How to make green beans taste so good that even non-green bean lovers cannot resist. Coat the green beans in garlic butter. These green beans are soft, no stringy green beans here), so tasty, very easy to make, and a great addition to any dinner or holiday table.
Prepare green beans. Place the green beans on a chopping board with both ends aligned. Use a knife to chop both stem ends of the green beans. Check the beans for any ones that still have the stem ends on then chop those as well.
Blanche green beans: In a medium pot, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add in two teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Add the prepared green beans to the boiling water and let it cook for 5 minutes.
Drain green beans: Immediately drain the green beans through a colander.
Make garlic butter green beans: Add the butter to a large skillet on medium heat. Let it melt. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the green beans to the pan and toss ensuring that the garlic butter coats the green beans. Let the green beans cook together with the garlic butter for 2 minutes while tossing from time to time. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Add lemon juice: Sprinkle the lemon juice over the green beans.
Serve: Serve warm, garnished with some lemon zest if desired.
Notes
Green Beans: Cut the green beans in half if desired.Baking Soda: The baking soda helps the green beans maintain a vibrant green color and also softens the green beans. No stringy green beans here!Lemon Juice: A little sprinkle of lemon juice at the end really takes these green beans over the top as the lemon juice adds brightness. You could leave it out and your garlic butter green beans will still taste great but please don't.