Sautéed Green Beans Recipe with Apple Cider (2024)

Table of Contents

How to make Sautéed Green Beans Blanch the green beans. Reduce the cider. Sauté the green beans Serve Store Sautéed Green Beans Recipe: Substitutions Recipe FAQs Apple Cider Sautéed Green Beans Equipment Ingredients Instructions Video Notes Nutrition More Delicious recipes: FAQs References

By Laura

Posted Oct 30, 2017, Updated Jan 10, 2022

5 from 3 votes

12 Comments

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This sautéed green beans recipe with apple cider is a delicious Thanksgiving side dish! Made with 5 ingredients in 30 minutes, they’re a healthy and easy holiday side dish that everyone loves.

Sautéed Green Beans Recipe with Apple Cider (2)

If you’re anything like me, you start testing and bookmarking recipes for the holidays as soon as the weather starts changing in the fall.

These Sautéed Green Beans are one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes! They’re easy to make with only 5 ingredients in 20 minutes and are healthier than eating your vegetables smothered in cream soups and topped with french fried onions!

This recipe can be enjoyed by anyone with dietary restrictions as well – it’s gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.

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How to make Sautéed Green Beans

This recipe has a handful of steps, but they’re simple to execute.

Blanch the green beans.

Begin this recipe by blanching the green beans.

When working with fresh green beans I like to blanch them first. To do this, cook the beans in boiling water for 2-4 minutes until they are soft (cook time varies with the size of the beans).

Then rinse them in cold water and plunge them into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process. This makes the final step of sautéing incredibly easy because the beans are already tender! Blanching can be done the day before, to help you streamline your day-of holiday cooking.

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Reduce the cider.

Next, reduce the apple cider so it forms a thick glaze. The cider takes about 20 minutes to thicken and reduce by half. This can also be done 1 day in advance.

Save time and start the process when you begin boiling the water. It’s pretty hands off just be careful when you do stir it because stirring causes the liquid to boil vigorously for a few seconds. If your’e not careful you run the risk of it bubbling out of the pot!

Watch the cider carefully towards the end of the reducing process, it goes from perfect to a burnt, unusable mess very quickly (speaking from experience here).

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Sauté the green beans

Once the beans are blanched and the cider is reduced, sauté the beans in the cider to brown them and coat them with the apple cider glaze.

Serve

Serve them immediately after cooking, warm with your favorite Thanksgiving recipes like this roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato casserole.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a sauté pan.

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Sautéed Green Beans Recipe: Substitutions

There are only 5 ingredients in this recipe, and as always, I recommend making them exactly as written for the best results. However here are a few possible substitutions:

Olive oil.Any neutral oil will work well in this recipe. I recommend avocado oil or canola oil if you do not have olive oil. Melted butter is also anamazing substitution for the olive oil.
Garlic salt.If you do not keep garlic salt on hand. Simply substitute 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp garlic powder for the garlic salt. Then adjust seasonings to taste if necessary! You can also add fresh minced garlic to the beans when you cook them.

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Recipe FAQs

What is the best way to cook fresh green beans?

I prefer to blanch and then sauté green beans for the best flavor and texture.

What spices go well with green beans?

I made this more of a sweet/savory dish but using the rich spices in apple cider – cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc.

How do you keep green beans green when cooking?

Blanching the beans before cooking them helps them retain their bright green color.

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Apple Cider Sautéed Green Beans

Laura

This sautéed green beans recipe with apple cider is a delicious Thanksgiving side dish! Made with 5 ingredients in 30 minutes, they're a healthy and easy holiday side dish that everyone loves.

5 from 3 votes

Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 2 lbs 8 cups fresh green beans
▢ 1 ½ cups real apple cider
▢ 2 TBS olive oil
▢ ½ tsp garlic salt
▢ ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Trim the ends of 2 lbs (8 cups) of fresh green beans and place them in a colander and rinse.

Blanch the beans:

Fill a large, 6-quart stock pot ¾ full with water and bring to a boil.
While water is coming up to a boil, fill a large bowl ½ full of water and ice. If the ice melts add more! Set aside.
Pour trimmed & rinsed beans into boiling water cook for 3-4 minutes or until beans are slightly soft to the touch.
Pour boiling water/beans into a colander and rinse with cold water.
Put the beans into the bowl of ice cold water to stop them from cooking!
Once beans are completely cool (or cold) drain and rinse again.

Apple cider reduction:

While the water is boiling, place 1 ½ cups of apple cider into a small sauce pot (2-3 quart saucepan).
Bring liquid to a boil then reduce to a vigorous simmer and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. Be aware, stirring can cause the liquid to bubble more vigorously for a moment so be careful!
Cook until the cider is reduced to ½ of its original volume and begins to stick to the spatula when you stir it. (about 20 minutes).
Watch the apple cider reduction carefully because it can go from perfect to burnt very quickly!
Remove from heat and set aside.

Putting it together:

Put the beans in a large sauté pan and toss with 2 TBS olive oil, salt and pepper.
Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the beans become warm.
Add the apple cider reduction and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid coats the beans.
Serve immediately!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

Olive oil.Any neutral oil will work well in this recipe. I recommend avocado oil or canola oil if you do not have olive oil. Melted butter is also anamazing substitution for the olive oil.
Garlic salt.If you do not keep garlic salt on hand. Simply substitute 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp garlic powder for the garlic salt. Then adjust seasonings to taste if necessary! You can also add fresh minced garlic to the beans when you cook them.

Serve

Serve them immediately after cooking, warm with your favorite Thanksgiving recipes like this roast turkey, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato casserole.

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a sauté pan.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

More Delicious recipes:

Here are some more of our favorite recipes!

Serve these green beansas a Thanksgiving or holiday side dish alongside this Roast Turkey and the best Turkey Gravy!
The BEST homemade sausage stuffing
The BEST homemade meatloaf recipe – YUM!
Brussels Sprouts!This recipe for Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts will turn a sprouts-hater into a sprouts-lover!
Sweet Potatoes. This is the best sweet potato casserole ever, or try thishealthy sweet potato casserole! If you like crisp potatoes (as opposed to mashed) try these maple roasted sweet potatoes!
This butternut squash soup makes a great appetizer!
Green Beans.I also make these apple cider sautéed green beans on Thanksgiving!
Apples.These sautéed cinnamon apples always make an appearance on our holiday table. Or you can combine them with sweet potatoes and make roasted sweet potatoes and apples!
Cranberry Sauce.I’mall about homemade cranberry sauce! Try ourhealthy cranberry sauce.
Salads: like this burrata salad or this balsamic caprese quinoa salad!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase aproduct through a link you clicked on here, I receive a portion of the sale.Thank you for supporting JoyFoodSunshine!

Sautéed Green Beans Recipe with Apple Cider (2024)

FAQs

What does apple cider vinegar do to beans? ›

Wait until the beans are tender but not quite done to add a splash of apple cider vinegar and a couple teaspoons of salt to the pot. The apple cider vinegar breaks down indigestible sugars to help digestion and also brightens the flavor of the beans without the need for excess salt.

What can you put on green beans to make them taste better? ›

A little butter, minced garlic, and lemon-pepper seasoning are all you need to bring the best out of fresh green beans.

Get More Info ›

How to make Paula Deen green beans? ›

Add green beans to pan and sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add boiling water to pan and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes, just until beans are tender. Add vinegar, butter and salt and pepper and stir.

Tell Me More ›

Does apple cider vinegar increase bowel movements? ›

However, there is no scientific evidence to support the theory that apple cider vinegar helps relieve constipation. Some people believe that apple cider vinegar has this effect because it contains large amounts of pectin, which is a soluble dietary fiber. A lack of fiber is a common cause of constipation.

What to put in beans to prevent gas? ›

Sprinkle in some baking soda

As it turns out, baking soda significantly decreases the levels of raffinose, the gas-causing sugar present in beans. When should you add baking soda to beans? It works best with just a pinch (about 1/16 of a teaspoon) sprinkled into dried beans while they soak in water before cooking.

Get More Info ›

How do I jazz up green beans? ›

Then, I toss the blanched beans with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, and salt to pep up their flavor. Serve them just like that, or dress them up more with toasted almonds or pine nuts, grated Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme.

Keep Reading ›

How to get bitterness out of green beans? ›

Blanch Them

Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.

Get More Info Here ›

When not to cook green beans? ›

Fresh green beans in good condition will feel firm and should snap apart when bent. Older green beans that feel limp and have started to develop a slimy texture are no longer safe to eat. If you see any fuzzy mold on them, they are definitely too bad to eat.

Discover More ›

Why add baking soda to water when cooking green beans? ›

Your Beans Will Cook Faster

Well, creating an alkaline (or basic) environment by adding a small amount (about 1 teaspoon per cup of dry beans) of baking soda to your soaking/cooking water can actually help your beans cook faster.

Know More ›

Why are my sauteed green beans tough? ›

Why are my sautéed green beans tough? They would only be tough if they were undercooked. By briefly simmering them, then sautéing the green beans, they're perfectly crisp tender, and flavorful.

See Details ›

How to infuse flavor into green beans? ›

Soy sauce is one of the easiest answers to how to flavor green beans. You can throw in some of this soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger, and garlic and pan fry until glassy and green and you may never want to eat green beans any other way again.

Does vinegar take the gas out of beans? ›

"Gas production is normal, albeit for some people, uncomfortable." Bottom line: Adding baking soda or vinegar to your soaking beans might help reduce the oligosaccharide content and there are no negative side effects associated with doing so, so it could be worth trying.

Tell Me More ›

What is the purpose of vinegar in baked beans? ›

Adding vinegar during the cooking step would lower the pH and hinder the process. So when the beans are done, add the cider vinegar to complete the classic tangy, sweet-and-savory taste of baked beans.

Keep Reading ›

How do you remove toxins from beans? ›

Boil beans in fresh water for at least 30 minutes. Note: The toxin is destroyed when boiled at 212 degrees F for 10 minutes, but scientists recommend 30 minutes to be certain the beans reach the proper temperature for the amount of time necessary.

Learn More ›

Should I add vinegar to soaking beans? ›

Another suggested that when cooking dried beans to add a quarter cupful of apple cider vinegar to the water that they soak in overnight, then rinse them thoroughly before cooking. For those who have had issues, it may be worth a try, particularly if cooking for those who aren't heavy bean consumers.

Get More Info Here ›