Don’t have any canned green beans? This recipe is a quick and easy way to use them up. A few ingredients make a veggie the family will love!.
I always like to have a stock of canned goods in my pantry. Most of the time, I have canned vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, and broccoli in my freezer or fresh vegetables from my garden. But sometimes I need to quickly make some vegetables if I want to have dinner ready on time. This is where this easy canned green bean recipe comes in!.
Put green beans from a can into a pot, heat them up, and serve. I beg you. Your kids probably wont eat them. And then youll be mad and never want to make dinner again. And thats just way too sad! Instead, make this canned green bean recipe.
As a busy home cook, I appreciate the convenience of canned vegetables. But plain old canned green beans can be bland and boring. Enter French-style green beans – canned green beans with a distinctly French flair. More delicate and flavorful than regular canned beans, French-style beans add a touch of elegance. But how do you make the most of them? Here I’ll share tips and recipes for cooking up canned French-style green beans so you can serve this upscale side with confidence.
What Makes French-Style Green Beans Different?
French-style green beans have a few key differences from regular canned green beans
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Smaller and thinner – They have a more delicate look and tender texture.
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Lighter in color – Subtly pale green vs darker green regular beans.
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Higher quality – Usually packaged in smaller cans and higher grade beans
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Hint of seasoning – Often a splash of olive oil, garlic herbs.
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Imported from France – Cultivated in the classic French style.
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More expensive – The fancy French beans demand a higher price.
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Perfect side dish – With their upscale vibe, they work well with refined meals.
While you can eat them plain right out of the can, cooking brings out their best flavor and texture.
Tips for Cooking Canned French-Style Green Beans
Here are my top tips for preparing canned French-style green beans:
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Drain and rinse beans – To remove excess sodium and enhance flavor.
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Don’t overcook – Their delicate nature calls for brief cooking to retain texture.
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Toss in olive oil – Highlight their French pedigree by sautéing in olive oil.
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Season well – They benefit from salt, pepper, garlic, herbs like thyme.
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Pair with lemon – A squeeze of lemon brightens up their flavor beautifully.
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Add nuts or bacon – For delicious crunch and richness to complement the beans.
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Use in salads – Chilled, they add fabulous flavor and nutrition to salads.
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Embrace their elegance – Serve them with fancy main courses like beef tenderloin.
With the right techniques, you can make these canned beans taste exquisite. Now let’s check out some tasty recipes.
Quick Stovetop Sauté
My go-to weeknight recipe, this easy stovetop sauté highlights the French flair.
Ingredients:
- 1 (14 oz) can French-style green beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.
- Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute.
- Add green beans and sauté 5 minutes until warmed through.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
- Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!
The olive oil, garlic, and lemon bring out the best in the canned beans. This quick sauté pairs perfectly with fancier weeknight meals.
Green Bean Salad with Walnuts
For a light and refreshing salad, try this tasty combo:
Ingredients:
- 1 (14 oz) can French-style green beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a salad bowl, combine green beans, walnuts, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- Toss gently to coat beans.
- Top with feta and season with salt and pepper.
- Chill 30 minutes before serving.
The walnuts add crunch while the lemon dressing gives a tangy flair. Toss in some feta for extra richness. This elegant salad works for lunch or a dinner side.
Cheesy Baked French Green Beans
For special occasions, try this cheesy casserole:
Ingredients:
- 2 (14 oz) cans French-style green beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup French onion, diced
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp milk
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In baking dish, combine beans, butter, and onion. Season with salt and pepper.
- In bowl, mix cheese, bread crumbs, and milk.
- Top beans with cheese mixture.
- Bake 20 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
The melted cheese and crispy breadcrumb topping make this casserole decadent. It’s perfect for a holiday side dish.
Tips for Using Leftover Canned Beans
Got leftover beans? Here are some tips:
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Store covered in fridge up to 4 days.
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Purée into spreads and dips.
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Add to omelets, quiches, and frittatas.
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Toss into pasta salads, grain bowls, and rice pilafs.
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Mix into soups, stews, and chilis for added nutrition.
With a little creativity, you can reinvent leftover canned French-style green beans in many dishes. Just use them up within a few days for best quality.
Sophisticated Side Dishes Made Simple
Canned French-style green beans deserve more than just a quick nuke in the microwave. With minimal effort, you can coax out their full potential for a refined and delicious addition to any meal. Try sautéing, roasting, or incorporating them into salads and sides. A touch of lemon, garlic, herbs, or cheese helps bring out their flavor. Soon these fancy French beans will become your new favorite pantry staple. Bon appétit!
How to Make Easy & Flavorful Canned Green Beans
- Green beans should have half of their liquid drained off. Add the beans to a skillet along with the half of the canning liquid that was saved.
- Add butter, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and simmer, stirring every now and then, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Yes, but only drain half of the liquid from the can of beans. The rest of the liquid is needed for the cooking process.
Yes! You can scale this recipe up as needed. We usually make 2 or 3 cans at a time and just adjust the seasonings accordingly.
The green beans will need to be cooked until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Since you’re using canned green beans, they are already soft. All that’s left to do is warm them up and cook them for long enough for the seasonings to soak in.
- To make this recipe work, you need to let the liquid simmer out all the way. This helps the butter and seasonings stick to the green beans, making every bite tasty. If you don’t drain the beans, the good stuff you add will be lost when you serve them.
- A great addition to this recipe is some bacon. Because everything is better with bacon. Especially veggies. Is that an oxymoron? Never mind, dont answer that. I don’t want to be right if bacon and vegetables are wrong.
- You can make more of this recipe if you need to. We usually make two or three cans at a time and just change the seasonings to fit.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Seriously, its so easy. But so dang good.
- Butter, onion powder, salt, and pepper are the only things you need. Simple but magical!.
- Make this dish to use up garden-fresh beans that you’ve canned at home or when they’re on sale at the store.
- Canned green beans, any cut
- Butter
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Pepper
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
EASY Canned Green Beans Recipe – how to cook canned green beans
FAQ
Can you cook beans straight from the can?
Should you drain canned green beans before cooking?
What’s the difference between French style green beans and regular?
What can I add to green beans for flavor?
How to cook canned French-style green beans?
Another way to cook canned French-style green beans is to incorporate them into a stir-fry. You can mix them with other vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, and carrots to create a colorful and flavorful dish. Additionally, you can also add some protein such as chicken, tofu, or shrimp to make it a complete meal. 1.
Are canned beans healthy?
Some canned beans are usually added with salt or other seasonings. Make sure you choose the ones that has no added salt, sugar or any other seasoning to prevent over consumption of salt in your diet.
How do you cook canned green beans?
Alternatively, you can also cook the green beans in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes to soften them up. Once they are cooked, you can season them with salt, pepper, and any other herbs or spices that you like. Another way to cook canned French-style green beans is to incorporate them into a stir-fry.
What are perfect French green beans?
At our house we love fresh Perfect French Green Beans! They are smaller and thinner in size that your regular bag of green beans but full of color and flavor and when cooked right, there is nothing better! I hope you enjoy this simple recipe, and it becomes a family favorite! Enjoy! Chef Dave