I love green beans! I serve them as a side at least three times a week. There are many different ways to serve them, especially as spring approaches and green beans are in season. I especially love them with butter and herbs. They even make a great snack! These are the three most common ways we prefer to eat our green beans.

TIP: Sprinkle some pan-fried almonds over the top pf any of these recipes to make them amandine style. It’s SO tasty!

Oven Roasted Butter and Thyme Green Beans

This is the most common way I prepare fresh green beans, since it is low maintenance and so, so tasty!

2 TBSP butter
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
16 oz fresh green beans, stem ends snapped off
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F.

In an oven-safe roasting dish, place green beans, thyme sprigs, and pats of butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and starting to crinkle. Toss the beans in the thyme/butter mixture every 5 minutes.

Once roasted, pull them out of the oven and remove the thyme stems. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss one final time to evenly coat the beans in the thyme butter. Serve immediately.

Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Herbs
(Original recipe: America’s Test Kitchen)

If you don’t have the time to let your green beans roast in the oven, this prep method is just as tasty and comes together quickly on the stovetop.

1 TBSP butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
16 oz fresh green beans, stem ends snapped off
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 chicken stock
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chicken stock, cover, and cook until beans are bright green and still crisp, about 2 minutes.

Remove cover, increase heat to high, and cook until stock evaporates, 30 to 60 seconds. Add butter, garlic, and thyme and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until beans are crisp-tender, lightly browned, and beginning to wrinkle, 1 to 3 minutes longer.

Remove from heat, toss with lemon juice; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Quick and Easy Seasoned Green Beans

16 oz green beans, stem ends snapped off
1 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp your favorite seasoning blend (we particularly love Bragg’s Organic Sprinkle)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Drop the green beans into the boiling water and cook until bright green and still crisp, about 2-3 minutes.

Drain the water from the pot. Add the oil and seasoning. Toss to coat the beans evenly. Serve immediately.