Green Bean Recipes from Easy to Elegant

Even a vegetable-hater will be tempted by these simple and delicious ways to eat green beans.

Like many people of her generation, my grandmother called green beans "snap beans." She grew them in her garden and when my brother and sister and I were visiting in the summer, we were wrangled into "snapping" duty, breaking the beans into bite-size pieces before they went into the cooking pot.

Green Beans with Red Pepper and Bacon

This is the default method for preparing green beans in the south and was the only way I'd ever eaten them until I left home. (If you grew up eating green beans prepared this way and don't feel like making them yourself, Hometown Buffet still makes them this way.) The really authentic recipes use fatback.

1 lb. fresh green beans
4 pieces uncooked bacon, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Bring saucepan of water to a boil.
Add beans, bacon and red pepper flakes.
Reduce heat and cover.
Cook until the beans are very tender and the bacon is cooked through.
Drain and serve with the bits of bacon.

Green Beans Almandine

This is a simple way to dress up a side dish for a dinner party or a holiday meal. Fresh haricots verts (the thin, French-style green beans) are more expensive than regular green beans but are particularly nice in this recipe.

1 lb. fresh green beans
¼ cup slivered almonds (or sliced almonds)
2 Tbsp. butter

Steam the green beans.
In a small skillet, melt butter.
Add the almonds and sauté until golden brown.
Arrange green beans in serving dish.
Pour almonds (butter and all) over the beans and serve immediately.

Green Beans with Dill

My Aunt Helen kept our family supplied with jars of dilled beans all through the winter. This recipe uses frozen green beans to save time.

1 pkg. frozen green beans (not French-cut)
1 beef bouillon cube
1 tsp. dill weed
2 Tbsp. butter (optional)

Fill a medium saucepan with water.
Add the bouillon cube and dill.
Stir until bouillon is dissolved.
Add the frozen beans.
Bring the water to a boil.
Cover and reduce heat.
Simmer until the beans are crisp/tender. (About 10 minutes).
Drain and add butter if desired before serving.