How to boil green beans perfectly every time from fresh or frozen for a tender-crisp vegetable side tossed in butter. Boiled green beans are quick, simple, naturally low carb, gluten-free, paleo, whole30, and optionally vegan!
Rinse the beans in a colander and pat them dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
Spread a layer of green beans on your chopping board, lining up the ends. This makes it easy to slice off the stem ends (about ¼ - ½ inch) of multiple pods in one go. Repeat until all the beans are trimmed.You can optionally turn them over and trim the other side, too, though it isn't necessary.If you’d prefer, cut the green beans into smaller pieces - this is especially great when boiling green beans for toddlers and small children.
Meanwhile, bring a medium or large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat, and add the salt.
Once boiling, add the prepared green beans to the saucepan and bring back to a boil.
Boil the green beans for 3-4 minutes or until tender-crisp.When cooking green beans, use a fork or knife to test if the beans are cooked to your desired level. I recommend checking on them in about 2.5-3 minutes to ensure they don't overcook.
Once ready, drain the boiled green beans through a strainer, toss with the butter, and then season to taste. Enjoy!To avoid overcooking the boiled green beans, you could transfer the green beans directly to an ice bath (bowl of ice water) for 4-5 minutes before draining them and tossing them with melted butter.
To Boil Frozen Green Beans
To boil frozen green beans, follow the same method as above, cooking for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Note that the beans will have been blanched before freezing, so they won't take much longer to cook after thawing in the water, so keep an eye on them.
Storage Instructions
Make ahead: You can rinse, dry, and de-string the green beans 2-3 days in advance and store them in a Ziplock bag in the fridge. Store: Store any leftover cooled boiled green beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.Freeze: Green beans don't freeze particularly well, as they’ll become very soft upon thawing. However, frozen (for up to 4 months in a Ziplock bag) and thawed boiled green beans work well in soups, stews, and casseroles.Reheat: You can reheat the beans in the microwave at 50% power (for softer results) or sauté them with a little butter.
Notes
To save time: You can purchase the green beans already trimmed. Either way, just make sure the beans are trimmed to avoid chewy, tough beans.
Adjust the cooking time: The boiling time for green beans will vary on whether you’d prefer tender-crisp or more tender boiled string beans.
For the crispest boiled green beans: Use the blanching and shocking (in an ice bath) method to stop the cooking process as soon as they're ready (3-4 minutes).
Be careful not to overcook the beans: They’ll become overly mushy and limp.
Save the discarded pod ends: They can be added to vegetable stock, used to feed chickens, or composted.
Optional add-ins and variations - to add more flavor to this fresh green bean recipe:
Alternative method: Steaming Green Beans: Simply fill a saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Then place a steamer basket over it, add the green beans, and cover and steam for 5-7 minutes until tender-crisp with vibrant green color.Check the blog post for serving recommendations and answers to top FAQs!