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Looking for a simple, flavorful side dish that will elevate any meal? Look no further than this Garlicky Green Beans Recipe! With just a handful of ingredients and a few easy steps, you can create a delicious and nutritious dish that’s bursting with flavor.
These green beans are tossed with plenty of garlic, healthy oil, shallots, and a pinch of salt. The result is a dish that’s savory, garlicky, and oh-so-satisfying. Perfect for busy weeknights, elegant dinners, or any time you’re craving a little something green, this Garlicky Green Beans Recipe is sure to become a new family favorite for side dish recipes.
The rich, garlicky flavor of the browned garlic cloves takes me back a few years to the days of dating my ex-husband. We were eating out a LOT back then and one of our favorite things to do was to take the train into San Francisco and walk up to The Stinking Rose Restaurant in Little Italy.
And yes, there was a ton of garlic on the menu. Mounds and mounds of amazingly scrumptious garlic. My ex-husband and I fell in love over bowls of garlic and amazingly enough, didn’t fall out of love the next morning when we woke up to clouds of garlic breath hanging in the air. It wasn’t pretty, but it was garlic. Lots and lots of delicious garlic.
Quick Garlicky Green Beans Side Dish
This deliciously healthy side dish cooks up quickly! The longest part of this recipe is chopping the garlic and shallots. To save time, you can press the garlic instead.
Healthy Garlicky Green Beans
Green beans and garlic are both nutritious foods that offer several health benefits. Here are some of the potential benefits of including green beans and garlic in your diet:
Health benefits of green beans:
- Rich in nutrients: Green beans are low in calories but rich in nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, and folate.
- Good for digestion: The fiber in green beans can help promote healthy digestion and prevent constipation.
- May lower the risk of chronic diseases: Green beans contain antioxidants that can help protect cells from damage and lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
- May help regulate blood sugar: The fiber and low glycemic index of green beans may help regulate blood sugar levels, making them a good choice for people with diabetes.
- May promote weight loss: Green beans are low in calories but high in fiber, which can help you feel full and satisfied, making them a good food to include in a weight loss diet.
Health benefits of garlic:
- May lower blood pressure: Garlic has been shown to have a modest but significant effect on reducing blood pressure, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- May reduce the risk of cancer: Some studies suggest that garlic may have cancer-fighting properties and may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, such as stomach and colon cancer.
- Boosts immune system: Garlic contains compounds that can help boost the immune system and may help prevent or reduce the severity of common illnesses like colds and flu.
- May improve cholesterol levels: Garlic has been shown to help lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
- May have anti-inflammatory properties: Garlic contains compounds that may help reduce inflammation in the body, which is a risk factor for many chronic diseases.
Dietary Concerns
This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. It’s even vegan, low-carb, paleo, and keto!
Recipe Variations
- Garlicky Green Beans with almonds – Simply sprinkle some shopped or sliced almonds into the pan at the end with the garlic. You want to warm them more than cook them.
- Garlicky Green Beans with parmesan – Once you finish cooking, simply garnish with parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
- Garlicky Green Beans With Lemon – You can add a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice during cooking, or at serving, as you wish.
- Asian-Style Garlicky Green Beans – Sprinkle a little soy sauce on during cooking and use sesame oil for cooking. You can even sprinkle on some sesame seeds for garnish.
- Garlic Butter Green Beans – Add a couple of tablespoons butter to this at the end of cooking, just before you take it off the stove, and let the butter meld with the garlic for a delicious buttery “sauce”
About The Ingredients
Fresh green beans – Cleaned and trimmed.
Garlic cloves– Minced garlic or pressed. You can use more or less of this, as you like.
Shallot– minced.
Oil– Use whatever light-flavored oil you feel comfortable using. Just keep the smoke point in mind. Avocado oil is a good oil for sautéing with.
Fresh Italian parsley – You can use as much or as little of this as you want.
Salt – Addto taste after cooking.
Black pepper – This is optional if you like a little bit of pepper. Add after cooking, to taste
How To Make Garlicky Green Beans
Gather and prep all your ingredients.
Place the oil and the green beans in a large skillet that has a lid. Begin cooking with the lid on over medium heat. Cook the beans to what you consider to be al dente.(Do not cook on medium-high heat or high heat. It will burn your beans). Note that the green beans should have a texture that feels almost cooked to you.
While the vegetables cook, chop the garlic and shallots.
Add the shallots to the nearly cooked green beans and continue cooking until they are a light golden browned. Then toss in the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute more. (Do not burn your garlic!!) At the very end, just before you turn off the heat, stir in the parsley.
Note: The garlic and shallots should become very brown. Not burnt, but very brown. Keep the heat at a medium level to avoid burning and add oil if necessary.
Storing Leftovers
Store these in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Freezing is not recommended for this recipe.
Reheating
You can reheat these in the microwave or in a skillet over low to medium heat.
Other Cooking Methods For This Garlic Green Beans Recipe
You can make Roasted Garlicky Green Beans by roasting all of this on a sheet pan instead of in a skillet. Heat your oven to 400 F. and cook for between 20-40 minutes, depending on how thick your green beans are. Cook until they reach your preferred level of doneness.
More Healthy Green Bean Recipes
- Green Bean Casserole
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Green Bean Quinoa Salad
Garlicky Green Beans Recipe Card
Garlicky Green Beans with Shallots
A wonderfully, garlicky green bean side dish that works for nearly any main course!
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 97kcal
Ingredients
- ¾ lb. fresh green beans
- 10 medium garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 medium shallot (2 cloves – minced)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil (+ extra if needed)
- ¼ cup fresh, chopped Italian parsley (flat leaf)
- salt to taste
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Gather and prep all your ingredients.
Place the oil and the green beans in a large skillet that has a lid. Begin cooking with the lid on over medium heat. Cook the beans to what you consider to be al dente.(Do not cook on medium-high heat or high heat. It will burn your beans). Note that the green beans should have a texture that feels almost cooked to you.
While the green beans cook, chop the garlic and shallots.
Add the shallots to the nearly cooked green beans and continue cooking until they are a light golden browned. Then toss in the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute more. (Do not burn your garlic!!) At the very end, just before you turn off the heat, stir in the parsley.
Note: The garlic and shallots should become very brown. Not burnt, but very brown. Keep the heat at a medium level to avoid burning and add oil if necessary.
Notes
Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 16.2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1.1mg
This recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted on 11/7/12.
