Fresh and crunchy, green beans are easy to love—and couldn't be more versatile in the kitchen. Our favorite green bean recipes run the range from spicy harissa-kissed side dishes and vegetable-forward pasta salads to chicken stir-fries and make-ahead green bean casseroles. And while we'd never turn that last dish away, green beans can do so much more than be baked in a casserole for the beloved holiday side, as these recipes show. We also serve them raw and chopped in leafy green salads and potato salads.
Get our essential tips for selecting the best green beans and storing them, then cook all of our top recipes featuring these popular legumes.
All About Green Beans, From Haricot Verts to Wax Beans
Green Bean Basics
Also called string beans, green beans are made up of small seeds encased in long pods. Because the beans are harvested while still young, the pods are tender and edible.
Buying Green Beans
While green beans are available year-round, their peak season is May to October. Whether you're purchasing green beans at the farmers market or grocery store, it's always better to buy them loose rather than in packages so you can pick the freshest. They should be crisp and vibrant green without blemishes or signs of wilting. For even cooking, choose beans that are of similar size.
Storage
Store them in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to five days, but know that green beans are not a keeper—they really do taste best if used right away.
Prep
Prep is easy, with no peeling or slicing required! Just rinse the beans under cold water, then trim the stem end by snapping it off with your fingers or cutting it with a paring knife. Trimming the other end is optional.
Nutrition
The legumes are high in vitamin C, "which helps you absorb iron and is an important mineral for carrying oxygen through your body," says New York City-based registered dietitian Rachel Berman. A cup of green beans delivers a quarter of your daily vitamin K, which maintains healthy blood and bones, Berman explains. Plus, they have nearly three grams of cholesterol-curbing fiber per cup.
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Sesame Green Beans
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Sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil enliven green beans with a distinctive, nutty taste. While simple to prepare, this delicious side delivers complex flavors.
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Green Bean and Shallot Ravioli Salad
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Green beans meet ravioli and something exciting happens as they team up with sautéed shallots and toasted almonds for a truly memorable salad. Seconds, anyone?
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French-Cut Green Beans With Dill Butter
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With a dash of dill, dried or fresh, and a few tablespoons of butter, French-cut green beans are transformed into a special side dish.
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Quick-Cooked Green Beans With Lemon
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A great make-ahead green bean recipe, these lemon-spiked vegetables taste best at room temperature. They're the perfect side dish for any potluck, picnic, or buffet table.
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Miso-Watercress Green Beans
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Here's a healthy, fast, and different green bean side dish. The beans are quickly cooked in a skillet and then brightened with a mixture of umami-rich white miso, tart lemon, and peppery watercress.
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Green Bean Casserole With Bacon
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Who says you can only make this comforting dish at Thanksgiving? Our hearty bacon version is too delicious to indulge in only one day out of the year.
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Pasta Salad With Peas and Summer Beans
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Jazz up whole-wheat penne with wax beans, peas, cilantro, and a punchy garlic-lime dressing in this easy make-ahead green bean pasta salad.
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Blistered Green-Bean and Corn Frittata
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A slice of summer on your plate, this vegetable-packed frittata with blistered green beans and corn can star at brunch or dinner. Either way, this seasonal egg dish is a winner.
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Harissa-Roasted Green Beans
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Take green beans into lively territory with this quick side. Beans are tossed with olive oil and harissa and then roasted in the oven.
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Green Beans With Warm Raisin-Caper Dressing
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This sweet, tangy, warm green bean dish with golden raisins, capers, and toasted pepitas is a winner—even at the holiday table.
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Delhi-Style Green Beans
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Fresh ginger, fiery green chiles, and a host of spices—asafetida, cumin, and coriander—flavor this green bean dish known as sem ki sabzi. It's just one of Madhur Jaffery's easy, healthy Indian recipes.
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Green Bean, Shell Bean, and Sweet Onion Fattoush
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Our take on the Middle Eastern bread-and-vegetable salad known as fattoush calls for green beans, shell beans, Vidalia onion, English cucumber, crumbled feta, fresh mint and parsley, and grilled pita. A lemon-garlic vinaigrette ties all the flavors together beautifully.
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Dry-Fried Green Beans
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It takes just a few minutes over high heat to transform green beans into crisp-tender, blistered beauties. Add fresh field peas and garlic, and savor.
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Braised Green Beans With Tomatoes
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Green beans are simmered with broth, onion, tomatoes, and fresh oregano in this easy vegan side dish.
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Spicy Pickled Green Beans
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Fresh green beans take on a sweet and spicy tang in this batch of quick pickles. Best of all, these beauties will keep in the fridge for up to a month.
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Potato Salad With Green Beans and Ricotta
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Forget mayo! Fresh ricotta, dill, lemon zest and juice combine to make an unforgettable potato salad, while green beans add the perfect crunch.
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Chopped Green Bean and Celery Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette
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White-wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey flavor tender green beans and crisp celery, an ideal sidekick to fried chicken or grilled steak.
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Green Beans With Hazelnuts and Gorgonzola
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In this easy-but-sophisticated side dish, Gorgonzola's rich, creamy texture offers a nice counterpoint to crunchy hazelnuts and tangy sherry vinegar.
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Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry With Green Beans
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This weeknight-friendly dinner of stir-fried chicken breast and green beans zipped up with fresh ginger and lemon juice will appeal to everyone at the table.
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Green Beans With Ginger and Tomatoes
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Fresh ginger, ground coriander, tomatoes, and fresh lime juice are all you need to take green beans from ho-hum to flavor-packed.
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Pasta Salad With Chickpeas, Green Beans, and Basil
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For a potluck or a picnic, this hearty, fresh-tasting pasta salad can't be beaten. The light, lemony mayo-based dressing is the perfect topper for crisp green beans, red onions, chickpeas, and farfalle.
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Quinoa and Green Bean Salad
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Gussy up everyone's favorite superfood with sautéed onion and garlic, crisp green beans, fresh parsley, and a tangy red wine vinaigrette.
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Green Beans With Potatoes and Ham
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Get a jump on dinner by shredding the flavorful braised ham hocks a day in advance. Green beans are added last to this robust dish so that they're just tender.
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Green Beans With Parsnips and Pickled Red Onions
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Green beans and parsnips are cooked in the same pot until crisp-tender, then paired with quick-pickled red onions and a red wine vinegar-mustard dressing in this easy, colorful side dish.
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Green Bean Casserole
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This from-scratch version of the family favorite calls for fresh green beans, a creamy homemade mushroom sauce, and a flavorful topping of crisp fried shallots.
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Green Beans With Tomatoes, Olives, and Eggs
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This hearty Mediterranean side dish takes its inspiration from salade Nicoise. Serve with grilled tuna, salmon, or chicken, and make it a main course.
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Green Beans With Spiced Breadcrumbs
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Paprika and cayenne add a kick to the crunchy breadcrumb topping on simple steamed green beans. Try it with roasted chicken or classic meatloaf.
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Raw Tomato and Green Bean Pasta
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Colorful, crunchy, creamy, and sweet, this pasta dish is delicious warm or at room temperature—great for a picnic.
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Green Beans With Olives
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Mild-mannered green beans get a new lease on life when tossed with an intensely savory dressing of green olives, parsley, anchovies, and red wine vinegar.
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Green Beans With Sautéed Mushrooms and Garlic
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Coriander, dry white wine, and sherry vinegar punch up this fabulous all-purpose side dish featuring green beans and button mushrooms.
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Green Beans With Caramelized Onions and Tarragon
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Golden brown caramelized onions amplify the flavors in this perfect-for-entertaining, room-temperature side dish. Making it even easier for the host, you can trim the green beans and caramelize the onions a day in advance.
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Stewed Green Beans With Bacon
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This side dish of green beans stewed in chicken broth and speckled with bacon will make everyone want to eat their vegetables.
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Green-Bean Casserole With Chestnuts and Buttered Breadcrumbs
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Reconsider the casserole this holiday season. Try this elegant, creamy makeover that stars fresh green beans with roasted chestnuts and mixed wild mushrooms for a classy, crowd-pleasing side dish.
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