Home > Side Dishes > The Best Green Beans Ever The Best Green Beans Ever November 25, 2020 | 2 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. These are our favorite Green Beans ever! Sautéed on the stovetop with glazed almonds and savory, salty bacon — these Green Beans are the best! Our Favorite Green Beans! You know when the kiddos beg for extra green beans over more Spaghetti Bolognese (their favorite dinner), you’ve got a winning side dish! And we’ve made these on repeat for a few weeks now because they truly cannot get enough of them. I don’t blame them– they occupy most of my plate as well! These beans would make for the ultimate Thanksgiving side dish; they’re tasty enough to even steal some of the spotlight from the turkey. These beans are a bit time-intensive to make as part of an entire meal, but if you get assigned to bring just one special dish to a holiday gathering, this is the side dish to make! It will blow everyone away and truthfully be a welcome relief from the heavy and creamy casserole side dishes. And aside from the holidays, these beans are the perfect side to make when you’re planning a simple dinner, like a store-bought warm rotisserie chicken or these super simple Rotisserie Chicken Tacos. You’ve likely had a plate filled with less than exciting green beans and below I’m sharing why this particular recipe is anything but forgetful. How to make Green Beans taste extra flavorful Start with fresh green beans (see “quick tip” below). Cook the beans in chicken stock. Instead of steaming in water, we infuse the beans with more flavor by using chicken stock. Add supporting ingredients. The bacon, garlic, shallot, and glazed toasted almonds add vibrancy and flavor–which make these beans taste amazing! Season the beans. Even with the bacon and chicken stock, I always find this dish needs a bit more salt and pepper. If it tastes at all flat, you may just need a pinch more of salt and pepper. It’s amazing the “life” salt and pepper can bring to beans! QUICK TIP Fresh green beans will snap apart when bent. (That’s how they got the nickname of snap beans!) They’re typically a bright, vibrant green with a firm skin. You’ll know the pods are older (or going bad) if the pods are tough and rubbery and bend (instead of snap) when bent. If the beans feel slimy or mushy, have mold or black spots, or smell bad–don’t use them! Once cooked, these beans last 3-4 days in the fridge; if they taste sour or smell off, this means the beans have begun to spoil or ferment and are no longer good to eat. Shortcut Suggestions Buy pre-washed and trimmed beans (usually labeled as “Ready to Eat Green Beans” or “Washed & Ready to Eat“) to save a lot of time. These packages of prepared beans are usually in the produce section of the grocery store with other prepared vegetables. Use pre-minced garlic to cut down on some chopping time. Recipe tips Take your time toasting the almonds. While admittedly a time-consuming task, it’s important to take the time to slowly brown the butter and toast the almonds. You’ll be rewarded with the best Green Bean topping! Increasing the heat or trying to rush this process usually ends up in unevenly toasted or burned almonds. Good-quality chicken stock makes a big difference. I’m a huge fan of Swanson’s® chicken stock in this recipe (not sponsored). Make sure the beans are completely dry before using. Wet beans will make the dish less flavorful. Green Beans FAQs1Can I eat green beans raw?Yes! Perfectly safe (and good for you) to eat raw green beans. Just be sure they are cleaned first. 2Should I soak green beans before cooking?No. It doesn’t cut down cooking time or improve texture or flavor. There really are no benefits to soaking green beans before cooking in this recipe. 3How long do fresh green beans last in the fridge?About 5-7 days. Store unwashed fresh green beans in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer and they should be fine for about 7 days. 4Are string beans the same as green beans?Snap beans, green beans, or string beans are all the same thing. 5What is the difference between an onion and a shallot?Shallots have more of a sweet and mild flavor with a hint of sharpness. Overall they’re less abrasive heat-wise than regular onions. I love using shallots in this recipe because the sweetness complements the green beans so nicely. More side dish recipes Roasted Sweet Potatoes with the best seasoning blend! Brussel Sprouts Salad with a crispy panko topping Ambrosia Salad with a homemade dressing Mashed Potatoes ultra creamy! Israeli Salad cucumber, tomato, and onion salad FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Green Beans 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe These are our favorite Green Beans ever! Sautéed on the stovetop with glazed almonds and savory, salty bacon -- these Green Beans are the best! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Green Beans 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe These are our favorite Green Beans ever! Sautéed on the stovetop with glazed almonds and savory, salty bacon -- these Green Beans are the best! Course Side Dish Cuisine American, Vegetarian Keyword green beans Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Servings 6 as a side Calories 197kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $5.21 Ingredients▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter diced into small pieces▢ 1/3 cup sliced almonds▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest▢ 1 tablespoon chicken stock (we love Swanson's!)▢ 3 slices bacon▢ 1/3 cup shallot very thinly sliced (~2-3 small shallots)▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic▢ 1 pound (16 oz.) green beans (See Note 1)▢ Fine sea salt and fresh cracked pepper▢ 1/2 cup chicken stockUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsPREP: Prepare and set out the lemon zest, juice, and chicken stock before starting. Line a plate with wax paper and another plate with paper towels. Set aside.LEMON ALMONDS: Heat the diced 2 tablespoons butter in a large, non-stick skillet. As soon as it is melted, add in the sliced almonds. Spread in an even layer and cook, stirring constantly with a (heatproof) spatula, until the butter begins to brown and the almonds are becoming golden and fragrant-- about 5 to 8 minutes. Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon chicken stock (it will sizzle a bit). While stirring constantly, cook until the liquid thickens, about 1 more minute. Use your spatula to scoop all the mixture onto the wax paper-lined plate, and set aside.BACON: Return the empty skillet to the stovetop, and add the diced bacon. Cook over medium heat, until bacon fat is rendered and the bacon is browned. Taking care to leave the bacon grease behind, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to the paper towel-lined plate. Leave all the bacon grease in the pan and reduce the heat to low. Add in the thinly sliced shallots and garlic. Cook, over medium-high heat for 1 minute or until fragrant. GREEN BEANS: Add in the green beans and stir to coat with tongs. Add in 1/2 cup chicken stock. Stir again. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are mostly tender, about 7-10 minutes (if liquid has all evaporated and beans aren't tender, the heat might be too high -- add in a splash more of chicken stock). Remove the lid and cook over medium-high heat until all the liquid has evaporated, another 2-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.)FINISHING: Remove from heat and, using the spatula, scrape everything from the wax paper-lined plate into the beans (including any butter that has hardened). Add in the bacon and gently stir to combine. Serve immediately. Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Green beans need to be washed and thoroughly dried. Trim off ends if needed. To save time, buy washed and ready-to-cook green beans in the produce section of the grocery store. Nutrition FactsCalories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 339mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 638IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
One of my younger sisters asked me recently if I ever make green beans. I said no, because I never really liked them when I was growing up. I was scrolling through Pinterest when I came across a green bean recipe,and I asked my husband if he liked green beans. He said he loved them, so I decided if he loved them, I would give them a try. I pinned a few different recipes–this being one of them. This was the recipe my husband wanted to try first. It was AMAZING! These were so flavorful and delicious! This is the kind of green bean recipe that people need to make for Thanksgiving dinner! This is a keeper! Thanks for making me a believer! Reply
