How to make green beans yummy?

[Anonymous]

Fresh green beans simmered with a little butter, soy sauce and honey.

[Anonymous]

I’m the fling in a ham hock poster. This sounds odd — but tastes delicious. Cook them simply by steaming them or sautéing them, then top with your favorite guacamole. Wicked yum! And even better than the traditional ham hock version.

[Anonymous]

Add some bacon, butter, chopped onions, salt, pepper, vinegar, and cubed potatoes. Cook on top of the stove until done.

[Anonymous]

Add chopped onions, stewed canned tomatoes, salt and pepper.

[Anonymous]

Simmer them in beef broth for a few hours. This is the way my mom now does them since my dad's heart surgery.

Prior to that, she simmered them in bacon grease or with strips of bacon/fat back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eh, just accept that not everybody likes green beans.

This. I adore green beans and DH tolerates them, but DS has despised them since he started solids as a baby. Even if they’re a minor ingredient, the slightest taste of them is too much. Garlic, butter, etc. … nothing works for him.

[Anonymous]

Moosewood Cookbook method: Roast with olive oil, sliced onions and garlic and then drizzle with balsamic vinegar. So good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like sauteeing green beans (frozen or fresh work equally well) with olive oil, diced fresh garlic, salt and pepper, and then adding a small can of diced tomatoes. This is always a crowd-pleaser at our family Thanksgiving.

OP here. Thanks to everyone for the tips! We are a (mostly) vegetarian household so anything with bacon is out, but I appreciate the suggestions.

I'm intrigued by this post. Can you saute frozen green beans straight from the freezer? Not sure how I didn't know this.

Different poster but in the spring of 2020 I panic-bought frozen green beans. No idea why. But then I had to figure out how to cook them. Start them frozen, in a screaming hot pan so that the water cooked off quickly. Then I add some chopped (fresh) onions and cook on low so that the onions get sweet (not fully caramelized, because frozen green beans aren't worth THAT kind of effort). And they're not bad. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them or to serve to company, but for an easy side dish it gets the job done.

[Anonymous]

Butter & salt. Shallots if you're feeling fancy.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/string-beans-with-shallots-recipe2-2109399

[Anonymous]

Steam or boil, drain, add a dab of butter, pinch of sugar and ground rosemary. My mom’s method.

[Anonymous]

I would either stir fry them with garlic or roast with olive oil & salt & pepper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I like them cut French style (not as tough), steamed and drained, then toss with sautéed sliced almonds (not slivered) in butter. Easy. Delicious.

I don't like them in olive oil or lemon. The taste of the green beans is too harsh for me when combined with the acidic lemon and too....something with the olive oil. I only mention this in case this might be the same with your family.

I think your way is good - brings out the sweet/savory profile but still vegetal because they are lightly cooked. I can see why olive oil would not be a good note for that.

The way I do them with olive oil is this: sautee whole in olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Let sautee for a minute or two. Then pour in about 1/4 cup water, cover, and let steam until past al dente. Remove lid, let water completely evaporate, and continue on the flame until they char a little. Then they taste savory, a little spicey, salty, and smoky, and the olive oil note works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I make green beans thoran. Delicious.

um, yum? I just looked this up. looks amazing. but, I also hestitate to embrace it because cooking green beans whole is a nice time saver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like them cut French style (not as tough), steamed and drained, then toss with sautéed sliced almonds (not slivered) in butter. Easy. Delicious.

I don't like them in olive oil or lemon. The taste of the green beans is too harsh for me when combined with the acidic lemon and too....something with the olive oil. I only mention this in case this might be the same with your family.

I think your way is good - brings out the sweet/savory profile but still vegetal because they are lightly cooked. I can see why olive oil would not be a good note for that.

The way I do them with olive oil is this: sautee whole in olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Let sautee for a minute or two. Then pour in about 1/4 cup water, cover, and let steam until past al dente. Remove lid, let water completely evaporate, and continue on the flame until they char a little. Then they taste savory, a little spicey, salty, and smoky, and the olive oil note works.

also I wonder if it's the bitter note in the olive oil that doesn't work with the sweet-side preparation? but it works with the charred/spicey version.