If you have been around here for a while, you know that green beans are pretty much my favorite vegetable and I have shared a whole bunch of recipes for green beans over the years. So today, I wanted to share with you my ultimate guide for How To Cook Green Beans, even without a recipe! I have cooking times for each method, and what temperature to use. I’ll share some of my favorite green bean recipes too. So scroll down to get all the details, from roasting to frying and everything in between.

a still life of fresh green beans on a wooden cutting board

Table of contents

Selecting & Preparing Green Beans

bagged green beans, frozen and fresh on a cutting board from overhead

Purchasing Tips

green beans for sale in a supermarket in both a bulk bin and in pre-portioned bags

Green Beans (also called string beans) are usually sold either loose in a large bin where each customer selects their own or in plastic bags (similar to grapes.) They are sold by the pound.

When selecting your green beans, take a moment to choose those that are unwrinkled, and whose pointy tips have not wilted or broken off. Make sure they are free from brown spots or signs of rot.

trimmed and washed green beans in ready to cook bags

Trimmed and washed (ready to cook) green beans can often be found in sealed plastic bags with the other prepared raw vegetables in the produce section of large supermarkets. These have had their stems removed and are already clean, so they can be cooked straight from the bag.

Yellow wax beans are in season in the summertime and can often be found either mixed with or alongside the green beans in supermarkets and farmer’s markets. They can be prepared and cooked in the same way that green beans are.

haricot vert in the grocery store in bags

Haricot Verts (also known as French Green Beans) are a prized and gourmet variety of green beans that are harvested while they are still tender and small. These are usually sold pre-packaged in plastic bags.`

Preparing Green Beans

image showing the stem end of the green bean with text overlay

Green beans have a stem end with a hard and pithy end (above at left) and a pointy end that is edible. It is only necessary to remove the stem end. In some cases, the pointy end will show signs of wilt or will look wrinkled. In this case, I recommend removing the pointy end too.

trimming several green beans at a time with a knife

You can do so by lining handfuls of green beans up with all the stems facing the same direction.

Square them up with the edge of your chef’s knife and then chop through the green beans, removing the stem ends all at once. (See above photo.)

How To Sauté Green Beans

Sautéeing Green Beans is so simple because there is only one skillet needed.

  1. You will want to cook them in hot oil for about 5 to 7 minutes to let them blister in spots.
  2. Then, to ensure that they are evenly tender, steam them with two tablespoons of water (with the lid on) for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

I have all the tips and tricks on how to cook them in a frying pan in my recipe for Simple Skillet Green Beans.

How To Steam Green Beans

how to steam green beans

Steaming green beans is a totally basic method!

  1. To do so, bring an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket.
  2. Add trimmed green beans, cover and steam for 4 minutes, or until crisp tender.

This is how I cook green beans quite often because it is healthy and so fast. You can see how I do that in this recipe for Green Beans with Walnuts and Balsamic. If you want to kick things up about 11 notches, you can try my Asian Green Beans. 

How to Boil Or Blanch Green Beans

blanching green beans and shocking in ice water

If you’re hoping to make fresh green beans ahead of time, and you don’t want to make a casserole, then blanching them in boiling water and then shocking them in an ice-water bath is the best way to cook them. For example, in this recipe here for Orange Ginger Green Beans, you then will reheat them in a skillet. This is also a great way to prepare green beans for freezing.

  1. To blanch them bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add trimmed green beans and cook for 2 minutes until bright green.
  2. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water with a slotted spoon, spider or tongs to prevent them from continuing to cook.

How To Roast Green Beans

preparing and roasting green beans
  1. To roast green beans, toss 1 1/4 pound trimmed green beans with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.
  2. Spread out on a large rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Roast at 425 degrees F, stirring once or twice, until the green beans are browned in spots and tender, about 15 minutes.

You can see complete instructions on how to roast green beans here in my Roasted Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme recipe.

How To Cook Frozen Green Beans

My favorite way to use frozen green beans is to add them to soups. They can be stirred into the soup in the last minute or so of cooking time. They are great in Minestrone, Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and Soupe Au Pistou.

thawing, drying and sauteeing frozen green beans

To make them into a simple side dish follow these instructions.

  1. Place frozen green beans in a colander and run cool tap water over them, stirring them to make sure they are thawing evenly. This takes about 2 minutes. Once they are thawed, spread them out on a clean dish towel and pat them dry with a paper towel.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil or avocado oil (high heat oil) in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat. When oil is just starting to smoke, add the green beans. Careful as they may splatter. Add a splatter or grease screen on top of the skillet if you have one. Cook, undisturbed until the bottom of the green beans are starting to brown, about 2 miuntes.
  3. Turn the green beans over with tongs, several at a time, to sear again for another 2 minutes.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook stirring constantly, to brown the garlic and make sure the green beans are evenly cooked, about 1 minute longer.
  5. Immediately transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice or sprinkle with fresh herbs if desired.

How To Deep Fry Green Beans

battering and frying green beans
  1. Prepare your favorite batter, such as tempura batter. Batter 1 generous handful of green beans at a time in the batter and allow excess to drip off.
  2. Heat a deep saucepan with at least 1 inch of cooking oil until 350-365 degrees F. One by one, transfer to the hot oil with tongs. Fry until they are golden brown and float to the top, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with salt.
  3. Whisk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons fat-free Greek yogurt, 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Serve the fried green beans with the dipping sauce.

How To Grill Green Beans

grilling green beans
  1. Heat grill to high heat with a vegetable grilling basket on top. Toss 1 1/4 pound trimmed green beans with 1 tablespoon oil and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper in a large bowl.
  2. Spread the green beans on the vegetable grilling basket, and grill until the green beans are blistered in places, about 3 minutes. Turn with tongs and allow to continue cooking until the green beans are just tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot.

Expert Tips and FAQs about Cooking Green Beans

How long do you cook green beans?

As a general rule, you can cook them from raw to crisp tender in about 4 minutes. This is especially true in steaming and boiling. That said, there are several ways to cook green beans and cooking times will vary depending. Frying is faster and grilling or roasting is slower. Note: while you can use the same cooking technique to cook haricot vert (or French green beans) as you would regular green beans, they cook more quickly so adjust cooking times down when following recipes for regular green beans.

Why do my green beans taste metallic?

It is likely that your green beans are slightly overcooked. They taste quite sweet and mild when still crisp-tender, but they become mushy and metallic when overcooked.

Why do my green beans turn army green or brownish?

When green beans are overcooked, they go from vibrant green to drab olive or army green. This is due to overcooking causing the cellular structure to break down and release the naturally occurring acids in the green beans. These acids then interact with the chlorophyll to break it down. Adding lemon or another acidic element to cooked green beans (even those that are not overcooked) will turn them drab and less vibrant.

Can I freeze raw green beans?

No. It is important to blanch green beans before you freeze them to stop any cellular degradation or breakdown. Follow detailed instructions below how to blanch and freeze green beans at home.

How To Blanch and Freeze Green Beans

steps to blanch and freeze green beans

If you have a surplus of green beans, a great way to preserve them is to freeze them.

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and cook until bright green, about 2 minutes.
  2. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to shock them.
  3. Spread out on a baking sheet and transfer the baking sheet to the freezer.
  4. When the green beans are frozen, transfer them to a re-sealable bag. Pess out as much air as possible, and freeze up to three months.

Featured Green Bean Recipes

If you are looking for more specifics, and would like to see our full printable recipes, make sure to check out this selection of featured green bean recipes.

Simple Skillet Green Beans

These amazingly easy and tasty Sauteed Green Beans are one of our all-time best recipes. They are made with garlic and red pepper flake and can be made in one skillet!

Balsamic Green Beans

These Balsamic Green Beans with Walnuts are one of my favorite vegetable side dishes of all times! Simple, quick, elegant and delicious and they only take 15 minutes to make!

Roasted Green Beans With Almonds

Here’s an easy recipe for classic roasted green beans with the addition of almonds. They are simple enough for a busy weeknight and also the perfect side dish to serve any night of the week or for a special occasion.

Green Bean Casserole with Cheese

This absolutely delicious and easy Green Bean Casserole with Cheese is the perfect make-ahead dish that will have everyone raving. It is a homemade version of traditional green bean casserole that will be the star of your Holiday table. It is made with fresh green beans, cheese and no canned soup!

Orange Ginger Green Beans

Here is a make-ahead green beans recipe with orange and ginger. These Orange Ginger Green Beans are delicious and can be made ahead which makes them great for when you are serving guests during the holidays or when you are entertaining.

Tomato Green Bean Salad with Goat Cheese

This luscious tomato and green bean salad is just a riot of color and juicy summer time produce side-dish mayhem! It is so simple to make and is a celebration of great ingredients: heirloom tomatoes at their peak of freshness, garden-fresh green beans and crumbled fresh goat cheese! Add a generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil and a scatter of herbs and you have summer on a platter! Delish!

Asian Green Beans with Fermented Black Beans and Shiitakes

These Asian Green Beans have specks of chopped black fermented beans coating them. They are utterly delicious with the combination of garlic, finely chopped shiitake mushrooms and savory fermented green beans.

Green Bean Salad With Basil and Corn

This chilled side dish is somewhat of a green bean salad and is great for make-ahead. IT is made iwth a shallot vinaigrette and fresh summer corn.

If you still want more See All Green Bean Recipes!