Garlic Butter Green Beans

Garlic Butter Green Beans are crisp, buttery, and bursting with flavor. The perfect side dish that comes together in just 15 minutes! With fresh green beans tossed in golden garlic butter and seasoned to perfection, this recipe is so simple yet so incredibly delicious that it’ll become your go-to for weeknight dinners and holiday tables alike.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Garlic Butter Green Beans are tender, vibrant, and tossed in a rich, buttery garlic sauce. A quick sauté brings out their natural sweetness while keeping a perfect crisp-tender bite. They make an easy, flavorful side dish for any meal.

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Ingredient List

For the Green Beans:

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Ice Bath:

• Ice water (for blanching method)

Optional Garnishes:

• Lemon zest or fresh lemon juice
• Toasted sliced almonds
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Note: Fresh green beans work best here, but you can use frozen in a pinch—just make sure to thaw and pat them completely dry first!

Why These Ingredients Work

Fresh Green Beans: The star of the show! Fresh beans have that perfect snap and vibrant color that makes this dish shine. They hold their texture beautifully when cooked properly.

Butter: Creates that luxurious, silky coating that makes these beans irresistible. The butter also helps carry the garlic flavor throughout the dish.

Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is KEY here. It infuses the butter with that aromatic, savory flavor we all crave. Don’t even think about using garlic powder for this one!

Salt and Pepper: Simple seasonings that enhance the natural sweetness of the green beans without overpowering them.

Ice Water Bath: This stops the cooking process immediately, keeping your beans bright green and crisp—not mushy and drab.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large pot (for blanching)
• Large bowl filled with ice water
• Colander or strainer
• Large skillet (at least 12 inches works best)
• Kitchen tongs or wooden spoon
• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Clean kitchen towel or paper towels

How To Make Garlic Butter Green Beans

Step 1: Blanch the Green Beans

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the trimmed green beans and cook until they turn bright green and are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.

Step 2: Shock in Ice Water

Immediately drain the green beans and plunge them into a large bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process instantly and locks in that gorgeous green color. Let them sit for about 1 minute, then drain thoroughly and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 3: Sauté the Garlic

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and starting to foam slightly, add the minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Toss with Green Beans

Add the blanched and dried green beans to the skillet with the garlic butter. Toss everything together using tongs, making sure each bean gets coated in that beautiful garlic butter. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the beans are heated through.

Step 5: Season and Serve

Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Give everything one final toss and transfer to your serving dish. These are best served immediately while hot and glistening!

You Must Know

The beans MUST be completely dry before adding them to the butter. If they’re wet, the butter will splatter everywhere and won’t coat the beans properly. Take the extra 30 seconds to pat them dry—it’s worth it!

Personal Secret: I always add just a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes along with the garlic. It adds this subtle warmth that makes people say “wow, what’s IN these?” without being spicy at all!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you’re doubling the recipe, use two skillets or cook in batches. Crowded beans steam instead of sauté.
• Room temperature butter melts more evenly and is less likely to separate in the pan.
• Save the blanching water to cook pasta if you’re serving these alongside an Italian meal—that salted, veggie-infused water adds flavor!
• Test one bean after blanching before you dump them all in the ice bath. It should be tender but still have a slight crunch.
• Common mistake to avoid: Adding the garlic to cold butter. Always melt the butter first, then add garlic to prevent burning.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Lemon Garlic Green Beans: Add the zest of one lemon to the butter along with the garlic, then finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Parmesan Garlic Green Beans: Toss the finished beans with 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese while still hot.

Asian-Inspired: Swap butter for sesame oil, add a splash of soy sauce, and top with toasted sesame seeds.

Herbed Green Beans: Add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley to the garlic butter.

Nutty Crunch: Toss with toasted sliced almonds, pecans, or pine nuts just before serving.

Bacon Lovers: Cook 3 strips of bacon first, crumble it, and use the bacon fat instead of butter (or half and half). Top with the bacon bits!

Make-Ahead Options

You can absolutely prep these ahead! Here’s how:

Advance Prep: Trim and blanch the green beans up to 24 hours ahead. After the ice bath, drain them well, pat dry, and store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, just do the sauté step.

Partial Cooking: Complete through Step 4, but cook the beans for only 1 minute in the butter. Let cool, refrigerate, and reheat in the skillet when ready to serve.

Not Recommended: I don’t suggest making the complete dish ahead and reheating. The beans lose their beautiful color and texture when reheated.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Fresh vs. Frozen: If using frozen green beans, skip the blanching step entirely. Just make sure they’re completely thawed and patted bone-dry before adding to the garlic butter.
• Skipping the Blanch: For a quicker method (about 8 minutes total), skip the blanching and add raw beans directly to the skillet. You’ll need to add 2 tablespoons of water or broth, cover, and steam for 4–5 minutes before tossing with the garlic butter.
• Garlic Intensity: Three cloves give a nice, noticeable garlic flavor. Go up to 4–5 cloves if you’re a garlic fiend like me!
• Why Medium Heat: Too high and the garlic burns, too low and the beans won’t get that nice sauté. Medium heat is the sweet spot.

Serving Suggestions

These Garlic Butter Green Beans are the ultimate versatile side dish! Serve them alongside:

• Holiday Dinners: Perfect with roasted turkey, prime rib, or honey-glazed ham
• Weeknight Proteins: Pair with grilled chicken, pan-seared salmon, or pork chops
• Comfort Food: Delicious next to meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and gravy
• Italian Night: Serve with chicken parmesan or pasta dishes

Presentation tip: Arrange the beans in a neat pile on a white serving platter and sprinkle with a little extra minced fresh parsley or lemon zest for a pop of color. Gorgeous!

How to Store Your Garlic Butter Green Beans

Refrigerator: Store leftover green beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The texture will soften slightly, but they’ll still taste great!

Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a tiny pat of butter, or microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through. Don’t overcook or they’ll get mushy.

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing these once cooked—the texture suffers significantly. However, you CAN freeze the blanched, unseasoned beans before the butter step for up to 3 months.

Room Temperature: Don’t leave these out for more than 2 hours (food safety!).

Allergy Information

Contains: Dairy (butter)

Gluten-Free: Yes! This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

Dairy-Free Option: Substitute the butter with olive oil, avocado oil, or vegan butter. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious!

Nut-Free: The base recipe is nut-free. Just skip the optional almond topping if serving to someone with nut allergies.

Vegan Option: Use vegan butter or olive oil instead of regular butter.

Low-FODMAP: Garlic is high in FODMAPs. Use garlic-infused oil instead and remove the garlic cloves before adding beans.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

My garlic burned, what did I do wrong?

The heat was probably too high, or the garlic cooked for too long. Garlic should only sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant and just barely golden. If it starts turning brown, it’ll taste bitter. Next time, keep the heat at medium and have your beans ready to add right away!

Can I make these without blanching?

Absolutely! It’s actually a great shortcut. Add the trimmed raw beans to the melted garlic butter, add 2–3 tablespoons of water, cover the skillet, and steam for 4–5 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove the lid, let the water evaporate, and toss to coat. Done!

Why are my green beans mushy instead of crisp?

Either they cooked too long in the boiling water (should only be 3 minutes max), or they weren’t shocked in ice water quickly enough. The ice bath stops the cooking immediately, that’s the secret to crisp beans!

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your Garlic Butter Green Beans turned out! Did you add any fun variations?