Italian Green Beans

Italian Green Beans are sauteed green beans with dominating pleasant Italian flavor in them. These are excellent sides. And also easy to make, and take less than 15 minutes. And are equally yummy too.

This is an easy recipe but there are a few tricks to follow to maintain the crunch in the green beans and at the same time cook it perfectly. You can make this in several ways indeed.

But the best way to cook the beans is this way. If you have less time you can directly pan-fry the beans as well. Add a little water (2 - 3 tbsp)for that steaming effect as well.

You can also bake or air fry the green beans. A quick and perfect one will be using a skillet on the stovetop.

How to cook green beans perfectly?

Green beans are one of the healthiest green vegetables. It's a great vegetarian source of protein. This also has a good amount of fiber in it. This contains tons of proteins, minerals, and many other nutrients. Read more about its nutrition here.

It's easy to cook the green beans without losing their crunch. Overcooking may also result in pale and chewy beans that are compromised with their nutritional values.

So here are a few tricks to cook them perfectly that will result in perfectly cooked green beans.

• Choose the right beans. Fresh beans yield the best results. You can also use frozen beans but avoid canned beans as they have a lot of sodium and sugar in them. Also, since they are canned in water, their texture is different and they will not crisp up as the fresh and frozen ones will.

• While cooking green beans steaming is a better option than boiling since the chance of overcooking is very less in steaming.

• While blanching the beans, don't simmer them for a longer time. It should be only for 2 - 3 minutes.

• After boiling in hot water an ice bath is compulsory since it will stop cooking the beans even after removing them from the hot water.

• You can also directly cook in a skillet. Saute for 2 minutes and then add 2 - 4 tbsp water and cover with a lid. This will give a steaming effect and cook the beans in one pot.

This way you can retain the natural green color and the essential nutrients also.

Italian Green Beans

Ingredients You'll Need -

Green beans - fresh and tender green beans are the best. You can use the frozen ones also. But skip the blanching method since they are parboiled before storing. However, thaw it for a few minutes before sauteing. Avoid canned green beans though.

Olive oil - or any neutral-tasting oil

Garlic - fresh garlic adds a nice flavor to the beans. you may substitute with garlic granules or garlic powder, but fresh minced garlic is the best option.

Seasonings - Italian seasonings, salt, and black pepper. You can prepare your own seasoning mix easily. Take equal portions of oregano, basil, parsley, and thyme. Would suggest not to overboard with seasonings, though you can skip or add any other flavors or amount of herbs in the mix.

Instructions -

Pick the fresh green beans. The thinner and tender ones may take less time than the thicker ones. So if you have thicker beans, you may allow them an extra one or two minutes of cooking time. Now wash and trim both ends. For longer beans cut them into halves.

Now heat water in a pot/ saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the green beans and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes depending on the size of the beans. After that take a bowl filled with ice water. Transfer the beans to ice water for 2 minutes. Remove beans from ice water and keep aside. The beans are now partially cooked.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add garlic minced and saute for 10 seconds. Then add the green beans. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning mix. Toss to mix all well. Keep the temperature low and cover the skillet with a lid. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes depending on the doneness you need.

Once done turn off the heat. These are now ready to serve. Remove them from the pan and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese over them.

Serving Ideas

These are the great side dish to pair with your meaty meals. But in vegetarian or vegan as well you can pair them with these ways.

Rice and Instant Pot Kidney beans

Quinoa Salad

Crispy Tofu or Black Pepper Tofu

Instant Pot Dal Khichdi

Mushroom spaghetti / Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Broccoli Pasta or Cream Cheese Pasta Or Vegan Cajun Pasta

Eggplant Meatballs

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Italian Green Beans Recipe

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