Do you love green beans? If so, you're going to love this garlic green beans recipe. These Spicy Garlic Green Beans are fresh, healthy, and delicious. They're perfect for a quick snack, light meal, or a Thanksgiving Dinner side. Best of all, they're easy to make. So grab your skillet and let's get cooking!
This green beans recipe is so good they basically taste like candy! Doused with garlic, lemon zest, shallots and a decent amount of spice (optional if you don't like spice), you'll get anyone to love them!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
There's no denying it - I'm hooked. I know I say I'm obsessed with just about everything I make (I mean can you blame me?) but these green beans really stand out. They are doused with garlic, lemon zest, shallots and a decent amount of spice. And they are so good it's basically like eating candy. Or french fries. That's basically how I eat them. One by one, until all of a sudden the entire plate of Spicy Garlic Green Beans disappears. Green Bean CANDY if you will!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Haricot verts or green beans
- Olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Shallot
- Red pepper flakes
- Flaky salt and lemon zest to garnish
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below
How to Make Spicy Garlic Green Beans
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the green beans and set aside.
Step 2: In a large heavy bottom skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant.
Step 3: Add the green beans and mix everything together, making sure the garlic and shallots are evenly distributed amongst the green beans.
Step 4: Season with salt and lemon zest and serve immediately.
How to Store Spicy Garlic Green Beans
Lucky you! You have more of these delish veggies for another day. To store this recipe, transfer the remaining green beans to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.
Tips & Tricks
- Whatever you fancy. I personally like Haricot Verts which are thinner, longer, and have a better taste in my opinion. If you opt to go with a green bean make sure to trim the ends off.
- Mild or Super Spicy. What I love about this recipe is that you get to control the spice level! If you prefer a milder heat, opt for a lighter hand when adding in the red pepper flakes. If you're all about the heat, shake in as much red pep. as you please!
FAQs
Can Green Beans Be Eaten Raw?
100% green beans can be eaten raw however I would not recommend it. Maybe with a dip, but I would stick to boiling or steaming them and then seasoning with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Can this Green Beans Recipe be Frozen?
I would not freeze this dish after I made it. With this recipe, its easy enough to whip up a batch in under 10 min so I would suggest going the freshly made route.
Related Recipes
So there you have it, our secret tips for making my perfect spicy garlic green beans recipe. We hope you’ll give this recipe a try and let us know how it turns out. And if you’re looking for more Thanksgiving recipes that will blow everyone away, be sure to check out my full What’s Gaby Cooking menu here along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!
And if you need more Thanksgiving Ideas to go with this green beans recipe check out this roundup of 80+ Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Garlic Green Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound haricot verts or green beans ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes depending on how spicy you like them
- flaky salt and lemon zest to garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain the green beans and set aside.
- In a large heavy bottom skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add the green beans and mix everything together, making sure the garlic and shallots are evenly distributed amongst the green beans.
- Season with salt and the lemon zest and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
Terrific green beans, great crunch and flavor.
Simply the best!
Yummy! I made them extra spicy using some fresh hot chilis, and I loved the complement of the lemon zest.
Our garden won't stop producing green beans - just when I thought we couldn't possibly eat another green bean I discovered this recipe and it's so good! So quick and easy and everyone in the familly was a fan!
The only way I will make green beans now! Literally addictive!
Delicious, I added chopped roasted red bell peppers and tossed in for a nice Christmas touch.
Made these as a side for ThanksGiving, they were a huge hit! Will be making again for our Christmas dinner. Love the spices and crunch!
Is there any way to make this ahead of time and reheat? We have to bring a vegetable to Thanksgiving, but will need to make in the morning, travel and then serve for dinner! Thanks so much!
you could blanch the green beans and shock them with cold water right after they come out. Then pack them up and take them to wherever you're going and saute with the garlic/oil etc... that would be the best bet!
you could blanch the green beans and shock them in cold water to keep their color. Pack them up and saute with the garlic and red pepper flakes and lemon once you get to where you're going! That would be the best bet!
Could you do these ahead(morning of, and reheat)? Or do a little before and leave at room temp? They sound delicious!
I blanch them the morning of, and then give them the quick saute right before serving!! But yes you could do the saute about an hour ahead of time no prob
These are the BEST green beans of all time. That is no exaggeration.
This is a Thanksgiving staple in our house. Love the spiciness of this recipe.
Thanks for the idea. I had no shallots so used onions, no garlic so used a mild green chilli, no red pepper flakes so used smoked paprika. Really not the same recipe at all I suppose but bloody delicious nonetheless. Ate with a fresh tiger roll for lunch and transported to the Mediterranean. Yum!
What a wonderfully flavorful side dish!
Hi Gaby,
I’m thinking of adding these to my thanksgiving menu. Do you think the green beans could be blanched the night before or morning of thanksgiving to cut down on Kitchen madness immediately before the feast?
absolutely!
These are really good and easy to make!!!!!