Garlic Green Beans is a simple side dish that will work great with many types of main courses, such as Bacon Cream Cheese Chicken Bake or Cajun Chicken.    They are also the best green beans to make for the holiday menu!

Why make garlic green beans

• Easy and quick recipe. This recipe requires only 6 ingredients, and it takes just 20 minutes to make!
• Nutritious food.  Green beans are a great source of fiber and potassium.  Green beans are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C.
• Perfect match to any main course!  Parmesan Cheese and Garlic Green Beans are so basic and simple (yet flavorful) that they will work with any type of the main course.  Serve this with chicken and bacon pasta or Buffalo Chicken Bake.  This side dish will also go with bacon and mushroom pork chops.  Or, if you prefer fish, try garlic parmesan salmon or trout recipe.

How to boil green beans

1. Trim the stem ends of the green beans.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
3. Add green beans and ½ teaspoon salt.
4. Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes
5. Drain.

Cooking Tips

• Boiling the green beans for 5 minutes will preserve their crunch.  If you prefer softer beans, boil the beans longer, for a total of 10 minutes.
• Use real garlic, not minced garlic in a jar.  Freshly minced garlic will provide the best flavor!
• You can use Asiago cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese instead of Parmesan cheese.

Additions and Variations

While garlic green beans taste great just as they are, you can easily enhance this recipe by making minor additions that will add a lot of extra flavor.  Here are some suggestions:

• Onion or shallots.  Finely mince onions (or shallots) and add to the skillet along with the minced garlic.  Saute for about 4 minutes until the onion softens.  You can use yellow onion, red onion, or shallots.
• Lemon zest.  Add about 2 tablespoons of lemon zest to the skillet with green beans.
• Lemon or lime juice.  Add 1 tablespoon (or more, to taste) of freshly squeezed lemon juice or freshly squeezed lime juice.
• Coarsely ground black pepper.  Season the dish with coarsely ground black pepper at the very end.
• Spice.  Spice up the garlic green beans by adding one of these spices: crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chili powder.
• Olive oil or butter.  Stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of high-quality olive oil or butter to add richness.
• Cheese.  Sprinkle the green beans with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese.  Or, use Asiago cheese, Pecorino Romano.