Ah, green beans, the perfect go-to side dish. Did you know there’s quite a few types of green beans? There’s your classic green beans (also called “string beans”, “wax beans” or “snap beans”), purple string beans, yellow wax beans, flat and wide Romano beans (aka “flat green beans” or “Italian Green Beans”), foot-long (+!) long beans and fancy haricots verts (known as “French green beans” or “filet beans”).
Whichever type of bean you’re cooking, you’ll want to add some spices to bring out their flavor and add some oomph. Some of the best herbs and seasonings to sprinkle on your green beans (with a little butter, olive or avocado oil) are listed below…
Spices and Herbs that Pair Perfectly with String Beans (These are Organic Too):
- Garlic (minced, powder or granules)
- Onion (minced, powder or granules)
- Parsley as a finisher with some lemons squeezed on top
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Classic black malabar pepper and salt
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Summer savory
- Cumin
Spice Blends That Are Perfect for Green Beans (All are Organic and Many are Salt-Free!):
- Chinese 5 Spice* – An authentic Chinese 5 spice made with the best Sichuan peppers
- Herbs De Provence* – The French classic of basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, marjoram, lavender and tarragon
- Dry Ranch Seasoning – A silky, buttermilky, chemical-free ranch
- Piri Piri* – Spice it up with this fiery African and Portuguese dish
- Za’atar – Bring in some robust nutty and a little tart flavor of the Middle East
- Texas Mojo – The flavor of Cuba with Texan pequin chilies
- Bright Star – Citrusy blend with bright and sweet chilies
- Chili Powder* – A salt-free burst of flavor
- Buffy’s Slayer Helper – An amazing garlic lover’s mix that protects you against vampires
- La Dulce Vita – Our slightly sweet Italian-style blend with a tiny bit of heat
- Mrs. Pinch* – Dill, onion and celery-forward salt-free seasoning
- Sweet and Sassy Pork – Make your beans taste like BBQ chip!
*Salt-free seasoning
Freshen Up Those Beans with Some Elevated Salt
- French Grey Salt
- Black Lava Salt
- Popcorn Sprinkle Salty Mix
So What’s the Best Way to Cook Green Beans?
There’s a lot of ways to cook string beans. Our favorite methods are sautéing and air frying, or roasting with a heap of other veggies.
- Sautéed Green Beans: Heat olive oil (or oil of choice, avocado oil can be great too) in a large sauté pan on medium-high heat. Use about 2 Tablespoons of oil per 1 pound of beans. When the oil is hot, add the green beans (and spices) and put on the lid. Every so often, take the lid off and stir. For a crisp and well-cooked bean, your cooking time will be around 5-7 minutes, but it can take longer if they’re thicker beans. You can also keep the lid off, it’ll just a little longer time for them to cook.
- Boil or Blanch Green Beans: Boil a large pot of water, add a teaspoon of salt to the water. Drop the beans in the boiling water and cook for 3-4.5 minutes. Drain beans and serve immediately or toss them in an ice bath for a few minutes until they’re cool. Then drain again and set aside until you’re ready to quickly reheat them in a pan.
- Steam Green Beans: Add three inches of water to a large pot outfitted with a steamer basket and bring water to boil. Add your string beans, cover wth a lid and steam until they’re bright green (about 3-4 minutes). Then remove the basket and set aside so they cool down and don’t overcook.
- Roast Green Beans: Toss green beans in a high heat oil and spices of your choice and layout flat on a large baking sheet in a 425 degree oven. Set the timer to 15 minutes and stir around every five minutes or so.
- Pressure Cook Green Beans: Please don’t. They cook too fast in there. By the time the cooker comes up to pressure, the beans will already be done and you’ll end up with some soggy, flappy beans.
- Air Fry Green Beans: This is an awesome way to easily cook up some tasty beans. Just toss the beans with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and the spices of your choice, pop in the air fryer and cook for 7-8 minutes on 370 degrees. Toss the basket halfway through.
Happy cooking!
P.S. Here’s some green bean jokes to make your kids groan while they’re scarfing down your awesome beans…What made the green bean turn red? It saw the salad dressing. What kind of shows do green beans do best? Pod casts.
