10 Green Bean Recipes That Take Them From So

When you need a simple side dish and color to round out a dinner menu, there's no better place to start than recipes for fresh green beans. Boiled, steamed, roasted, or blanched; green beans are versatile, nutritious, and anything but boring. Use our collection of recipes to jazz up a standard side for a holiday menu, a special occasion, or just a Tuesday.

of 10 Green Bean and Celery Salad Green beans, apples, and celery are expected on a holiday menu, but not in the same dish. That unexpected combo—along with a Dijon, honey, and apple cider vinegar-based dressing—makes this recipe a surprising delight.

of 10 Green Bean Salad with Crispy Bread Crumbs Fresh breadcrumbs sauteed in anchovies and lemon add a delicious crunch to go with this dish's garlicky dressing. For more dramatic color, use a medley of green, wax, and purple beans.

of 10 Garlicky Green Beans With Pine Nuts It just takes a few ingredients—namely olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts—for this recipe to give cooked green beans a nutty boost. If 15 minutes of total time isn't enough incentive to make this dish, consider that pine nuts are one of the healthiest types of nuts.

of 10 Green Beans With Bacon Vinaigrette This recipe tosses cooked green beans in a warm dressing of softened shallots, cider vinegar, and crisp bacon. You can make this stovetop side in just 25 minutes, start to finish.

of 10 Roasted Chicken With Lemon-Garlic Green Beans Fresh green beans and small red potatoes play supporting roles in this chicken dish yet add an essential pop of color. The best part of this recipe is the chicken and sides roast together in the same pan, making for quick-and-easy prep and cleanup.

of 10 Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Thighs Green beans are uncredited in this recipe title, but you won't forget them if you try it. They're cooked in luscious chicken drippings (after the chicken's been removed) until crisp-tender for a rich, flavorful twist.

of 10 Spring Minestrone Green beans feature prominently in this veggie-packed soup, along with leeks, celery, and Swiss chard. They join ditalini (or any small) pasta in vegetable or chicken broth for a springy, flavorful meal.

of 10 Hanger Steak With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Bright, crunchy green beans are paired with crispy potatoes and succulent hanger steak in this easy-to-make meal. Using jarred roasted red peppers shaves off time that would be spent charring and peeling, and adding garlic, smoked paprika, vinegar, and olive oil before pureeing add extra special flavor. Not a steak fan? You can sub in chicken or fish easily—the flavors still work!

of 10 Ground Chicken & Green Bean Stir-Fry Ground chicken might come first in the title of this recipe, but green beans shine here just as much as the protein! Highlighted by a sauce of mirin, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and garlic, the ingredients in this stir-fry shine. Fresno chiles bring some heat, and serving the dish over rice ensures you won't miss a drop of the umami-rich sauce.

of 10 Niçoise-Inspired Potato Salad Fingerling potatoes, French green beans, grape tomatoes, and Kalamata olives serve as the bedrock for this potato salad. Inspired by the original Niçoise salad that came out of Nice, France, this version dials up the potato and green beans and simplifies everything else. It's topped with a Dijon and dill dressing and pairs perfectly with your choice of protein (it's particularly good with grilled meats!).