Garlic Butter Green Beans
Crisp-tender green beans blistered in garlic butter and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Sliced garlic flavors the butter without burning, so you get real garlic flavor with none of the bitterness.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 5 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
- Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Rinse and trim the green beans, then pat them completely dry with a clean towel. Dry beans are essential for browning.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft and just beginning to turn golden. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the green beans and toss to coat in the garlic butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes. Some blistering and browning is good, but don't let them scorch.
- Return the garlic to the skillet and add the water. Continue cooking and stirring until the water has fully evaporated and the beans are crisp-tender.
- Remove from the heat. Squeeze the lemon juice over the beans and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Grate fresh Parmesan over the top if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Slice, don't mince the garlic. Slices flavor the butter and lift out cleanly before they can burn. Minced garlic scorches fast and turns bitter.
- Dry beans are non-negotiable. Any moisture on the beans makes them steam instead of blister, and the butter won't cling.
- Use a large skillet. Crowded beans steam each other. Cook in two batches if you're doubling the recipe.
- Watch the last minute closely. Once the water evaporates, the window between crisp-tender and soft is short.
- Salt at the end. Green beans take more salt than most people expect, and it sticks better while they're hot and buttery.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet with a little butter rather than the microwave. Freezing is not recommended.
- Make ahead: Trim and dry the beans up to a day in advance and store them in a zip-top bag in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1045IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
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