Fresh Green Bean Varieties
There are quite a few different types of green beans out there, but lucky for you, most of them can be used interchangeably in recipes. The most important rule of thumb to remember is that thinner beans need less cooking time than thicker beans.
- green beans, string beans, and snap beans – All the same thing, folks. And they are what we used to test this recipe.
- haricot verts or French green beans – A thinner variety of bean, which will require less cooking time compared to thicker varieties.
- wax beans – These will look identical to green beans except for their yellowish color. Feel free to use them in place of traditional green beans, but just know that the color of your final dish will be different.
- purple string beans – Add an unexpected pop of color to your plate with this fun bean variety. They’re slightly sweet in flavor and actually lose their purple pigment and turn green during the boiling process.
- long beans – These beans are 12-18 inches long and taste the same as regular green beans.
How Long To Boil Green Beans
Seasoning for Boiled Green Beans
The recipe card below kept it very simple by tossing the boiled green beans in butter and a sprinkling of salt. Feel free to jazz them up with some lemon zest, garlic powder, or some red pepper flakes for a little kick of heat.
Looking for More Ways to Cook Green Beans?
If you love this simple side dish too, you definitely need to try our Grilled Green Beans, Air Fryer Green Beans, or Smoked Green Beans!
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- Should I cut the green beans before cooking? If the fresh beans have a small stem at one end, simply cut that or break it off with your hands. That is the only trimming that needs to be done.
- Can I use frozen green beans? Absolutely! They will most likely not need as much cook time as fresh beans, just keep an eye on them. We love having a bag of green beans in the freezer.
Made this recipe and loved it?!
We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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How Long to Boil Green Beans
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: How-To
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
A super simple, step-by-step guide on How Long to Boil Green Beans for the perfect side dish that can be served with anything!
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
- 4 quarts water
- serving suggestion: butter and kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Add green beans and let boil 3-5 minutes, depending upon how soft you prefer your green beans. Cook closer to 3 minutes for more firm green beans and closer to 5 minutes, if you want softer green beans. If you like very soft green beans, test one after 5 minutes and cook an additional minute at a time until you have reached your desired doneness.
- Drain and toss with butter and salt.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Dairy-Free: use a plant-based butter or olive oil, if needed.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 30.1 mg
- Fat: 2.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.3 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 5.1 mg
Doug says
Very concise directions. Very good results thanks. Five stars from me !!
Richie says
Thanks for info🙂👍