26 Green Bean Recipes That Make It Easy to Eat Your Veggies

Whether you're baking them into a Thanksgiving green bean casserole or simply trimming a batch of fresh beans to serve alongside an easy, family-friendly main dish, there's no denying that this versatile veggie deserves a spot on your table. Once you've mastered the basics of how to cook green beans, then all you need are a few relaible recipes—like these ones. They're all delicious but we can't get enough of this simple take; all you need to turn green beans into a winning side is a little bit of salt, pepper, butter and some sweet, onion-y shallots!

Getting your daily dose of greens never looked so good! This simple salad (made with tender baby kale) is made even more wholesome by the addition of tender green beans.

Pro tip: Make a double batch and freeze one of the batches before frying. Next time a craving hits, just pop the frozen fries in heated oil for a crispy side that’s ready in minutes!

Grill the green beans for this side dish and you'll boost the flavor even more. Either way, they'll be savory and delicious, thanks to a bacon-mustard dressing.

Stir-fry ground pork and green beans with ginger, soy sauce and scallions for a flavorful fried rice.

Bacon makes everything better, and that includes these green beans. The mild, almost buttery flavor of the beans pairs exceptionally well with the salty, smoky crumbles of bacon.

Ree uses fresh green beans and a homemade cream sauce in her take on a traditional green bean casserole. Grated Cheddar and rich bacon add a touch of decadence to this extra-special side dish.

Toss green beans with a curried grated-coconut sauce for an unexpected (but totally delicious) twist on a classic side dish.

These green beans have it all: tangy Greek yogurt, a pinch of sweet-and-spicy cinnamon and savory pan-fried shallots.

Ina livens up her green beans with garlic and lemon zest, then tops the dish off with a Parmesan and pine nut gremolata.

Alton says the trick to green beans is to treat them like pasta – he boils his beans until al dente in a gallon of heavily-salted water. A rich mushroom sauce and crispy baked onions complete his version of this holiday classic.

Olive oil, salt and pepper are all you need to make Ellie’s super-healthy veggie recipe. It’s simple yet delicious.

Looking for a weeknight dinner? Food Network Kitchen’s flavorful stir-fry is healthy, simple and ready to go in just 30 minutes.

Lemon zest adds a citrus kick to this quick and simple veggie dish.

Heading to a tailgate? Trisha’s baked green bean fries are the perfect option for healthier game-day eats.

What’s Ree’s secret to the best green beans ever? Bacon! She cooks her veggies in leftover bacon grease for a simple, savory flavor.

Sweet meets savory in Molly’s magic sauce, which is made from a blend of soy sauce, tahini and honey. Great for newbies in the kitchen, this dish is simple enough to be made as an easy intro to Chinese cooking.

Need to switch up your salads? Try this vibrant, healthy recipe — it combines fiber-rich veggies, tangy capers and a Dijon mustard vinaigrette.

Tyler uses toasted almonds and gooey caramelized onions to keep his green beans rich and delicious. Even better, everything is cooked in one pot to develop the flavors and minimize the mess.

Side dishes should be easy and fuss-free, and Ree’s recipe is just that. She cooks her beans in soy sauce and butter for a tasty vegetable that’s ready in just 10 minutes.

Dedicate just a little bit of your freezer space to this crowd-pleasing casserole and save yourself some time at your next holiday meal. Make the green bean-and-mushroom favorite (no canned soup required), then freeze and forget it. To serve, just reheat (from frozen) and top with crunchy fried onions.

What could be better than a yummy side dish made from just three ingredients (that are most likely in your pantry already)? Trisha’s green beans take just 15 minutes from start to finish – the hardest part is tossing the beans with butter at the end!

Ree roasts green beans, onion and bacon all together for a side dish that she says is “out of this world.” Plus, the whole thing is assembled right on the sheet pan for easy cleanup.

This fresh, vibrant dish starts with two readily available pantry items — canned green beans and ramen noodles. The addition of colorful vegetables and chicken makes it a filling weeknight meal.

Giada says her easy broccoli and green beans are the “perfect weeknight vegetable dish.” She boils the veggies quickly to preserve their crispy texture, then sautés them in a garlic-infused olive oil for just a few minutes more.