There are lots of people out there who don’t love green beans and it’s probably because they’ve only ever eaten canned green beans, which are soggy and mushy and gray. I was a fence-sitter myself until I started to experiment with recipes that would preserve the amazing, crisp-tender texture of fresh green beans, and infuse lots of flavor: recipes like these Creamy Chipotle Green Beans, this classic Vegan Green Bean Casserole and this south Indian Paruppu Usili, a dish of green beans with scrambled lentils. Today I have for you a much simpler but just as delicious garlic green beans recipe. It needs just five ingredients and is ready in 20 minutes.
Why you’ll love these Garlic Green Beans
Delicious. The blanched green beans are tossed with lots of garlic, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and herbs. The beans turn out so tasty, you’ll likely want to snack on them! 20-minute recipe If you buy green beans that are already trimmed you will be done in 20 minutes. If not, you will need at least 10 more minutes to trim the beans. While waiting for the water to blanche the green beans to come to a boil, mince the garlic and herbs, then put the ingredients in the pan, toss the beans in and warm them through, et voila! You’re done. Beautiful presentation. Blanching the beans and then dunking them in ice-cold water (instead of just cooking them with other ingredients in the pan) preserves their beautiful green color and that crisp-tender, al dente texture. Allergy-friendly. There are no soy, gluten and nuts in this garlic green beans recipe. They are healthy. Green beans are really, really good for you, packed as they are with fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. And the olive oil, garlic and herbs make them even better for you. Perfect side dish for the holidays. This green beans recipe makes 12 servings - perfect to serve a large group of family or friends at Thanksgiving. And because it takes so little time to make them, it’s one thing you don’t have to worry about cramming into an already busy schedule that time of year.
How to make garlic green beans
Trim the green beans. Place a large pot of salted water to boil. When it comes to a boil, add the green beans, return to a boil, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the beans break easily and are tender inside but still have a good bite to them. Strain the beans and place in cold, preferably iced, water so they don’t cook any more. This step, called blanching, also preserves their color.
Place extra virgin olive oil and garlic in a wok or large skillet. Saute over medium-low heat until the garlic becomes very aromatic and colors lightly. Add the red pepper flakes and sesame seeds to the wok, stir-fry for a minute.
Add the herbs and mix. Then add the blanched green beans (drain out the water first) to the wok or skillet. Add salt to taste and, if you wish, a dash of ground black pepper. Use a pair of tongs to toss the green beans with the herbs and sesame seeds so the beans are evenly coated. Let the beans warm through. Turn off heat.
Variations and toppings
Vegan parmesan cheese. For cheese lovers, after the beans are cooked, sprinkle on a handful of vegan parm. Caramelized onions. Top the garlic green beans with crispy, brown onions for even more texture. Nuts. Sliced, lightly toasted almonds are a delicious topping for the garlic green beans.
Recipe card
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