This delightful lemon garlic green beans recipe is a perfect side dish that brings a burst of fresh flavors to your table. The combination of zesty lemon and aromatic garlic enhances the natural taste of the green beans, making it a simple yet elegant addition to any meal.
If you don't usually keep fresh green beans or lemons at home, you might need to make a quick trip to the supermarket. Fresh green beans are essential for achieving the tender-crisp texture, and the fresh lemon provides both zest and juice, which are key to the dish's vibrant flavor.
Ingredients For Lemon Garlic Green Beans Recipe
Green beans: Fresh green beans, trimmed and ready to cook.
Olive oil: Used for sautéing and adding a rich flavor.
Garlic: Minced cloves that provide a fragrant aroma and taste.
Lemon: Both the zest and juice are used to add a zesty, fresh flavor.
Salt: Enhances the overall taste of the dish.
Black pepper: Adds a hint of spice and depth to the flavor.
Technique Tip for This Recipe
To ensure your green beans are perfectly tender-crisp, blanch them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes before adding them to the skillet. This will help them cook more evenly and retain their vibrant color.
Suggested Side Dishes
Alternative Ingredients
green beans - Substitute with asparagus: Asparagus has a similar texture and can be cooked in the same way, providing a comparable crunch and flavor profile.
olive oil - Substitute with avocado oil: Avocado oil has a high smoke point and a mild flavor, making it a good alternative for sautéing and roasting.
garlic - Substitute with shallots: Shallots provide a milder, slightly sweet flavor that can complement the dish similarly to garlic.
lemon - Substitute with lime: Lime offers a similar acidity and citrus flavor, which can brighten up the dish in the same way as lemon.
salt - Substitute with soy sauce: Soy sauce can add a salty and umami flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the dish.
black pepper - Substitute with white pepper: White pepper has a slightly different flavor but can still provide the necessary heat and depth to the dish.
Other Alternative Recipes Similar to This Dish
How to Store or Freeze This Dish
- Allow the green beans to cool completely before storing. This helps prevent condensation, which can make them soggy.
- Transfer the cooled green beans to an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag. Make sure to remove as much air as possible to maintain freshness.
- Store the container or bag in the refrigerator. The lemon garlic green beans will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days.
- For freezing, spread the cooled green beans in a single layer on a baking sheet. This prevents them from sticking together.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 1-2 hours, or until the green beans are frozen solid.
- Once frozen, transfer the green beans to a resealable freezer bag or airtight container. Label the bag with the date to keep track of freshness.
- Frozen green beans can be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or reheat directly from frozen.
- To reheat, sauté the green beans in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, or microwave them in a microwave-safe dish for 1-2 minutes.
- For an added burst of flavor, you can drizzle a bit more olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
How to Reheat Leftovers
Stovetop Method:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Add a small amount of olive oil or butter to the skillet.
- Add the leftover green beans and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Microwave Method:
- Place the green beans in a microwave-safe dish.
- Add a splash of water or lemon juice to keep them moist.
- Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap.
- Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until heated evenly.
Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread the green beans in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Cover with aluminum foil to prevent drying out.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Steaming Method:
- Place a steamer basket in a pot with a small amount of water.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the green beans to the steamer basket.
- Cover and steam for 3-5 minutes, or until heated through.
Best Tools for This Recipe
Skillet: A flat-bottomed pan used for cooking the green beans and sautéing the garlic.
Spatula: A tool for stirring and tossing the green beans to ensure even cooking.
Knife: Used for mincing the garlic and trimming the green beans.
Cutting board: A surface for safely cutting and preparing the garlic and green beans.
Measuring spoons: Tools to measure out the olive oil, salt, and black pepper accurately.
Zester: A tool to zest the lemon, ensuring you get fine, fragrant pieces of lemon peel.
Juicer: A tool to extract juice from the lemon efficiently.
Serving dish: A dish to present the cooked lemon garlic green beans.
How to Save Time on This Recipe
Prep ingredients in advance: Trim and wash the green beans ahead of time. Mince the garlic and zest the lemon the night before.
Use a large skillet: A larger skillet allows for even cooking and reduces the time needed to achieve tender-crisp green beans.
High heat for quick sauté: Start with medium-high heat to quickly sauté the garlic and green beans, then reduce to medium to finish cooking.
Lemon juice trick: Use a lemon juicer to quickly extract juice without seeds, saving time and effort.
Lemon Garlic Green Beans
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb Green Beans trimmed
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Lemon zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 2. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 3. Add green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 5-7 minutes.
- 4. Add lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
- 5. Serve warm.
Nutritional Value
Keywords
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