This canned green bean recipe is an easy and delicious way to use those green beans in your pantry! A few ingredients make a veggie the family will love!
I always like to have a small stock of canned goods in my pantry. Small mainly because my current pantry is small. Ha. Even though I usually have preserved produce {like tomatoes, zucchini, and broccoli} in my freezer or fresh from my garden, some days call for a quick veggie fix if I’m going to get one onto the table in time for dinner. Which is where this easy canned green bean recipe comes in!
I grew up eating these and loving them, my mom was the master and making veggies delicious, and this easy canned green bean recipe is one of Abram’s favorites as well. Andy will even eat them!
And seriously, it’s so easy. But so dang good.
Please don’t ever just dump a can of green beans into a pot, heat them up, and serve them. Your kids probably won’t eat them.
And your husband probably won’t either.
And then you’ll be mad and never want to make dinner again.
And that’s just way too sad!
Instead, make this canned green bean recipe. There are only a few ingredients: butter and onion powder with salt and pepper. Simple but magical!
The first time I made these to go with our dinner, Andy was still pretty apprehensive about anything I cooked {newlyweds}. Especially vegetables. This is a direct quote from that evening, “Those smell like they’d taste good.” But he wouldn’t try them. HA.
The trick to this recipe is to let the liquid simmer completely out. This lets the butter and seasoning stick to the green beans, which results in deliciousness every bite. If you leave the liquid in the beans, all the good stuff you add just gets left behind 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, don’t answer that. If bacon + veggies = wrong, I just don’t wanna be right.
I’ll just list Cooking Veggies with Butter and Bacon under the growing list that is titled Reasons from the Kitchen: Why Alli Must Exercise Regularly. Also, if you are nerdy like me you can read this awesome article about the chemistry of why bacon is so good.
I’m not embarrassed. Ahem.
Easy Canned Green Bean Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can green beans any cut, see note
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Drain half of the liquid out of the green beans.
- Pour the green beans and the reserved half of the canning liquid into a skillet.
- Add butter, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until almost all of the cooking liquid has evaporated.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Mtnbiker7777 says
My goodness this was delicious! I actually used a can of French green beans, cooked them this way, and now it might be my fav new healthy side dish. Thanks!
Steve says
I have never liked green beans and I’m almost 60. I made these since my wife likes them so much so I figured I’d surprise her. Without a doubt, these are the best green beans I’ve ever had. The only thing I did differently was to add a1/4 tsp. of granulated garlic. Thank you for posting this…will may healthy eating easier!
Melissa says
Could you use garlic powder instead of onion powder?
Alli says
Yes you can.
Steve Sunkel says
I use garlic powder every time I make them. I became my wife’s caregiver in 2016, and the 1st time I made these beans, she said: oh good, you can finally cook!
Lauren says
I could never cook green beans and now I’m getting praised left and right. Super easy recipe and so good!!
Alli says
So glad you loved it, Lauren!
Rachel in Maine says
Tasty but too salty as written, in my opinion. Will try again with half the salt. Great, easy preparation method, thanks!
Patty says
Made the recipe as is, and it is delicious. I would like to add bacon, but I’m not sure how. Should I fry it up first? Or should I put it in raw? And should I let it simmer in the beans the entire time or add the cooked bacon right before serving?
Alli says
Hi Patty! I actually have a whole post on how to do it: https://longbournfarm.com/canned-green-beans-with-bacon/
Roni says
Use Costco bacon crumbles.
myasia says
I love theses this is one of the first recipes that I have used as a 12-year-old that is trying to cook
Alli says
So happy to hear that! Great work!
Dustin says
Such a wonderful recipe and a very beautiful photo! I will definitely try to cook. I love your blog! I look forward to updates.
Alli says
Thanks so much, Dustin!!
Craig McIlhargey says
Great flavor. Just cooked up a can and ate it right out of the frying pan
Alli says
So glad you liked them!
Nicole says
Our family LOVES this recipe! We’ve had it many times and it is delicious each time. I usually make 4-5 regular cans or the large #10 can from Sams Club. And just today we added in bacon for the first time. Woah!!! Thank you for a great recipe!
Alli says
Thank you so much, Nicole! So glad you love the recipe.
jamar says
thank im 15 and my mom was at work so it helped and she liked it it was good 10/10 others must try
Alli says
So glad you liked it!
Rebecca says
So I was wanting something to eat with flavor and I was like I don’t want to eat just plain green beans. Well I came across this and it sounded flavorful. It was super easy and made a great late night before bed snack!! I love it and will be using this recipe again. Thanks!
Alli says
So glad you liked it! Thank you!!
Roberta Hawes says
What size can is used for this recipe? I have to scale up for 100 people.
Alli says
It’s just a standard 14 or 15-ounce can. Good luck!
Fred M says
This is simple and delicious. Thanks for posting it! To up the nutrition, I saute about 1/3 lb tofu or tempeh squares as the first step before adding the beans. Yum!
Alli says
Glad you liked it!
Kristen says
Hi Alli! I’ve made this several times and thought I should let you know how much I like it. I was looking for a simple recipe that lets me elevate a can of green beans with ingredients I already have, and this does exactly that! The only notable change I make is to add the same amount of garlic powder. Thank you for a simple recipe that I can have in my back pocket when I need a veggie to serve but don’t have anything fresh on hand.
Alli says
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that, Kristen. It’s such a great and easy side dish. Thank you for letting me know!
Deborah says
Delicious. My kids love green beans again. Thanks for recipe..
Alli says
So glad to hear that!
Holly Burks says
Excellent recipe. We used Dreamland BBQ sauce and it was amazing!!
Alli says
So glad you liked it!
Christine @ myblissfulmess says
I needed a simple veggie side dish and I had a lot of canned green beans in the pantry so I used this recipe to play dress up with them. This recipe did not disappoint at all. It’s very simple, simple ingredients and delicious! It’s also healthy with only 1 WW Smartpoint per serving which is a bonus for me! I doubled the recipe since we were having a couple friends over. This goes great with steak which is what we were having that night. It would also go with chicken or pork as well.
Alli says
So glad you liked it, Christine! Thank you for letting me know.
Anonymous says
Could I make a huge nesco full for a wedding?
Alli says
I’m not sure what a Nesco is, but you can for sure scale up the recipe! Click on the servings number in the recipe card and then use the slider bar to increase the serving size to where you need it. Hope that helps!
Carl says
You don’t say what size can of green beans to use so I will assume it’s the 15 ounce can.
Alli says
Yes, 15 ounce can.
Candy says
Can I mix it with canned sliced carrots as well or would it get too mushy?
Alli says
Hi Candy, I’m not a huge fan of canned carrots so I’d try frozen or fresh.
Melissa says
What temperature would you cook these at and for generally how long? Thanks!
Alli says
Hi Melissa! Once I get the beans simmering, I usually turn the heat to medium low, but this will depend on your stovetop. It takes about 5 minutes for the liquid to evaporate out.
Wanda says
Your green bean recipe was a big hit. I’m not a fan of cooking. But after getting rave reviews about the green beans. I will surly make them again. So thank you!!!
Alli says
So happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for letting me know.
Lindsey says
Yummy!! This took away the squeakiness that green beans often have and had tons of flavor!!
Alli says
So glad you liked them, Lindsey!!
Anonymous says
Could these be made ahead of time and warmed up? If so, what would be the best way to heat up ?
Alli says
Yes, I warm them up in a glass dish in the microwave. Leave a little more liquid than the recipe calls for when you initially cook them, that way they won’t get dried out when you reheat.
Dee says
I’m using the recipe right now
Hope it turns out ok, I didn’t have onion salt so I used garlic salt since my kid doesn’t like onion flavor, although it probably doesn’t taste strong.REGARDING REHEAT: If u use an 8 oz glass about 3/4 full in the microwave as u reheat just about ANYTHING, it tastes absolutely fresh.
Carolyn olguin says
Really delicious my family enjoyed ever bite . Will be making it next year
Alli says
Thanks so much, Carolyn! So glad they were a hit with your family.
Catherine Redmon says
So if you are using 4 cans of beans, would you leave 1/2 the liquid from each can?
Alli says
Hi Catherine! If you use 4 cans of beans, drain two and leave the liquid in two 🙂 You just want to use 1/2 of the total liquid. Does that make sense?
Vonda says
Just made a yr on the vegan journey so always looking for easy after work recipes. Always looking for ways to get more green into my diet so I decided to try this one. Definitely will try again..probably adjust the seasoning some but love the quickness/simpleness.
Alli says
Glad you liked it, Vonda!
Patricia Jones says
I love fresh green bean and most of the times I made some recipes with this. My family, as well as my sons, love bean recipe. Tried these yesterday. They were so good. Followed recipe as written. Thanks for giving me a quick & easy take on green beans!
Alli says
So glad you liked them, Patricia!
Shelly R. says
Add a half of beef bouillon cube and it will take it over the top!
Alli says
Great suggestion!
Phil says
This is my favorite way to eat green beans. And the bacon tip in an earlier comment is a great idea.
Alli says
Such a great idea, we should make it like that more often!
Maddison says
I love how simple and delicious this recipe is. Plus it’s kid approved. My 10 year old sister will not eat vegetables but she loves these! She even goes for seconds.
Alli says
I love hearing that! Thanks, Maddi!! 🙂
Mrs. Williams says
Do you simmer with a lid on or off. Also can you cook in sauce pot like 3 quart size instead of skillet. I am vegan and can’t use butter or bacon. Any suggestions or alternatives to butter or bacon.
Alli says
Hey! I simmer uncovered the whole time. You can make it in a sauce pot, just stir frequently so everything gets evenly coated. The original recipe doesn’t call for bacon, so don’t worry about adding that. As far as butter goes, you could use any oil in its place but it will be less flavorful. Hope that helps!
Anonymous says
Coconut oil
Sadiya says
Hi there! This worked out great with some leftover brown rice. Thanks for the super easy recipe! It was just what I needed on a day when I got home from work and really didn’t want to put any effort into cooking!
Alli says
So glad to hear you liked it!! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Timothy Frank Boerste says
Would you add the bacon in step 3 if you had bacon?
Alli says
Hi Timothy! I’d cook the bacon very first thing, before step 1. After it’s cooked, remove most of the grease but leave any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Proceed with the recipe as written and then yes, add the cooked bacon back in at step 3! Then be sure to scrape up those good flavorful bits in the bottom of the pan as the beans simmer. Thank you for asking! I’ll have to add more clarity to the post.
Kody says
Was just what I was looking for! My fiancee and 16 month-old daughter loved it. Thanks
Alli says
Thank you so much, Kody!! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
Corlette says
This was yummy and my kids loved it.
Alli says
Yay!! So glad to hear that Corlette! Thank you for letting me know.
Stephanie says
Really simple, really easy and it was a hit with the whole family. It definitely took the guilt out of only having plain old green beans in a can lol.
Alli says
I’m so glad you and your family liked it Stephanie! Thank you for trying the recipe! Definitely no guilt for canned food 🙂
Melissa says
Really good. I was looking for an easy way to spice up canned green beans with ingredients I already have. Will make again. Thanks!
Alli says
Hi Melissa! I’m so glad you liked the recipe, thank you for letting me know!!
Tammy Wilson says
The recipe shows onion powder but in your blog you say garlic powder. Just want to makes sure which is correct.
Thanks
Alli says
Hey Tammy! AH! You are right. Thank you for pointing out that typo! It is onion powder and is now fixed in the post. I appreciate it!
Andrea Campbell says
Tammy if you like Garlic using garlic powder is good too!! I’ve done both. So yummy.