Buttery Garlic Green Beans

Green bean recipes make the greatest side dishes. They take very little time to cook and, depending on the method, even less time to prep.

This easy recipe for sautéed green beans is a perfect case in point. It preps in just 5 minutes, cooks in about 10 (depending on how crunchy you like your green beans), and is ready in 15 minutes. With hundreds of ratings and reviews, this green bean recipe is a favorite choice of our Allrecipes home cooks.

Garlic Green Beans Ingredients

A little butter, minced garlic, and lemon-pepper seasoning are all you need to bring the best out of fresh green beans.

If you don't have lemon-pepper seasoning or simply prefer the flavor of fresh lemon, replace the lemon-pepper seasoning with a little freshly ground black pepper to taste along with the zest of one lemon and a couple teaspoons of lemon juice.

How to Make Buttery Garlic Green Beans

You'll find the complete recipe below, with ingredients and step-by-step directions, but it all comes down to these easy steps:

1. Simmer: Bring the green beans to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until they're just tender. For this green bean recipe, it's better to undercook slightly than overcook. Drain the green beans and return them to the skillet. The residual heat will continue to cook the green beans.
2. Sauté: Add butter to the hot skillet. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the green beans are coated with the garlicy butter. Season and serve.

How to Trim Fresh Green Beans Fast

There are a few ways to trim green beans, from snapping off the ends to trimming them with a paring knife one by one. But many home cooks and chefs alike swear by a method that happens to be the easiest. Here's how to trim green beans fast:

1. First, line up the green beans on your cutting board so the tips are all even. You can either keep them somewhat bunched up or spread them out.
2. Next, using a chef's knife or paring knife, cut off the tips with just one slice.
3. Flip the beans so the tips will be closer to the hand you cut with, and realign them if necessary. Once again, slice the green beans in a single motion.

And just like that, you're done! If you want shorter green beans, you can line them up again and cut them to your desired length. For this buttery garlic green beans recipe, you'll just need to cut your trimmed green beans in half. So easy!

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"This is one of my favorite ways to make green beans," says Sarah Jo. "I like to add a little finely minced onion to the skillet along with the garlic. I usually double this recipe because my family inhales it."

"Great base recipe for fresh green beans," says Shelagh Adam. "The simmer, drain, sauté method helps maintain crispness and color. Started garlic in the butter before adding beans back in."

"I cooked mine longer because I prefer softer green beans," says LuxleoDani. "I used fresh cloves of garlic as well as a little bit of minced garlic and browned it (almost tasted like bacon bits). Came out delicious!"

You might also like:

A Guide to Different Types of Green Beans
5 Ways to Cook Fresh Green Beans

Editorial contributions by Carl Hanson and Mary Claire Lagroue