This easy Italian green beans recipe steams fresh green beans until just tender, then tosses them in a skillet with garlic and good olive oil and finishes them with lemon and sea salt. It's a 10-minute side that's naturally vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
If you love Italian vegetable sides, try my Italian Green Beans in Tomato Sauce for a saucy version, or my Caramelized Coconut Green Beans for something different.
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These are the green beans I make most, especially at Thanksgiving, when everything else on the table is rich. I steam them first so they stay bright green with a little crunch, then just warm them through with garlic so the garlic softens without burning. I like mine with a bit of crisp; my kids like them softer, so I steam theirs a little longer.
My Calabrian in-laws used to pick green beans from their summer garden, spread them out on newspaper, and snap off the ends one by one, with the kids helping. It's still my favorite way to trim them. And when I couldn't find my steamer basket the last time I made these, a colander over the pot worked just as well.
Ingredients
- Green beans: Look for bright, firm beans that snap when bent. Limp beans cook up soft and can turn tough.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You only need 2 tablespoons, so use a good one. Its flavor really comes through.
- Garlic: Two small cloves or one large. Large slices give a gentle flavor; minced garlic is bolder but burns faster. It's the same garlic-in-olive-oil technique as my Spaghetti Aglio e Olio.
- Sea salt
- Lemon: Freshly squeezed. Bottled juice won't taste as bright.
Equipment for how to cook green beans
- Cutting board: I have bamboo and I have plastic cutting board, but use whichever type of cutting board you have.
- Sharp knife: Get out your sharpest knife to cut carrots, celery, and onions.
- Sauce pan: Any medium sauce pan with a lid will work.
- Steamer basket: If you have a steamer basket, the beans will go right in there.
- Colander: Any colander that fits on top of your pan can be covered with a lid will work. You just need to steam the beans a few minutes. So if you don't have a steamer basket, no problem. Use a colander.
How to trim green beans
- Step 1: Wash your green beans really well in cold water and strain them.
- Step 2: Line up the beans on a cutting board evenly and with a sharp knife, trim off the ends. Do it in 2 or 3 portions if it's easier for you.
- Step 3: You could also do it with your hands. My Calabrian in-laws would pick the green beans from their garden in the summer and lay them all out on newspaper. They would one by one snap up of the ends of the beans. The kids would help them, it's that easy to do!
So as you see, either use a sharp knife, or use your hands to clean off the ends. Now they're ready to cook!
How to steam green beans
The choice is up to you steam or not. If you prefer, you could quickly boil them before sauteeing with the olive oil and garlic. The point is to keep them crispy. Some people like their green beans softer. I like mine with a little crisp. My kids like them softer. It's up to you what texture you like to cook them to. The longer they steam (or boil), the softer they will become.
- Step 1: You will use either a steamer basket or you could use a collander. I couldn't find my metal steamer basket, so my colander did the trick!
- Step 2: Fill the bottom of a medium sized pot with water. When water boils, add the steamer basket on top or use a colander (like I did).
- Step 3: Add the green beans. Close the lid over the beans and let the steam cook them up just until they start to get tender.
- Step 4: Continue on with cooking the rest of the recipe.
🍽️ How to make these garlicky green beans
Here is how make sautéed green beans with garlic: (the full recipe is below!):
- Step 1: Steam the beans for a few minutes. You could also quickly boil them instead of steaming.
- Step 2: While the beans steam, heat the olive oil in the skillet.
- Step 3: Add in the garlic and let it cook for less than 1 minute. It should just start to soften. You don't want it to burn. It's ok if it gets a little color, but not burned.
- Step 4: Remove the beans from the steamer or from colander, and add to the pan with the oil and garlic.
- Step 5: Stir and combine with the garlic and oil. You want the beans to be crisp, so you're just quickly heating with the oil and garlic.
- Step 6: Season with salt and squeeze on some lemon juice.
- Step 7: Serve and ENJOY!
📃 NOTE: Recipe card with detailed instructions are below! Print it out for later!
An Italian Thanksgiving Menu
These green beans are another recipe in our Italian Inspired Thanksgiving Menu series. Be sure to try my Pancetta Cornbread , Roasted Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Lasagna. Italian Cranberry Sauce is just delicious! My Roasted Balsamic and Honey Brussels Sprouts will make you a Brussels sprouts fan! If you need Italian desserts, try my Amaretti Almond Pumpkin Pie or my cranberry almond biscotti.
Recipe Tips
- Don't overcook: Pull the beans as soon as they're bright green and fork-tender. Overcooked beans turn dull olive green and mushy.
- Tough beans? They were either undercooked or not fresh. Steam a minute or two longer, and buy beans that snap crisply.
- Steaming vs. boiling: Steaming keeps the beans crisper and holds onto more of their nutrients than boiling. No need to blanch them first.
- Add lemon off the heat: It keeps the lemon tasting fresh and bright.
- Make it your own: Finish with grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano (or nutritional yeast for dairy-free), lemon zest, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or toasted almonds or pine nuts. For a heartier side, crisp some chopped pancetta in the skillet before adding the garlic.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a little olive oil rather than the microwave to keep some crunch. Cooked green beans get soft when frozen, so they're best enjoyed fresh.
Serving Suggestions
These go with almost any main. For Thanksgiving or Sunday dinner, I serve them with my Crispy Italian Roasted Potatoes and Rosemary and Garlic Pork Tenderloin. On weeknights, they're perfect next to my Lemon Chicken.
More Recipes Like This
- Sautéed Rainbow Chard (Italian Style)
- Italian Dandelion Greens
- Easy Italian Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Balsamic and Honey Brussels Sprouts
- Orecchiette with Cauliflower and Green Beans
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📖 Recipe
Easy Italian Green Beans with Garlic and Lemon
Equipment
- 1 steamer
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans washed and trimmed
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 lemon juice of
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Steam the beans: With a steam basket or a colander over a pot of boiling water, steam beans for a few minutes. You could also quickly boil them instead of steaming.
- Heat oil: While the beans steam, heat the olive oil in the skillet.
- Cook garlic: Add in the garlic and let it cook for less than 1 minute. It should just start to soften. You don't want it to burn. It's ok if it gets a little color, but not burned.
- Combine beans: Remove the beans from the steamer or from colander, and add to the pan with the oil and garlic.
- Stir and combine with the garlic and oil. You want the beans to be crisp, so you're just quickly heating with the oil and garlic.
- Season: Sprinkle on the salt and squeeze on some lemon juice.
- Serve: Serve and ENJOY!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Softer beans: Steam a few minutes longer.
- No steamer basket: A metal colander set over the pot and covered with a lid works the same way.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet.
Nutrition
FAQ'S
Steaming fresh green beans takes about 5-7 minutes for a crisp-tender texture. Adjust the time based on your preference for softness.
Blanching isn't necessary before steaming unless you plan to freeze them or need to pre-cook them for another recipe.
Tough green beans may be undercooked, over-mature, or not fresh. Ensure they steam long enough and choose fresh, tender beans.
No, soaking isn't needed for fresh green beans-just wash and trim them before cooking.
Enhance flavor with garlic, lemon juice, fresh herbs, butter, Parmesan cheese, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
I added extra garlic and some hot pepper flakes!! This is what I'll make for my Thanksgiving green bean dish. I don't like the creamy mushroom one, so this is perfect!
Hi Annie-THANK YOU for letting me know you like my green beans and you added extra garlic. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!