Name: How to saute green beans (easy recipe)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb fresh green beans; 2 T olive oil; 1 t butter; Salt and pepper to taste

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Are you looking for a beautiful side dish that takes very little effort but tastes great AND you can feel good about serving the family?

If that is you then look no further than sauteed green beans.

We saute green beans at our house so often that in truth it is probably every 10 days or so.

They are such a simple dish to prepare and we love them.

Growing up we had green beans all of the time but sauteing them just wasn’t on the menu.

This is a fairly new dish for me but now we may be slightly addicted to the simplicity and fresh taste.

Butter!

We love butter.

We add it to a lot of our recipes BUT you don’t have to do so.

If you are trying to cut back on butter or just find yourself out of it, add an extra drizzle of olive oil to the pan.

Table of Contents

Can you saute frozen green beans?

Yes, you can saute frozen green beans. It is best to allow them to thaw fully before you saute them.

They may take a bit longer to get that crisp blister green that we prefer.

If there is extra moisture in the pan, just cook them a bit longer until they are crisp and tender.

Now to be fair, we do much prefer to saute fresh green beans but if we have a craving we will defrost the frozen beans and saute them.

How long to saute green beans?

Sauteing green beans don’t actually take all that long. If you cook them on medium-high heat they should be ready in 10 minutes or less.

Do remember to stir them on occasion.

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How to know when sauteed green beans are done?

The best way to know when sauteed green beans are done is to actually take a look at them. When the green beans turn bright green they are generally done.

However, I do recommend biting into one just to be on the safe side.

They should taste crips and tender when you bit into them.

How to season sauteed green beans?

This recipe is simple because it is all that you need to have tasty green beans but also allows you to season them to your tastebuds desire.

Here are a few suggestions for you.

Add minced garlic and saute them with the green beans. Add the garlic after the beans have been cooking for about 3 minutes. It doesn’t take long for garlic to cook up.
Add sliced mushrooms and saute them with the green beans. Add the mushrooms at the same time that you add the green beans. Note that mushrooms may initially create extra moisture in the pan. That is to be expected. Just allow a bit of extra time for them to cook down.
Add in lemon slices. We love lemon green beans. Sauteing slices of lemon with your green beans create such a wonderful aromatic flavor. Your guest will be wowed because it makes such a beautiful presentation as well.
Sprinkle the cooked green beans with freshly grated parmesan cheese or crumbled goat cheese.

How to saute green beans (easy recipe)

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Sauteed green beans recipe with olive oil, butter and salt and pepper. This is easy to make recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb fresh green beans
2 T olive oil
1 t butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash and dry the green beans. Cut the ends of the green beans on both sides.
Add olive oil to a medium-size skillet.
Warm the pan to medium heat until the oil is shimmering.
Stir in the butter.
Add the green beans to the pan and spread them out in the pan.
Cook the green beans, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to blister. (Note, they will also start to turn black in spots and that is perfectly fine.)
The green beans are done when they turn bright green.
Remove the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.