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A metal colander filled with fresh green beans sits on a white surface next to a blue and white striped cloth for how to blanch green beans.

How to Blanch Green Beans

Melissa Griffiths
Learn How to Blanch Green Beans perfectly every time with this simple step-by-step guide. Master this essential cooking technique for preserving flavor, color, and nutrients in your fresh green beans. Your beans will have the perfect texture for salads, side dishes, or freezing!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 30 minutes
Calories 16 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • As many green beans as you have to preserve (*it can be a large or small amount)
  • A pot of water
  • A large bowl of ice water

Instructions
 

  • Prepare your green beans by washing them, breaking off the stem ends, and snapping them into bite-sized pieces. 
    A metal strainer filled with trimmed green beans and one red bean sits on a white surface. Above, untrimmed green beans and discarded ends are scattered, illustrating the prep step before learning how to blanch green beans.
  • Bring a pot, half filled with water, to a boil. You can add ½ teaspoon salt to the water if you'd like.
  • While the water is boiling, add in some green beans, working in batches if needed, as to not over fill the pot. 
    A stainless steel pot filled with water and cut green beans sits on a stovetop, showing how to blanch green beans by boiling them for a few minutes.
  • Bring the water back to a boil and boil the green beans for 1 minute. 
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove the green beans from the boiling water and place them in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. 
  • Repeat the boiling and ice water bath process as needed to use all of your green beans. 
  • Your green beans are now blanched and you can put them in freezer safe containers and freeze or use them in recipes that call for blanched fresh green beans. 
    A clear ziplock bag filled with cut green beans, labeled Green Beans 9-3-20 in red marker, sits on a marbled countertop—a perfect example for anyone learning how to blanch green beans.

Notes

Big or Small Batches: This recipe is ideal for getting small amount of green beans into the freezer. If my garden hasn't produced enough to can a bunch, I'll just put little batches in the freezer as I have extras. It's so nice to have fresh (frozen) beans in the winter!
Prep the Beans: Before you begin blanching you will want to wash and trim your green beans. I rinse mine in a colander under cold water and then shake to dry. As for trimming, you (or your kids) can snap off the hard ends by hand or you can cut them with a knife. 
Dry Well: After you remove the beans from the ice bath, drain them and pat them dry before storing them, especially if you're storying them in the refrigerator.
Storing Beans: Store them in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze them if not using them right away.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cup green beansCalories: 16kcalCarbohydrates: 3.5gProtein: 0.9gFiber: 0.9gSugar: 1.6g
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