Easy Garlic Green Beans are a flavorful, gluten-free, and healthy vegan side dish. A quick-prep recipe with only 3 ingredients of tender green beans to add a savory touch to any meal.
Green beans are always a healthy choice for a side dish, and this garlic green beans recipe adds a delicious, savory boost of flavor.
Simply mix tender green beans with granulated garlic and salt to taste for a healthy vegan dish that is ready in minutes.
Because they’re so quick to prepare, they are the perfect last-minute solution—just grab green beans from your freezer, defrost, add your seasoning, and you’re ready to serve!
And green beans have health benefits!
If you like garlic sides, try garlic potatoes!
Some useful cooking terms
What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?
When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking though).
The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it.
Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.
Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.
What does “savory” mean?
“Savory” refers to foods that are not sweet, such as foods that taste salty, spicy, or herbal.
What cooking measurement expressions mean:
Drop – ¹/₆₄ teaspoon (or less—it’s however a literal drop comes out)
Smidgen – ¹/₃₂ teaspoon
Pinch – ¹⁄₁₆ teaspoon (what you can grab between your finger and thumb)
Dash – ⅛ teaspoon (what comes out when you shake out of a shaker or bottle)
Tad – ¼ teaspoon
Dollop—a glob on a spoon (like with mayonnaise or ice cream)
Scant—a scant cup is almost a cup, just below the line.
Heaping—above the line of the spoon (teaspoon, tablespoon)*
Everyday pantry seasoning essentials
I have found that having many ways to flavor food in my kitchen helps me prepare a large variety of dishes as long as I have the main ingredients. These include:
- salt
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- onion powder
- sweet paprika and/or sweet pepper flakes (paprika is ground dried red pepper, pepper flakes are crushed dried red pepper)
- hot paprika, hot pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper (moderately spicy dried ground chili pepper) for those occasional spicy dishes
- ground turmeric
- ground cumin
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves (for pumpkin flavors)
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consommé powder / beef bouillon powder (regular or vegetarian)
- onion soup mix
- onion flakes (substitute for fresh onion—3 tablespoons for 1 medium onion).
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
I also keep other important ingredients:
- oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
- coconut cream as a dairy-free cream substitute
- flavorless milk substitute as a dairy-free milk alternative
- cornstarch as a thickening agent
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- bread crumbs or cornflake crumbs (you can make these with your blender or food processor) for coating
- condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes—diced or crushed/pasta sauce
- soy sauce (makes a great flavoring for savory foods)
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) for Easy Garlic Green Beans
1. Can I use canned green beans?
You can. While this recipe calls for frozen, because they tend to be partially cooked and crunchy, while the canned are fully cooked and softer, you certainly can use the canned if you prefer or if that’s what you have on hand. Just make sure to drain well.
2. Can I add other seasonings?
Absolutely. While granulated garlic and salt provide a classic savory flavor, you can enhance the dish by adding red pepper flakes for heat, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for tang, fried onions, rosemary, or whatever you like.
3. Are these green beans keto-friendly?
Yes, green beans are low in carbohydrates, and this recipe uses only simple seasonings, making it a perfect, naturally keto-compliant side dish.
4. How should I store leftovers?
Store any leftover green beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored well, they can last for several days.
5. Can I freeze the leftovers?
Absolutely. Just make sure to freeze them in an airtight freezer bag or container so they won’t get freezer burned.
Other popular green bean dishes from this 3-ingredient recipe:
This recipe is adaptable, and you can make several other dishes from it. Such as:
Garlic & Lemon Green Beans: Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest.
Spicy Garlic Green Beans: Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste.
Garlic & Rosemary Green Beans: Add 1 teaspoon dried or fresh rosemary.
Smoky Garlic Green Beans: Add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika.
Garlic & Herb Green Beans: Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or an Italian seasoning blend.
Garlic & Onion Green Beans: Add 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder.
Toasted Garlic Green Beans: Add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds.
Easy Garlic Green Beans Recipe
A delicious 3-ingredient green bean with garlic side dish that takes only minutes to prepare! It's completely adaptable, so add whatever seasonings you like!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces frozen green beans
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste *
Instructions
- Pour defrosted greenbeans in a baking pan.
- Mix in granulated garlic and salt.
- Bake for around 10 minutes or until hot.
Notes
* If you like more, you can add to taste after cooking so you don't accidentally over spice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 266mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 2g