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green beans in pot of boiling water

Simple Blanched Green Beans

Print Recipe
Whether you're serving them right away or making them ahead, this is a foolproof way to cook perfect green beans that retain their crunch and their beautiful color every time!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Breathing and Cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 lb fresh green beans preferably thin
  • kosher salt
  • water

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water (1 Tbsp kosher salt for every quart) to a boil while you prep your beans
  • Wash beans and remove the woody stem ends (it's ok to leave the little "tail" end)
  • When water is at a rolling boil, add the beans, return to a boil and let them go until they're crisp tender and still bright green. This will take from 2 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of your beans.
  • If serving immediately, drain, season with olive oil or butter, salt and pepper and enjoy!
  • If you're making them ahead or want to serve them cold (like in a salad or as crudites), remove with tongs and immediately plunge them into an ice bath until completely cooled. see notes*

Notes

How many beans to make? The rule of thumb is 4 oz per serving. Scale up or down accordingly!
For ice bath: fill large bowl with ice water while beans are boiling. Using tongs, place beans directly into the ice bath as soon as they're crisp-tender (a little earlier if you'll be reheating and finishing later). Leave them in ice water until they're completely cooled. They should be crisp and retain their bright green color.
To make ahead: After the blanched beans are cooled from their ice bath, drain them and lay out on a clean paper or cloth towel. Pat dry and roll up in the towel. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. If you'll be storing them longer than a few hours, place the entire roll in a large plastic bag without sealing
Storage: blanched and cooled beans can be stored, rolled up in paper towels, in a bag for up to 5 days
To finish on stove top: heat a little olive oil or butter in a large sauté pan. When melted/hot add blanched and cooled beans and toss a few times with tongs until heated through (just a couple minutes). Season to taste
To finish in oven: Preheat oven to 400 f. Place blanched and cooled beans on a baking sheet, pat dry, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, shaking pan half way through. You can also add a little freshly grated parmesan the last 5 minutes :)