Slow simmered green beans cook low and slow until they are super tender and soft. They make a great hands-off veggie side dish!
Green beans always make me think of my grandmother, who we called Jamma.
We would wash and trim green beans together and then sit side by side with a big bowl between us and snap them. It was rhythmic and repetitive, simple and almost soothing.
And every time I see a show or a movie where people are snapping green beans, I think of her and smile.
Today, with her in mind, I'm sharing these very simple slow simmered green beans.
They are a Southern style green beans recipe that we are "cooking to death," as some of my relatives like to say about their vegetables.
These green beans are very hands off and very forgiving. They can simmer for 20 minutes or 30, whatever works for the dinner you’re making. Or turn them down to low and keep them warm for even longer.
And you just need the green beans, a little butter or olive oil (or both) and some salt and pepper.
I'm pretty sure most every kitchen has those things on hand, so if you need a simple green beans side dish, you should be able to make this any ole time.
There's not much to do either. Just trim the ends of the green beans to get them prepped. If yours are especially long, you can also cut them in half.
Then we're just going to throw them in a large pan with some water and let them simmer while you go about your business and work on the rest of the meal.
At the end, drain the water, add a little butter or olive oil (or both) to melt and coat the green beans, and season with salt and pepper. Ta-da! That's it. Hands off and oh so easy.
They come out so tender and so delicious, too. Sometimes you don’t need to do much to your vegetables to make them sing.
But if you've got company coming or are looking for a stepped-up green beans recipe for the holidays or just a special Sunday supper, check out these Southern green beans with bacon and buttery breadcrumbs. Swoon!
We also love green beans with mustard sauce for a quick, sassy side dish. (Those are more crisp-tender than super soft like these green beans here.)
I hope you give these a try soon and enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Slow simmered green beans
Slow simmered green beans cook low and slow until they are super tender and soft. They make a great hands-off veggie side dish!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed (and snapped or cut in half if they are especially long)
- 2 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil (or a combination of both)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place green beans in a large pan with enough water to cover the bottom.
- Bring water to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover the pan and simmer the green beans for 25-30 minutes.
- When ready, drain the extra water from the pan.
- Add butter or olive oil (or both) and let it melt/heat and stir to coat the green beans.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Notes
Be sure to use regular green beans, not the thin French style green beans.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 77Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 84mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
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