This is the best recipe for canned green beans! Turn your boring, mushy canned green beans into a great side dish that is crunchy and tasty.
Green beans that are fresh are often used in recipes, but canned green beans aren’t something we usually think of when we want to cook. Most canned vegetables are mushy and flavorless.
Remember that green bean casserole or southern green beans recipe where you cook canned green beans in a can of cream of mushroom soup and then put canned fried onions on top?
With some care and love, we’re going to turn those mushy canned green beans into something that’s easy enough to make during the week and fancy enough for the holidays.
Get everyone who doesn’t like canned green beans to start liking them! All you need are a few simple things you probably already have in your pantry.
Frying canned green beans is a quick and easy way to liven up this nutritious vegetable. But can you actually fry canned green beans? The short answer is yes! With just a few simple steps, you can transform boring old canned green beans into a delicious fried side dish.
In this detailed guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about frying canned green beans We’ll discuss
- The benefits of frying canned green beans
- Step-by-step instructions
- Expert tips and tricks
- Frequently asked questions
So whether you’re looking for a new way to prepare canned green beans or just want to spice up your side dish game keep reading to learn if and how you can fry canned green beans!
Why Fry Canned Green Beans?
Frying fresh green beans is always an option, but opening up a can makes preparing this vegetable even faster. Frying also gives canned green beans more texture and flavor. The high heat of the oil caramelizes their natural sugars and makes them crispy on the outside while keeping them tender on the inside.
Other benefits of frying canned green beans include
- Quick, easy weeknight side dish
- Great way to use up cans in your pantry
- Kid-friendly recipe
- Tasty snack
- Customizable with different seasonings
So if you’re looking for a fast, crowd-pleasing way to prepare green beans, frying up some canned beans is a great option! The simple process brings out their best qualities.
Step-by-Step Guide to Frying Canned Green Beans
Frying canned green beans is a super simple process with just a few easy steps:
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can green beans, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
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Drain the canned green beans and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. Any excess moisture will cause splattering when frying.
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In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour and seasonings.
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Add the dry green beans to the flour mixture and toss to coat evenly.
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Pour about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. You’ll know the oil is hot enough when a pinch of flour sizzles immediately when added.
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Working in batches, add the coated green beans to the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and golden brown.
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Transfer the fried green beans to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with extra salt if desired.
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Repeat with the remaining green beans. Serve hot and enjoy!
It only takes about 15 minutes to go from can to crispy, flavorful fried green beans! Be sure not to overcrowd the pan when frying in batches, and give the oil time to reheat between batches.
Tips for Perfectly Fried Canned Green Beans
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Use a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. Olive oil can burn at high heat.
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The green beans must be dried thoroughly or the residual moisture will cause splattering when added to the hot oil.
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For maximum crispiness, double dredge the green beans. Coat in flour, dip in egg wash, then coat again in flour.
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For extra flavor, use seasoned flour. Italian breadcrumbs also make a tasty coating.
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Fry in batches to prevent overcrowding. Cook just enough green beans to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer.
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Let the oil reheat between batches. Maintaining the proper temperature is key.
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Don’t walk away! The green beans cook quickly so pay close attention.
Follow these tips and you’ll have perfect, crispy fried canned green beans every time. Now let’s look at some frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are canned green beans healthy?
Yes, canned green beans are a nutritious option. They retain a similar vitamin and mineral content as fresh green beans. Look for low sodium or no salt added versions.
Can you fry frozen green beans?
Absolutely! Thaw the frozen green beans completely, then pat dry and fry up just like canned beans. They may need an extra minute or two to get crispy.
What oil is best for frying?
Opt for a high smoke point neutral oil like vegetable, canola or peanut. Olive oil can burn at high heat.
How long do fried green beans last?
They’ll stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to restore crispiness.
What dipping sauces go well with fried green beans?
Ranch, blue cheese, honey mustard, or chipotle ranch are all great options. Get creative with your own dipping sauce.
Can you bake canned green beans instead?
Absolutely! Toss drained canned green beans with olive oil, seasonings, and roast at 400°F 15-20 minutes for a crispy oven-baked version.
Should you rinse canned green beans before frying?
It’s not necessary, but some people prefer rinsing to remove excess sodium or water. Just pat very dry before coating and frying.
More Quick and Easy Canned Green Bean Recipes
If frying isn’t your thing, here are a few more ways to put those cans of green beans to use:
- Green bean salad – Toss with tomatoes, feta, balsamic
- Green bean casserole – With fried onions and creamy mushroom sauce
- Sautéed green beans – Cook stovetop with garlic and lemon
- Green bean almondine – Sauté beans and almonds in brown butter
- Green bean stir fry – With soy sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce
Canned green beans are an awesome pantry staple. With just a bit of creativity, you can transform them into something delicious. Give frying or another quick cooking method a try tonight!
The most common canned green beans recipe
I looked on the internet and found that there is a common way to cook canned green beans. As far as I can tell, that’s pretty much the only way you’ll find unless you really look hard.
It’s not fair for me to judge because I haven’t tried cooking them this way. Still, I’m not sure I like the idea of soaking a vegetable in a lot of water for a long time when it’s already soft and wet.
Ali over at Longbourn Farm sautés hers, and uses onion powder as her secret ingredient, and Im not gonna lie, they look pretty tasty!
Today, though, we’re going to sear those canned green beans on the stove to give them a nice crust. Then, we’ll add some flavorful ingredients to go with them.
This is a simple recipe that doesn’t call for fresh vegetables. Instead, it cooks a common store-bought item in a tasty way.
Searing is a technique used in grilling, baking, braising, roasting, sautéing, etc. , in which the surface of the food is cooked at high temperature until a browned crust forms.
Its usually used for meat and fish, but you can use it for veggies too! (Even canned ones.)
How to make canned green beans crispy
This recipe is not only tasty, but it also only takes 10 minutes to make from start to finish. Need to serve a crowd? Double or triple it and grab a big saute pan.
First, we need to make our cashew garlic mixture. Add the cashews and garlic to the food processor and pulse. Youre looking for a fine chunk. Does that make sense? Chunks, not dust. But a fine chunk.
Now, heres how we make canned green beans crispy. Youre going to sear the outside of the green beans in a very small amount of oil. Your pan needs to be HOT. Not just hot, but like HOT HOT.
For the oil, youre going to want to pick something that can hold up to high heat. Olive oil has too low of a smoking point and wont work here. Bacon grease, avocado oil, or others with a high heat cooking ability is what youre looking for.
Drain the can of green beans of their liquid, then toss them into the hot oil.
When those suckers hit the pan, they should sizzle. Make sure your fans on high!
Youre only going to let them cook like that for 30-60 seconds. All were working on is forming a crust on the outside and getting them warm.
Then, youre going to flip, and sear the other side. It wont be perfect – just toss and do the best you can.
Add your cashew mixture to the pan and toss. Get them a little toasty!
Now, here comes decision time. I add my red pepper flakes with the pan still on. Just know that RPF + high heat = spicier than normal RPF.
You can adjust the amount of RPF to taste. It will not be as strong if you add them to the pan after taking it off the heat.
So, how spicy do you want your beans? Adjust accordingly.
As soon as you take the pan off the heat, add the red wine vinegar and toss everything together. The vinegar will pop, but it will also help scrape off all the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle with salt and a little black pepper if youd like and serve.
Everyday meals are easy to make, but holiday meals, dinner parties, and other special events call for something more fancy. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and delicious. WINNING.