There is nothing better than brown sugar green beans [without bacon] for a holiday or everyday side dish. In less than 20 minutes and with only 6 cheap and simple ingredients, you can make a vegan version of these tasty green beans.
Green beans are a classic vegetable side dish that can sometimes get a bad rap for being boring or bland. But they don’t have to be! With just a few simple ingredients, you can make sweet, tangy green beans that will become everyone’s new favorite vegetable.
An Easy 4-Ingredient Recipe
This easy sweet green bean recipe only requires 4 ingredients:
- Green beans
- Butter
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
That’s it! The brown sugar and soy sauce give the green beans a sweet and salty flavor that perfectly complements the vegetable’s natural taste
The full recipe makes enough for 4 servings but it can easily be doubled if you’re serving a crowd. And you can use fresh frozen, or even canned green beans, so it’s a very versatile recipe.
Step-By-Step Cooking Instructions
Here’s a quick rundown of how to make these candied green beans:
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Wash, trim, and cut the green beans into bite-sized pieces. Fresh green beans work best, but frozen or canned will also work.
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Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil for 5 minutes, until bright green and slightly tender.
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Drain the beans and return them to the pot.
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While the beans are boiling, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a small bowl.
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Pour the brown sugar mixture over the hot drained beans and toss to coat evenly.
That’s it! The brown sugar caramelizes onto the beans as they cook, giving them a candied sweetness.
These green beans are now ready to serve and enjoy! They go great alongside meat dishes like baked chicken, pork chops, or ribs. Rice, potatoes, pasta, and other vegetables also pair nicely.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze cooked green beans for longer term storage.
To reheat leftovers, simply cook over low heat in a skillet until warmed through. The sugar glaze may thicken up, so you can add a splash of water while reheating if needed.
More Flavor Variations to Try
If you want to change up the flavors, there are lots of variations you can try with this easy template:
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Use coconut oil instead of butter for a dairy-free version
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Swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos to make it gluten-free
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For a spicy kick, add crushed red pepper, chili garlic paste, or chipotle powder
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Substitute maple syrup or honey for the brown sugar
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Add minced garlic, sesame oil, rice vinegar, or fresh ginger
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Toss in sliced almonds or sesame seeds for crunch
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Mix in bacon pieces or crispy pancetta
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Use balsamic vinegar and olive oil instead of the butter and soy for an Italian twist
The possibilities are endless, so feel free to get creative! The basic technique of boiling then tossing with a flavored butter will work with almost any seasonings you want to use.
Why You’ll Love These Sweet, Tangy Green Beans
This easy 4-ingredient green bean recipe produces something so much more exciting than typical plain boiled beans. Here’s why you’ll love them:
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The flavor – Sweet and salty, with a hint of butter and caramelized brown sugar. So much better than plain green beans!
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Easy weeknight side – With only 15 minutes active cooking time, these beans easily fit into a busy schedule.
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Kid-friendly – The candy-like flavor and crispy texture make this veggie dish popular with kids.
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Versatile – Use fresh, frozen or canned beans. Flavor with herbs, spices, etc. to suit your taste.
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Great for entertaining – Make a double batch for potlucks, BBQs, holidays, and other big dinners.
So next time you’re looking for a vegetable side, skip the boring boiled green beans and try this easy candied version instead. The sweet, salty glaze makes beans into something special that everyone at the table will enjoy.
How to Make Vegan Brown Sugar Green Beans?
This easy vegan recipe for sweet green beans only requires a few simple, cheap pantry items and doesn’t take long to make.
- 1) Wash the green beans and cut off the ends. Also, mince the garlic.
First, line up the ends of a bundle of green beans on your cutting board. This is how you trim them. Then, use a sharp knife to cut off the very end. Then line up the other end and repeat. Continue until you trim all the green beans.
- After that, put an inch of water in a saucepan and heat it over medium-low. Then, put the green beans in a steamer basket and put the lid on top of the pot.
- 3) Steam the green beans for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are soft but still crisp.
Alternatively, you could boil the green beans for a similar amount of time until bright green and tender-crisp.
- 4) In the meantime, melt the vegan butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Then add the garlic that has been chopped up and cook for 45 seconds.
- 5) Add the mustard and brown sugar and stir until the sugar and mustard melt into a sauce.
- In the last step, add the green beans and walnuts. Toss everything together until the green beans are evenly covered. Enjoy immediately!.
Put these sweet green beans on your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter table, or bring them to a potluck, steak dinner, or any other family dinner.
If you don’t want mustard in the sweet green bean recipe, I strongly suggest that you use soy sauce (or GF tamari) instead of regular salt. This will give the salty layers a lot more depth.
Yes, just briefly cook the green beans (3–4 minutes, then run them under cold water to stop the cooking) and make the sauce. Then, put the green beans and sauce in a baking dish and bake at 350F/175C for about 30 minutes.
Feel free to use a liquid sweetener like maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
What Are Sweet Green Beans (Arkansas Green Beans)?
Sweet green beans, Arkansas green beans, caramelized green beans, Southern smothered green beans, and brown sugar green beans are some of the names for this dish. All of these names refer to a Southern dish made with fresh or canned green beans cooked in a sweet and savory sauce made of brown sugar, butter, and sometimes soy sauce. Crispy bacon is often added to the dish.
Though, for this vegan sweet green bean recipe, we’re not using bacon. Instead, we’re making a super delicious dish that is 100% meat- and dairy-free. Although the flavors are different, they still taste great together. Adding the zingy, slightly spicy Dijon mustard makes it even better. I’ve then also added walnuts to add crunch and texture in place of the bacon. The combination transforms this humble vegetable into a side dish you’ll never tire of.
It’s surprisingly quick to throw together as well, even quicker if you’re using canned beans (as they’re pre-cooked). Making this an excellent side even on lazy evenings! And. You can serve a lot of people with these sweet green beans because they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and you can even use a sugar substitute.
Minimal ingredients enhance the flavor of the green beans in this sweet green bean recipe.
- Green beans: You can use frozen or fresh green beans (after letting them thaw first). You could use canned beans, but they will be mushier if you don’t steam them.
- Vegan butter: I love Miyoko’s or Earth balance.
- Garlic: I like garlic that is fresh, but garlic powder will do in a pinch.
- Brown sugar: The molasses flavor in brown sugar goes well with the green beans and the rest of the sweet glaze’s ingredients.
You could also use a brown sugar alternative. However, note that the level of sweetness may vary, so adjust accordingly. Likewise, the sauce won’t thicken in the same way regular sugar does.
- Mustard: For the best flavor, I like to use Dijon mustard when I make sweet and spicy green beans.
- Walnuts: Use raw (or lightly toasted), unsalted walnuts. You can also use slivered almonds or, if you don’t want nuts, pumpkin seeds.
- Salt & black pepper: Season to taste. For more depth and umami, you can use soy sauce (or tamari if you’re gluten-free) instead of salt.
Easy Sweet Green Beans
FAQ
What can I add to green beans for flavor?
How to jazz up green beans?
What can you do to can green beans to make them taste better?
Can you make sweet and sour green beans in advance?
Yes, you can make sweet and sour green beans up to 24 hours in advance. Simply store the cooked side dish in the fridge and then reheat it on the stovetop quickly before serving. Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe (Keto-Friendly)
What is the best way to eat beans?
The best way to eat beans is to first cook them in a large pot of water, about 4 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Adding lemon grass or other herbs to the water can improve the flavor. Once beans are cooked the best thing to do is combine them with cooked rice, this is because beans are low in methionine and rice is low in lysine, so combining them makes a more complete protein.
How do you make green beans taste better?
Substitute the white vinegar for apple cider vinegar or lemon juice if you prefer. Swap the yellow onion for green onion. Use brown sugar instead of white sugar. For added flavor, add 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce. Substitute the pork bacon for turkey bacon. Add a can of water chestnuts when you cook the green beans for added texture.
Can you cook green beans with bacon & brown sugar?
Okay – without further delay here’s the amazing Old Fashioned Green Beans with Bacon & Brown Sugar recipe. These Easy Green Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar are delicious. The green beans are baked with a sweet sauce and crispy salty bacon that make for a perfect combination and this recipe will feed a crowd! Preheat oven to 400°F.