Spicy Garlic Green Beans Recipe: The Perfect Side Dish (2024)

FAQs

How to fancy up green beans? ›

If you dont like your green beans fully cooked, I would sauté on a pan with butter. You can add some water to steam them and once it's cooked off and add garlic, crushed red pepper and salt and pepper. Fresh green beans are best but you can defrost frozen ahead of time.

It helps, of course, to use good olive oil (and don't be stingy with it—you want the beans really swimming). I also like to add a peeled, smashed clove of garlic, or maybe a bay leaf or a few sprigs of thyme.

The vegetable helps fight inflammation and is a good source of folate and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Green beans also are a good source of protein and fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, Vadiveloo said. "Fiber is underconsumed by U.S. adults and children, and it's good for gut health," she said.

Your Beans Will Cook Faster

Well, creating an alkaline (or basic) environment by adding a small amount (about 1 teaspoon per cup of dry beans) of baking soda to your soaking/cooking water can actually help your beans cook faster.

Then, I toss the blanched beans with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and salt to pep up their flavor. Serve them just like that, or dress them up more with toasted almonds or pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme.

Because baking soda lessens the acidity of the cooking water, it also slows down the chlorophyll dulling process, thereby keeping the veggies greener for longer.

Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish. Open your cans of beans using a can opener. There may be sharp edges from opening the can.

Can a dog eat canned green beans? ›

Are Green Beans Safe for Dogs? Chopped, steamed, raw, or canned—all types of green beans are safe for dogs to eat, as long as they are plain. Green beans themselves are not only safe for dogs, but veterinarians also recommend them as a healthy treat. Best of all, dogs seem to love them.

Your Beans Will Cook Faster

Well, creating an alkaline (or basic) environment by adding a small amount (about 1 teaspoon per cup of dry beans) of baking soda to your soaking/cooking water can actually help your beans cook faster.

There are several options to add flavor to pinto beans without meat. You can use vegetable broth, spices such as cumin, paprika, and chili powder, or even add sautéed onions, garlic, and bell peppers for an extra kick.

Oven-Roast Beans for Bacon-Like Bits

Use our recipe for Jordanian Roasted Chickpeas or toss 1½ cups cooked beans (any type except lentils) with 1 tablespoon chili powder, smoked paprika, or your favorite spice blend, then roast them at 400˚F on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes until lightly browned.

While there are over-the-counter enzymes that digest the sugars in beans, such as Beano, there are also ingredients right in your spice cabinet that can aid with digestion and help offset gassy side effects. One of them that happens to go especially well with beans: cumin.