Garlic Green Beans Recipe
These green beans are so good they basically taste like candy! Doused with garlic, lemon zest, shallots and a decent amount of spice, you'll get anyone to love them!
Servings: 6 people
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
Prep Ahead Instructions: if you are short on time and want to prep this ahead, you can blanch your green beans a day or two ahead of your dinner. Be sure not to overcook them, you will finish cooking them day of with the garlic etc. So just a quick blanch and then let them cool quickly (I'd shock them with an ice bath) and store in the fridge until ready to finish.
- 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.
- Blanch, don’t boil to death. Drop those green beans in salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes max, then get them out. You’re looking for bright green and crisp-tender, not sad and mushy.
- Ice bath = magic trick. After blanching, dunk them straight into an ice bath to stop the cooking. This locks in that gorgeous color and perfect snap.
- Fresh garlic or bust. Skip the jarred stuff. Freshly minced garlic gives that bold, clean flavor that makes the sauce sing.
- Don’t burn the aromatics. Garlic burns fast. Keep the heat medium and sauté until it’s just fragrant, golden, not brown.
- Adjust the heat to your vibe. Love a little kick? Add more red pepper flakes. Want it milder? Go easy. You’re in charge of the spice level here.
- Blister those beans. After blanching, give them a quick toss in a hot skillet to get a little char. It adds that restaurant-style smoky flavor and texture.
- Finish strong with lemon. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a sprinkle of zest right before serving brightens everything up.
- Salt, taste, repeat. Season at the end too, those final pinches of salt (and maybe a crack of pepper) pull it all together.
- Add crunch if you’re feeling fancy. Toasted almonds, sesame seeds, or even crispy shallots add an amazing texture contrast.
- Serve ASAP. These are best hot out of the pan, vibrant, garlicky, and just the right amount of spicy. Don’t let them sit too long or they’ll lose their snap.
Nutrition
Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 621IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg