How to Cook Green Beans

Green beans are versatile, tasty vegetables. There are a number of ways to cook green beans including boiling, steaming and stir frying. Here are a few easy ways to prepare these vegetables. Just don't overcook them or they'll become limp and nasty!

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Green beans

1. 

   Wash the beans and remove the tops and tails. Cut into smaller lengths or leave them whole.

2. 

   Blanch beans by boiling them for 3 to 4 minutes in salted water. Beans should be tender, yet still have some bite.

3. Steam beans for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. 

   Sauté beans with olive oil and garlic over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.

5. Stir-fry beans over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Let the skin get wrinkly, but don't let the beans get too soft. Try stir-fried beans with black bean sauce or a sweeter, hoisin-based sauce.

6. 

   Try blanched beans on a tray of crudités (raw vegetables). They're divine with many dips (peanut, buttermilk ranch or yogurt).

7. Serve steamed or blanched beans tossed with aioli (garlic mayonnaise) or with butter and finely chopped herbs such as parsley or dill.

Tips & Warnings

• Mix green beans with yellow wax beans for a pretty and delicious effect.