Green Beans Recipe

Trim the green beans: snap or cut off the stem ends and any stringy tips. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with a towel.

Mince the garlic and zest the lemon, then juice enough lemon to yield 1 tablespoon.

Blanch green beans

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the green beans and cook 2–3 minutes until bright green and slightly tender. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Immediately transfer beans to the ice bath to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter; once the butter melts and begins to foam, add the minced garlic.

Sauté the garlic 30–45 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.

Add the green beans (blanched and drained or raw) to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic butter-oil. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring or tossing frequently, for 5–7 minutes for blanched beans (8–10 minutes for raw) until tender-crisp and lightly blistered in spots.

Season the beans with lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Toss to combine and cook 30–60 seconds more to marry the flavors.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.