Green beans! Are wonderful! What is your favorite green bean recipe?

February 10, 2018 2:17 AM

I could eat green beans every day of the week but do not have 365 recipes. Which is surely possible! How do you eat your green beans?

I like them steamed and served hot with butter, salt and lemon. I like them stir-fried with chilis and lemon zest and served cold. I like them in a cream sauce with mushrooms a la Thanksgiving.

I like them. You like them. HOW do you like them?

posted by goofyfoot to Food & Drink (42 answers total)

Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a pan, and add about a half a cup of slivered almonds. Toast the almonds over medium heat, just until they turn brown and give off that amazing roasted almond scent. Remove from heat, and squeeze half a lemon over them. Toss your steamed beans with it and it's like nothing else.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 2:40 AM on February 10, 2018 [6 favorites]

This green bean salad is great. I usually make it with walnuts instead of almonds, but it's good either way.
posted by neushoorn at 3:06 AM on February 10, 2018

I like to take topped and tailed green beans, as dry as possible, and toss them into a skillet with some ghee. Let them start to blister, then add a ton of chopped fresh garlic and cook until the garlic browning. Pull off the heat, dump onto a plate, and comsume. You'll smell of garlic for days, but it's absolutely worth it.

I was also once served deep fried green beans--not tempura, but just perfectly dry beans thrown into a fryer until crisp and puffed slightly, then tossed with salt and lemon zest. They were amazing.
posted by mishafletch at 3:24 AM on February 10, 2018

I usually just steam them and put butter (well, realistically, olive oil margarine) on them with a bit of salt and dill. But I recently had a slow-cooked beef and green bean dish which was really good, I think similar to this one. The flavours intensify after a few days, so it is definitely one of those things to make in a big batch and have leftovers. It freezes well.

Also I distinctly remember making a green bean and asparagus thing from a Yotam Ottolenghi book but damned if I can find the one I am thinking of. This one seems close though.
posted by Athanassiel at 3:28 AM on February 10, 2018

I was planning on making some garlic minty green beans as a side dish for dinner tonight, so this is good timing. It's basically the same recipes as above but add a bunch of chopped mint too. It sounds strange I know, but those three things seem to work well together.
posted by iamkimiam at 3:31 AM on February 10, 2018

I like good old southern-style green beans. My family always made them by just simmering them in water for about an hour with some fatty bacon.
posted by heatvision at 3:33 AM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I love them sautéed with mustard seeds and garlic - recipe here.
posted by Naanwhal at 4:25 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

Turkish green beans!

My favorite recipe for it comes from the New York Times:
"In this Turkish method, vegetables (and sometimes beans) are cooked in plenty of olive oil — usually with tomatoes, onions and one or two other ingredients — until they have almost lost their shape. Then they are cooled and served at room temperature, when their flavors are at their fullest. Very often an herb or citrus juice is added just before serving for a little spark; thick yogurt and lemon wedges are standard accompaniments."

You might be asked to pay for the access to see the NYT recipe, but Food and Wine has another similar recipe.

I sometimes add potatoes, parsley and mint, and usually make it with marinara pasta sauce instead of crushed tomatoes. It's one of my go to comfort meals, especially when I'm starving and it's cold outside.
posted by watrlily at 4:43 AM on February 10, 2018 [5 favorites]

1. Green beans, corn, capsicum and lentil salad. Chop the beans and capsicum into little bits that are similar in size to your corn kernels. The beans and corn should be steamed or lightly cooked in a pan, include the capsicum with them or not, whatever works for you. The lentils can be drained from a tin or cooked from raw, again whatever works. The dressing is a red wine vinaigrette with torn-up basil. But substitute any crunchy vegetable or green herb depending on what you have. It makes a nice bowl lunch or salad for a wrap with tuna or chicken. It’s also nice with any simply grilled meat.

2. Beans, egg and potato salad. Steam the beans, boil the eggs and halve them, boil the potatoes or microwave steam them, and add some red onion if you like. Pop on a wholegrain mustard vinaigrette and you’re good to go.

Both of these are from this book: Fresh Food Fast.
posted by harriet vane at 5:10 AM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I was coming to post a similar recipe to Turkish green beans, except I use cilantro instead of mint. Very much like Lebanese Loubieh. SO good!

It's garlic, a LOT of olive oil, fresh green beans, diced tomatoes (or tomato sauce if that's all I have around), salt, pepper and the cilantro. You simmer it until the green beans are soft and serve it close to room temp. I usually hit it with a shot of lemon juice at the very end.
posted by dancinglamb at 5:22 AM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I've been known to use green beans in place if spaghetti to eat with meatballs and pasta sauce.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 5:41 AM on February 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

steamed with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette
in a simple minestrone
posted by mumimor at 5:53 AM on February 10, 2018

I love Green Beans Provencal (there are many recipes online). It is similar to what i_am_a_fiesta describes above.
posted by coldhotel at 6:13 AM on February 10, 2018

I grew up on green beans in a can. My parents just emptied the can into a microwave dish, zapped until hot and served with no seasoning or straining or anything. Needless to say, I did not grow up a fan of green beans.

UNTIL....

DILLY BEANS! All the flavor of a garlicky dill pickle, and none of the mush - just the lovely snap and crunch. These are the best things in the world. I make a batch or two every year. (I should point out that this is a canning recipe, but if you don't want to bother with that part of it, they'll keep in the fridge for awhile just fine. They just won't be shelf-stable for long-term-storage)
posted by Caravantea at 6:19 AM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I also came into suggest something similar to turkish green beans. Saute an onion and some garlic add your green beans and a can of crushed tomatoes and some salt and simmer until the beans are tender. In the summer especially I sometimes eat it straight out of the fridge and it's wonderful.

If you are open to dishes where green beans play an essential supporting but non-starring role, I suggest Bittman's Smoky Spanish-Style Pan Roast and Salad Nicoise. You could also do a riff on the Nicoise - forget the lettuce, steam and shock your beans and toss them with an anchovy dressing and whatever other components of the salad you like - potatoes, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, etc.
posted by bunderful at 6:29 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake in oven at 400 until the beans look a bit brown and shriveled (30-45 minutes)
posted by astapasta24 at 6:37 AM on February 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

Stir fried with cashews and a ton of black pepper. Squeeze a lemon wedge before eating, or sprinkle a bit of rice vinegar. Goes great with other Asian dishes.
posted by mai at 6:37 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

It's very traditional to make green beans with grated coconut in South India. Here's what looks like the real thing. You can get frozen grated coconut and curry leaves at your local Indian store.
posted by peacheater at 6:48 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

Cook down some roughly chopped Roma tomatoes with some olive oil, garlic and salt. Stir in a little tomato paste. You want something that looks kinda like stewed tomatoes add in a bunch of green beans and a little pinch or two of Aleppo pepper and cook until green beans are nice and soft. Serve with warm pita to scoop up all the yumminess.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 6:58 AM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I posted this a couple of weeks ago in an Ask about how to use up tomatoes, but it seems apropos here too:

This Mediterranean Braised Green Beans recipe from CI is one of my go-tos. The beans cook for a long time but don't get mushy. The original article also had a variation substituting 2 Tbs mint for the parsley and adding feta cheese, which is also delicious. Start conservative on the cayenne.
posted by Preserver at 7:05 AM on February 10, 2018

Thai pad prik khing! Protein and lots of green beans stir fried with red curry paste. I've always used Maesri canned curry paste (either the prik khing or red, they're very similar), but then I cook it using basically these directions. Delicious.
posted by gueneverey at 7:16 AM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Yeah, pickling as mentioned above. I made sauerkraut, cucumber pickles, pickled beans and lacto-fermented hot sauce last year and all were delicious, but the beans were other-worldly. They maintained all the great things about fresh green beans, and added even more. I did them with some hot peppers and garlic. Really easy, just a Mason jar and some patience.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 7:22 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I like to make a version of cold sesame noodles that replaces about half the noodles with lightly cooked green beans, and then add thin strips of red bell pepper on top.
posted by halation at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

I just made a green green and potato dry curry similar to this recipe and it was stunningly good. I used about equal parts green beans and potatoes, though.
posted by punchtothehead at 7:26 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

I don't know how to make them myself, but Sichuan dry fried green beans with ground pork is SO GOOD. In fact I just ate it last night. Have you ever had those little fried shisheido peppers? The texture of the green beans' skin comes out a bit like that. (Since it's a traditional dish, this isn't a definitive recipe - there are probably as many recipes for it as there are chefs.)
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:10 AM on February 10, 2018 [3 favorites]

I bet they's also be good cooked the way I like to cook okra - skewered through the side, brushed with oil and sprinkled with salt, and then either roasted in the oven or grilled (turning halfway through). When I do this with okra, I dress them with a curry sauce afterward. You could also add other stuff to the skewers in between, like onion slices.
posted by showbiz_liz at 8:13 AM on February 10, 2018

Another take on green beans with coconut: Bihari Green Beans Masala. I often use frozen green beans in place of the fresh ones called for in the recipe, and it works fine.

Nthing the suggestions to cook them with tomatoes. I just made a version of lubiyeh for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and it was fantastic.
posted by Janta at 8:15 AM on February 10, 2018

reduce shallot and balsamic vinegar until the balsamic is almost gone. Let cool and then mash into room temperature butter (making a compound butter). Steam or boil green beans until just cooked, then into an ice bath. re-heat with compound butter, salt and pepper.
posted by jindc at 9:08 AM on February 10, 2018

My MIL does the simpliest but most tasty green beans I've ever had.

Green beans, peppers & onions all in a foil packet, with some garlic sliced up, olive oil, salt & pepper.

She then cooks them in the oven or on the rack over the grill while grilling. They all steam in their juices & everything tastes amazing. And I don't like green beans very much.
posted by wwax at 9:52 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

This fasolakia recipe (from a previous ask me thread) is filling, delicious and uses tons. of. beans.
posted by the cat's pyjamas at 10:07 AM on February 10, 2018

Fried with olive oil and salt. (Not steamed!) Holy Christ it's Devine.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:36 AM on February 10, 2018

In tragic news, Bird-eye no longer makes Bavarian Green Beans with Spaetzle. Delicious Green Beans & Spaetzle in Bavarian style sauce with bacon, green onions and garlic. I love these, usually kept some in the freezer; they make a pretty good lunch because it's mostly green beans, with chewy noodles, tasty sauce and a little bacon. There's a facebook group dedicated to persuading Birds-eye to bring them back. You can make or buy spaetzle, and make a buttery sauce with a little bacon, garlic, caramelized onion, salt.

A Chinese reataurant in my town had Tangy, Spicy Green Beans which was their version of dry-fried green beans in a spicy sauce. So god, so many recipe versions online.

I love green beans and this ask.
posted by theora55 at 11:37 AM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

Pinterest is useful for recipes. Tempura green beans are awesome.

Consider growing them, even in a container. There are so many varieties and they are so good straight from the garden.
posted by theora55 at 11:45 AM on February 10, 2018

Sauteed in olive oil. Salt and pepper. Then throw in a handful of cherry tomatoes and cook them until they start to burst. Yummy.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 12:54 PM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh, also, try lime juice instead of the lemon. Totally different experience.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 12:58 PM on February 10, 2018

I eat green beans almost daily. If I'm just eating them to eat I steam a bunch of them, sometimes toss in some corn and then serve with parmesan, butter, garlic salt and pepper.

This sesame/garlic green bean thing is good if you've got some time to bake.

1/2 t sesame oil
2 t honey
1/4 t red pepper flakes
3 cloved minced garlic
1 t ginger
1 lb green beans
i T olive oil
salt
4 t sesame seeds

combine ses. oil, honey, pepper, galic & ginger in small bowl
put oven rack in middle, preheat to 450
line cookie sheet w/ foil
spread beans on sheet, drizzle with olive oil
toss, shake with salt, toss
roast 10 min, add glop
roast 10 more min til shriveled & spotted
sprinkle with sesame seeds

I am also a huge fan of Bihari Green Beans Masala linked above. Here's another link that has no paywall.
posted by jessamyn at 1:09 PM on February 10, 2018 [2 favorites]

With capers, garlic, and black pepper
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 1:57 PM on February 10, 2018

Oh, I'm right there with you. I'm partial to this Moosewood Collective recipe for Green Beans and Fennel Ragout. Super yum.

The green bean recipe on this page is the one my friends nag me to bring every Thanksgiving.
posted by missmobtown at 2:03 PM on February 10, 2018

Seconding roasting them! I toss them with olive oil, salt, and garlic powder first. They are best straight out of the oven as soon as they’ve cooled enough to eat.
posted by skycrashesdown at 3:10 PM on February 10, 2018

Response by poster: This is all great!
posted by goofyfoot at 6:07 PM on February 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Boil baby potatoes and steam the green beans on top (add them about 5 minutes into the boiling of the taters). Saute some onion very slowly in butter and garlic. Add pesto after everything is soft and fragrant. After the taties are cooked, cut in half and throw everything together in a nice bowl. Mix in parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
posted by h00py at 2:46 AM on February 11, 2018

This summer succotash is super easy and tasty.
posted by iximox at 1:34 PM on February 12, 2018