Garlic Green Beans are cooked in olive oil and tossed with lemon juice and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This easy side dish will be a great addition to any dinner!
Garlic Green Beans is a simple side dish that will work great with many types of main courses, such as Bacon Cream Cheese Chicken Bake or Cajun Chicken. They are also the best green beans to make for the holiday menu!
Why make garlic green beans
- Easy and quick recipe. This recipe requires only 6 ingredients, and it takes just 20 minutes to make!
- Nutritious food. Green beans are a great source of fiber and potassium. Green beans are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C.
- Perfect match to any main course! Parmesan Cheese and Garlic Green Beans are so basic and simple (yet flavorful) that they will work with any type of the main course. Serve this with chicken and bacon pasta or Buffalo Chicken Bake. This side dish will also go with bacon and mushroom pork chops. Or, if you prefer fish, try garlic parmesan salmon or trout recipe.
How to boil green beans
- Trim the stem ends of the green beans.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Add green beans and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes
- Drain.
Cooking Tips
- Boiling the green beans for 5 minutes will preserve their crunch. If you prefer softer beans, boil the beans longer, for a total of 10 minutes.
- Use real garlic, not minced garlic in a jar. Freshly minced garlic will provide the best flavor!
- You can use Asiago cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese instead of Parmesan cheese.
Additions and Variations
While garlic green beans taste great just as they are, you can easily enhance this recipe by making minor additions that will add a lot of extra flavor. Here are some suggestions:
- Onion or shallots. Finely mince onions (or shallots) and add to the skillet along with the minced garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes until the onion softens. You can use yellow onion, red onion, or shallots.
- Lemon zest. Add about 2 tablespoons of lemon zest to the skillet with green beans.
- Lemon or lime juice. Add 1 tablespoon (or more, to taste) of freshly squeezed lemon juice or freshly squeezed lime juice.
- Coarsely ground black pepper. Season the dish with coarsely ground black pepper at the very end.
- Spice. Spice up the garlic green beans by adding one of these spices: crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chili powder.
- Olive oil or butter. Stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of high-quality olive oil or butter to add richness.
- Cheese. Sprinkle the green beans with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese. Or, use Asiago cheese, Pecorino Romano.
Other green bean recipes
Bacon Green Beans is an excellent side dish to make for the holiday table!
Main Courses to serve with Garlic Green Beans
- Honey Lime Chicken Thighs
- Duck Breast with Cranberry Sauce
- Bacon Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
- Tuscan Chicken
- Mozzarella Chicken with Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms
Garlic Green Beans with Olive Oil and Parmesan
Garlic Green Beans are cooked in olive oil and tossed with lemon juice and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This easy side dish will be a great addition to any dinner! These are the best green beans as they are easy and quick to make. There are only 6 basic ingredients and total 20 minutes of cooking time.
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans fresh, rinsed, ends trimmed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add green beans and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, drain the beans.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add minced garlic and cooked green beans.
- Saute on medium heat for about 2 minutes to combine all ingredients.
- Remove from heat. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir. Add grated Parmesan cheese and stir. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Garlic Green Beans with Olive Oil and Parmesan
Amount per Serving
Calories
154
% Daily Value*
Fat
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
9
mg
3
%
Sodium
499
mg
22
%
Potassium
269
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
10
g
3
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
7
g
14
%
Vitamin A
880
IU
18
%
Vitamin C
17
mg
21
%
Calcium
198
mg
20
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Tried this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment and provide a Star Rating below - I love your feedback and try to respond to every comment!
We loved these green beans! I used roasted garlic cloves because that was what I had handy to me. I will do this going forward too, as it was delicious. I will only boil the green beans for the 2 to 3 minutes, as I saw in your Green Beans and Pinenuts recipe.
Carolyn, I love that you served these beans with roasted garlic cloves - sounds so good! ❤️❤️ I am wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year!
Recipe looks wonderful-how do I make in advance for 8 people? Guess I am asking can I make the recipe the day before and add the parmesan right before I serve it? If so, how would you suggest I repeat the beans? ethjank you very much!!
Renee, if making this for 8 people, I would double or triple the recipe.
When making it in advance, follow the recipe as is, except add the lemon juice and parmesan cheese right before serving. Reheat everything in a large high-sided skillet.
Enjoy and Happy Holidays! ❤️
I assume it will be ok to boil the bean ahead of time, refrigerate, and then sauté just before serving? Thanks!
Janet, yes, you can pre-boil the beans ahead of the time!
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. Looking for more of your yummy recipes.
Zeny, I am glad you're here! 🙂
Can you use canned green beans or frozen green beans?
Jenny, I don't think canned green beans would work well here. But frozen fresh beans will work great. Thaw them first and drain them of any liquid and even use paper towels to pat them dry.
Wow this was amazing, even my father-in-law said so, he couldn’t stop eating it, he was lucky enough to take left overs home, looking forward to using more recipes.
Thanks
Brad, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for the comment and the 5-star review! 🙂
How do I get some high fiber recipes from you to cook for my husband who has colon problems . Thank you.
Best green beans I ever had. The garlic, lemon, and parmesan makes them not taste like green beans. That's why they're so good!
Best green beans I ever had. Loaded with garlic and parmesan.