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You deserve more than plain and boring vegetables! These lemon butter green beans add a bit of jazz to a classic side dish. The zesty lemon slices pair perfectly with fresh and crisp green beans in this simple but tasty dish.
These beans will pair nicely with our creamy Homemade Alfredo Sauce!
Learning to love green beans hasn’t always been easy for me. My mind still goes to the overcooked and under-salted mush from my university cafeteria. It took a while for green beans to become a vegetable I would choose for our family dinners.
But I have had enough green beans to know that there are fantastic versions out there. Fresh green beans, especially when in season, can be dressed up in all sorts of delicious ways.
They are especially good with lemon and garlic, like in this lemon butter green beans recipe. Fresh beans get a brightened up with zesty lemon butter sauce, making this a side dish that will bring a bit of sparkle to any meal!
Lemon Butter Sauce
The magic in this recipe comes from the lemon butter. The lemon with a bit of added garlic brings a bit of zing to the beans. The butter adds a decedent creaminess to the sauce.
The best part is that the sauce is incredibly simple to make, and can be used in other recipes as well. Start by sautéing the garlic over low heat for a few minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Once done add a squeeze of lemon juice with a couple of lemon slices and the butter. Give it all a stir to combine, and you are done!
Once you have the sauce mastered, you can enjoy it over any combination of vegetables. I’m a huge fan of eating it with potatoes! The recipe is easily adaptable as well, such as by adding grated Parmesan.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use fine green beans, sometimes called French green beans, as they are more tender and will provide better results in this recipe. Fresh, in-season beans will always provide the best results.
- Once the green beans are parboiled for 4-5 minutes, drain and plunge them immediately into ice water. This cools them down so they do not continue cooking and maintains the vivid green colour.
- When cooking the garlic, be very careful not to burn. Burnt garlic has an unpleasant flavour that will not go well in this dish.
- An easy twist on this recipe is to add a sprinkling of hard cheese. Parmesan is a great choice, as is grana padano or pecorino.
Serving suggestions
Humble green beans are just about perfect as a side dish, with plenty of freshness and crunch to add a meal. My favourite pairing is to serve them next to a hearty and creamy dishes for a balance of flavours and textures.
It’s a particularly good option with saucy meat dishes, like beef or meatball stroganoff, or chicken with garlic mushroom sauce. But I also love it with hearty chunks of meat like pot roast or a stew.
I’ve also happily served these beans as a side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas. They add a lovely bit of colour and zest to the table, which is always welcome.
Storage and leftovers
Keep any leftovers in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container for 4-5 days. They will reheat nicely in a microwave, although some crispness may be lost along the way.
If you don’t want to eat them as they are, try adding to an omelette or salad.
More fresh and flavourful side dishes
- Braised Red Cabbage
- Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette
- Roasted Carrots with Garlicky Lemon Tahini Sauce
- Grilled Asparagus with Romesco Sauce and Burrata
Lemon Butter Green Beans
Ingredients
- 225g/1/2lb green beans, washed and trimmed
- 2-3 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1½ lemons
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim the ends off the green beans and wash them well. Parboil for 4-5 minutes.
- Heat a frying pan over low heat, melt 1 tbsp of butter, and sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds. Squeeze in the juice of one lemon along with a few lemon slices and the remaining butter.
- Drain the green beans and plunge them immediately in ice water. This will preserve the colour. Add them to the frying pan with the lemon butter and garlic sauce and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until they are the desired doneness. This will take approximately 5 minutes for beans with a slight bite to them, while cooking longer will produce softer beans. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Quick and delicious! Thank you!
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best, and this is certainly one of them! When you have other dishes to prepare that are more time-consuming, it’s great to have one like this that is a snap and so tasty at the same time! Thanks Vikalinka!