This recipe gives you perfectly boiled green beans every single time! It’s quick and easy, but this simple recipe for boiled green beans is still so delicious.

Boiled Green Beans

If you’re wondering how long to cook fresh green beans, then this simple boiled green beans recipe is for you. It’s so quick and easy, and it’s also totally delicious. With just a few ingredients and less than 20 minutes start to finish, you’ll have tender and juicy fresh green beans on the table.

After they’re cooked, these green beans are tossed through some butter, salt, and pepper. That’s really all the seasoning they need to be tasty and satisfying.

Feel free to play with the flavors though, this recipe is super adaptable. A bit of crispy bacon, sauteed garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh herbs, or toasted slivered almonds would elevate this simple vegetable side dish to a whole new level.

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Ingredients

Green Beans: Look for green beans that are fresh, bright green, and snap easily when they’re bent. I also have better luck with smaller, more slender green beans. I’ve purchased fresh green beans from the farmers’ market that were much larger than I could buy in the store, and they were tougher.

Water: This is the liquid we’re using to boil the green beans in. Feel free to swap this for chicken broth if you’d like to add some extra flavor. A bonus of boiling the green beans in broth is that it gives you the chance to season the inside of the green beans with an extra depth of flavor.

Salt and Pepper: This classic flavor duo seasons the green beans perfectly without overpowering them. Salt enhances all of the other flavors in this dish, while pepper balances out the richness of the butter.

Unsalted Butter: Coating the green beans in melted butter after they’ve been cooked gives them a gorgeous, glossy finish, and it also adds a rich flavor.

Alternative Ingredients

• Olive Oil: Feel free to swap the butter for olive oil for a dairy-free option.
• Garlic: Try adding some minced garlic to the beans when you add the butter. Saute it until it’s aromatic (1-2 minutes) to add some delicious depth of flavor.
• Lemon Juice: Squeezing a bit of lemon juice over the beans just before serving them would add a lovely, bright, citrus note.
• Almonds: Slivered almonds and green beans are a classic pairing. Try topping the green beans with toasted slivered almonds for some crunch and a delicious nutty flavor.
• Spice: If you like a bit of heat, try adding a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes at the same time as the butter.

How To Make Boiled Green Beans

Boil the Water: Begin by filling a large pot with water and adding salt. Heat over high heat until it reaches a rolling boil. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)

Prep the Green Beans: While your water is heating up, wash the green beans and trim off the ends.

Boil the Green Beans: Once your water is boiling, add the green beans. Let them boil until they are tender yet still crisp.

Drain and Season the Green Beans: After boiling, drain the green beans using a colander. Return the green beans to the pot and add unsalted butter. Toss until the butter has melted and they are fully coated.

Season with salt and pepper, and give them another good toss. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.

Pro Tips

• Don’t Overcook: Even though green beans are still delicious when they’re very tender, I prefer this recipe when they’re tender, yet still crisp. Perfectly tender-crisp is really what you want for this dish. If you’re looking for a recipe for very tender green beans, try my Southern green beans recipe.
• Ice Bath: Depending on how you plan to use the green beans, you might want to plunge them into an ice bath after draining them to fully stop the cooking process. This would be especially helpful if you plan to eat them cold in a salad, like in a salade nicoise.

Do I Take The Stems Off Green Beans Before Boiling?

Yes, it’s better to take the stems off before boiling. The stems, or the ends, are tougher than the rest of the green beans, and can be unpleasant to eat. You can either cut them off with a knife, or snap them off with your fingers.

What Makes Green Beans Taste Better?

It’s all about adding flavor, fat, and texture. You can add fat with butter or olive oil, and you can add flavor with herbs, aromatics, and spices. Texture can be added with either toasted slivered almonds or crispy bacon pieces.

How Long Does It Take To Boil Green Beans?

Boiling green beans normally takes about 5 to 7 minutes, but that can vary a bit depending on the size of your green beans and how tender you like them. I’d start checking them after 5 minutes, and go from there.

Should You Salt The Water When Boiling Green Beans?

Definitely! Adding salt to the cooking water is the only chance you’ll get to season the green beans from the inside out. This is a step you don’t want to skip, because it really enhances the overall flavor.

Are Green Beans Better Steamed Or Boiled?

They’re both great methods to cook green beans. Boiled green beans can turn soft faster, but it’s a faster method, so I prefer boiling. If you really love green beans with a crunch and aren’t great at keeping an eye on the clock, steaming may be better for you.

Why Are My Boiled Green Beans Tough?

• If you’re using old green beans, they tend to be a lot tougher. I normally only run into this problem if I purchase very large green beans at the farmers’ market that look like they’ve been allowed to stay on the vine too long.
• You might’ve overcrowded the pot. If you boil too many green beans at once, they won’t cook evenly. That means you’ll end up with some that are overcooked and some that are undercooked.
• They might just need more cooking time. If you haven’t cooked them long enough, they’ll still be tough. Try cooking them for a few more minutes.

Keep In Touch

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Side Dish Recipes

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other side dishes. Some reader favorites are:

• Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
• Crockpot Green Beans
• Canned Green Beans Recipe
• Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
• Whipped Sweet Potatoes
• Microwave Baked Potato

I hope you love this how to boil green beans recipe as much as I do! It’s such a great, quick, and easy vegetable side dish.