salted butter with a clean, creamy flavour and a pale to deep golden colour. It melts evenly, browns nicely, and gives them a smooth finish.
FAQ: Questions about sautéed green beans
If sautéed green beans are on your menu, these answers to frequently asked questions cover exactly how to plan ahead and what to do once the meal is done.
Can I prepare the green beans ahead of time?
You can blanch the green beans in advance. After cooling them under cold water, dry them thoroughly and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Wait to sauté them until just before serving so they do not turn too soft.
How should I store leftover sautéed green beans?
Store any leftover sautéed green beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If the toppings are already on, they can stay, but for best results, keep the cheese and hazelnuts separate so the nuts stay crunchy and the cheese does not soften too much. Reheat the beans in a hot pan, or enjoy them cold.
Nutritional values
Nutritional value, per
357 Kcal
| Fibre | 15 gram fibers |
| Protein | 10.9 gram |
| Carbohydrates | 18.7 gram |
| Fat | 26.8 gram |
Other recipes
Try our sautéed green beans with white cheese
Sautéed green beans might sound simple, but with this recipe, they are anything but boring. First, we blanch them to lock in their bright green colour and give them a nice, crisp bite. Afterwards, they hit the pan with some butter, picking up a gorgeous golden sheen and just a touch of caramelisation. That little bit of browning really brings out their natural sweetness and adds a hint of nuttiness.
To finish things off, we sprinkle over some white cheese. Its salty, tangy flavour cuts through the sweetness perfectly. It softens just enough to melt slightly, creating a beautiful counterpoint to all that sweetness. It is simple but seriously tasty.
Rich butter, golden garlic, and sweet honey
The garlic hits the pan first, sizzling in butter until golden and fragrant. It softens slightly but still keeps that sharp, aromatic flavour. The butter wraps the beans in a smooth, rich coating and picks up the garlic’s flavour as it cooks. When the honey goes in, it melts fast and clings to the vegetables, giving them a glossy coating that carries a hint of floral sweetness through the whole pan.
Garnished with crunchy roasted hazelnuts
Once the green beans are ready, the hazelnuts go on top. They are roasted until golden and chopped roughly so some pieces stay larger than others. That uneven crunch works so well against the creamy cheese and adds to the crispness of the beans. The flavour is deep and earthy, with a touch of sweetness that comes out as they roast.
A speedy side dish
These sautéed green beans are ready in 25 minutes, making them a proper, speedy side dish. They go well with a classic meat-and-potatoes dinner, or you can pack them cold with a boiled egg and good bread for lunch.
Take them to a picnic with a fresh berry salad or a rocket avocado salad, or make them part of a weekend spread with couscous, grilled vegetables, roasted peppers, marinated beans, or whatever else ends up on the table.
Make your own changes
Take some liberties with this recipe to make it completely yours. Try toasted almonds instead of hazelnuts if you want something more delicate, with a soft crunch and a slightly sweet edge. Replace the white cheese with goat’s cheese for the same creaminess yet a more earthy and tangy flavour.
You can even swap thyme for dill if you want a fresh, grassy note with a subtle sweet touch, or try tarragon for a more aromatic touch with hints of aniseed. Also, consider replacing the honey with a small drizzle of maple syrup, which gives the beans a similar sweetness with a deeper, rounder flavour.
