Posted Oct 30, 2017, Updated Jun 26, 2024 These sautéed green beans are one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes! They’re easy to make with 5 ingredients in 20 minutes and are a lighter option than casseroles during the holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good sweet potato casserole. But when it comes to green vegetables, like sautéed green beans, I like to cook them in a few nutritious ingredients to let their flavor and texture really shine!
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. melted butter and avocado oil are great substitutions. Garlic powder. 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic is a good substitute. Apple cider. apple juice can be used in place of apple cider.
How to Make Sautéed Green Beans
Let’s discuss how to sauté green beans, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Blanch the Green Beans
The first step is to blanch 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 slightly 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.
Reduce the Apple Cider
Next, reduce the apple cider so it forms a thick glaze. The cider takes about 20 minutes to thicken and reduce by half. You can reduce the cider a day in advance and store it in a glass jar in the refrigerator.
Sauté the Green Beans
Once the beans are blanched and the cider is reduced, transfer the beans to a large sauté pan. Then, add the olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook for about 2-3 minutes until the beans become warm. Then, add the apple cider reduction and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid coats the beans.
Serve
Serve the sautéed green beans 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. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
