How to Cook Fresh Green Beans

Learning how to cook fresh green beans might be an enigma to some, but experienced cooks know it’s easier than it sounds. They can be ready in a matter of minutes and require little seasoning. Fresh green beans can be bought at stores and produce markets. When cooked well, they can be filling, delicious and very nutritious.

Why You Should Know How to Cook Fresh Green Beans

The main reason everyone should know how to cook fresh green beans is that they are nutrient-rich. One cup can provide an impressive amount of fiber. Fiber is important to your digestive system. A fiber deficiency can lead to many problems including constipation, diarrhea, slow metabolic rate and other digestive issues. Other nutrients found in large amounts are vitamin A, magnesium and fluoride. These are crucial to maintaining a healthy liver, heart, vision, bone, muscle, teeth and skin.

How to Cook Fresh Green Beans

The good news is that green beans don’t take long or much to cook. Remember to prep and monitor them to avoid cooking out the nutrients.

Prepping

Give fresh green beans a wash before cooking and cut off ends that might be too hard to eat. To cut down cooking time even further, you can slice them into French green beans. French green beans are essentially beans sliced lengthwise to make thinner strips.

Boil

Boiling is the simplest, most straightforward way to learn how to cook fresh green beans. You just need to pour enough water in the pot to cover beans. Let water come to a rapid boil and add beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer until they’re soft but still crisp. Drain and add flavor with light seasoning.

Steam

Boiling can take a lot of nutrition out of fresh green beans. If you want to retain as many nutrients as possible, steaming is a great cooking method. Set up your steamer and cover it with a lid. Open and throw in fresh green beans. Cover tightly. Let beans steam for 5 minutes or until soft with a crisp to the bite. Remove, season and serve.

Blanch

Another healthy way to cook fresh green beans is by blanching them. Begin by boiling beans for no more than 5 minutes. When you remove beans from pot, place them immediately in cold water. Serve.

Microwave

If you’re looking for convenience, cook beans in the microwave. Place green beans comfortably in a bowl and sprinkle 2 or 3 tablespoons of water on top. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Uncover to let steam escape, season as desired and enjoy.

Cooking Tips

While most prefer to snack on them alone, fresh green beans can be added to your favorite casserole. They can also be used to make a healthy salad. If your recipe calls for baking, it is advisable to blanch them to cook them partially. That way, they can be cooked further in the oven without being overcooked.

Fresh green beans, when prepared correctly, are healthy, crispy and delicious. They can round up dishes from stir-fry to casseroles. Make sure to prep them beforehand, and be careful not to overcook to hold on to its many nutrients. You might wan tot try this simple and delicious green bean casserole.