Drain, add some salt and (optional) butter, and enjoy! This truly easy side dish is ready in about 20 minutes. I’m always looking for interesting ways to cook vegetables. I have a large collection of vegetable recipes on this website. But sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. Green beans are now in season, and I find that when they are very fresh, the most enjoyable way for me to savor them is to simply boil them in salted water until tender-crisp. I then sprinkle them with kosher salt. That’s it!
Ingredients
The list of ingredients needed for this recipe is delightfully short - you’ll only need three of them! The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Fresh green beans: In this particular recipe I’m using standard green beans, not the ultra-thin French haricot vert. I don’t recommend using frozen beans in this recipe. Kosher salt: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty. Butter: I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will be great. And I often don’t use it at all.
Instructions
I find that the easiest way to cook fresh green beans is to boil them. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Expert tip
It’s really important that the beans remain firm - soft and limp will not do. So take care not to overcook them. When properly cooked, they are so inherently tasty, that the only seasoning they need is some coarse kosher salt and maybe a pat of butter. Now, drop the beans into salted boiling water. Cook them for about 5 minutes. Drain the beans and season them with salt. Serve them topped with butter.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
You can vary this recipe by adding more seasonings to the cooked green beans. Good candidates include garlic granules and dried thyme. You can also sprinkle the cooked beans with dry-grated parmesan or with bacon bits for extra flavor.
Serving suggestions
This is such a versatile side dish. It goes with anything, really. I often serve it with one of the following main dishes:
Ribeye roastBaked pork chopsShrimp scampiBaked chicken thighs
Sometimes I top them with a couple of poached eggs for an easy and delicious meatless dinner. In fact, when green beans are fresh and crisp, they make not just a great side dish, but a wonderful snack that you can serve and eat as finger food, and get that peculiar satisfaction that we humans get when we eat something crunchy and salty.
Storing leftovers
Although they taste best when freshly cooked, you can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave on 50% power. Or chop them and add them cold to a salad. Sometimes I replace the asparagus in this asparagus salad with leftover green beans.
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