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Sautéed Green Beans Recipe – Love and Lemons
This sautéed green beans recipe is a delicious, quick, and easy veggie side dish! Lemon juice, garlic, and fresh thyme fill it with a bright, tangy flavor.
If you need a last-minute side dish for the holidays, this sautéed green beans recipe will be perfect. It requires less than 10 ingredients and cooks in less than 10 minutes (bonus: no oven required!), so you can whip it up right before you eat. But don’t let its simplicity fool you. This sautéed green beans recipe may be easy to make, but it’s still full of flavor. I saute fresh green beans until they are crisp and vibrant green. Then, I toss them with a zingy lemon-Dijon dressing. This gives the beans a bright, garlicky bite, making them so delicious you’ll want to eat them straight from the serving bowl.
Sautéed Green Beans Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy sautéed green beans recipe:
- Green beans, of course! Opt for fresh, not frozen, green beans here. Their firm, satisfying texture really elevates this simple recipe. I like to use haricots verts, though any type of string beans works well.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – For cooking green beans.
- Water – This creates steam in the pan, which helps the beans soften all the way.
- Fresh lemon juice – For light.
- Garlic – It gives the green beans a sharp, flavorful bite.
- Dijon mustard – For the peppery tang.
- Fresh thyme leaves – They add an earthy, lemony flavor.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
To make this sautéed green beans recipe, start by preparing the dressing under a big bowl. Combine lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves until smooth, then set aside.
Next, cook the green beans. To fully cook the green beans without bleaching themI toss them with a little olive oil on a large pan over medium heat. then, I put a splash of water in the pan and cover it. The water creates steam, which helps the green beans cook all the way through. Without it, they will brown on the outside without softening in the middle.
When the beans are bright green and tender, add them to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Season to taste, and transfer them to a serving platter. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations on Sautéed Green Beans
I love these sautéed green beans with garlic, Dijon, and lemon, but that’s not the only way to season them! If you like, feel free to use another dressing, sauce, or seasoning. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Sautéed green beans are also delicious with me creamy dill sauce, romesco sauceo Greek salad dressing.
Let me know what variations you try!
Sautéed Green Beans Serving Suggestions
This sautéed green beans recipe is a versatile side dish. I love it in comforting fall and winter recipes like mine butternut squash risotto, stuffed shells, eggplant rollatiniand cauliflower pastaalthough it also pairs well with a simple protein.
It’s also a great addition to a holiday meal. Serve it with classic side dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauceand gravy. If you’re looking for more holiday recipe ideas, check out this post!
This recipe is best the day it is made. Start by trimming the green beans up to 2 days in advance. You can also make the dressing ahead of time. It will keep in a small jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
More Favorite Veggie Side Dishes
If you love this sautéed green beans recipe, try one of the vegetable side dishes next:
![](https://cdn.loveandlemons.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/sauteed-green-beans-150x150.jpg)
Sauteed Green Beans
Serving 4
This sautéed green beans recipe is a delicious and easy side dish! A quick lemon dressing infuses the beans with bright flavor.
- 1 spoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 spoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces fresh green beans, cut off
- 3 spoon water
- Freshly ground black pepper
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In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the thyme leaves.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans and toss to coat. Add the water, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the beans are tender but still have a slight bite. Transfer to bowl with lemon mixture and toss. Season to taste and transfer to a serving platter, leaving any excess water behind.