These sautéed green beans are made with only 5 ingredients and in a frying pan. This is an easy side dish to enjoy with almost any meal.
Why I Love This Recipe
These tender green beans are sautéed in butter, garlic, salt, and pepper, bringing out their natural flavor perfectly. Cooked in a frying pan or cast iron skillet, they’re super easy to make and come together in less than 10 minutes—a simple, delicious side dish!
Recipe Reviews
- "Best beans I’ve had in quite a while- thanks!" - Karen
- "Even my picky eaters were gobbling these up like candy! Thank you!" - Michelle
- "This is the best green bean recipe I’ve found!!" - Danielle
See More Recipe Reviews Here
Recipe Ingredients
- 24 oz fresh green beans - ends trimmed
- 3 Tbsp salted butter
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Trim faster – Use kitchen scissors to snip off the ends of the green beans—super quick and easy!
How To Make Sauteed Green Beans
Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
STEP 1: Steam Beans
Add 24 oz fresh trimmed green beans to a large frying pan. Fill the pan with 1" of water. Bring water to a boil and let green beans cook until they're soft when poked with a fork, about 5 minutes. Transfer the beans to a strainer and drain any water from the pan.
STEP 2: Add Butter + Garlic
Add 3 Tbsp salted butter and 3 minced garlic cloves to the frying pan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted.
Watch the garlic – It burns fast at high heat! Keep the temp at medium and scoop the garlic onto the beans as they sauté.
STEP 3: Season + Cook
Add back the drained green beans and sprinkle ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper overtop. Toss everything together. Cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing and flipping once or twice until some of the pieces get crispy. Scoop onto a plate and serve.
Don’t over-steam – Green beans should be tender but still crisp. If a fork slides in too easily, they’re overcooked and can turn mushy.
Flavor Boosts
- Boost the flavor: Try a squeeze of fresh lemon, grated parmesan, crumbled bacon, sliced almonds, or sesame seeds for extra yum!
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store cooked green beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat – Microwave for a few minutes or toss them back in the pan with a bit of butter, cooking for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
- Freeze – Freeze cooked green beans in a large Ziploc bag or airtight container. Be sure to wrap them tightly to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the fridge or use the microwave on defrost.
For more bean recipes, check out my baked green beans with crispy parmesan, bacon garlic green beans, or this easy air fryer green beans recipe. You can also make garlic butter yellow beans!
Have A Question?
- Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below—I’d love to hear how it turned out!
- Got a question? Ask in the comments—I’m happy to help.
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Ingredients
- 24 oz fresh green beans - ends trimmed
- 3 Tbsp salted butter
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add 24 oz fresh trimmed green beans to a large frying pan. Fill the pan with 1" of water. Bring water to a boil and let green beans cook until they're soft when poked with a fork, about 5 minutes. Drain the water and move the beans to a strainer.
- Add 3 Tbsp salted butter and 3 minced garlic cloves to the frying pan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted.
- Add back the drained green beans and sprinkle ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground black pepper overtop. Toss everything together. Cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing and flipping once or twice until some of the pieces get crispy. Scoop onto a plate and serve.
Nutrition Info
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.
Debbie says
Nice simple tasty side dish. I’ve used olive oil before with garlic, but better tasting with butter.
Betty Schuster says
I made this for my large family on Christmas Day and everyone loved them, especially my husband. We will definitely be making them again.
Brenda says
Looks delicious, since fresh green beans are not readily available in my area, can I use frozen?
Andi says
You can but they won't be as crisp in texture.
Donna says
Quick, easy and delicious! Thanks for the simple and tasty recipe.