Boiled green beans are a salad with exceptional flavor and texture. The cooking time of fresh green beans is crucial for preparing a tasty recipe. Boiled in cold or hot water? Sautéed in a pan with the right seasoning, they become a super side dish!
Although they are part of the legume family, green beans are considered a vegetable because you eat their green pod and the internal seeds (true legumes) are not yet mature.
What are green beans good for?
What do boiled green beans contain?
“Nutritionally, green beans should be considered vegetables, although they belong to the legume category; in fact, they have a protein and carbohydrate content not comparable to that of other legumes, about half less. This explains why they have fewer calories (25 kcal per 100g). Boiled green beans maintain a good amount of properties, fibers, and minerals including 53mg of calcium, 27mg of phosphorus, but also abundant amounts of sodium and potassium. They also have a good amount of the antioxidant beta carotene, the pigment precursor of vitamin A”. Nutritionist Sara Masiero
How often can you eat green beans?
Green beans can be consumed multiple times during the week, as long as they are stored properly in the refrigerator and are still fresh and free of signs of spoilage. The frequency depends on your preferences and dietary habits, but usually, there are no specific restrictions on the amount of green beans you can eat.
How to consider green beans in the diet?
Green beans are a variety of immature beans, characterized by a sweet taste and a thin, elongated shape. They are consumed as vegetables and are good for boiling, sautéing, or steaming. Green beans offer several health benefits. To preserve their freshness, it is important to purchase them in season and store them in the fridge until use.
SEASON and harvesting period of #fresh green beans – from April to October.
RECIPES
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stove, Steam, Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Energy 36.43 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 8.19 (g) of which sugars 3.83 (g)
- Proteins 2.15 (g)
- Fat 0.26 (g) of which saturated 0.06 (g)of which unsaturated 0.14 (g)
- Fibers 3.17 (g)
- Sodium 7.06 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Boiled Green Beans
- Half kg green beans (green, purple or yellow – haricot, wax, French)
- to taste water
How many calories are in 100 g of boiled green beans? About 33 Kcal.
How many calories are in 200 grams of boiled green beans? About 65 kcal.
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
Boiled Green Beans
Remove both ends (tip and stem) with your fingers or a small knife. To speed up the process, you can remove only the stem and keep the tip, which will soften during cooking.
Wash them to remove impurities.
What is the best COOKING method?
I prefer steaming in a pressure cooker or a steamer.
Green bean cooking time
– boil in a pressure cooker: for about 5 minutes
– steam for about 15 minutes
– boil in salted hot water: for about 15 minutes
Cook them until tender but still crisp; if possible, check the doneness with a fork.
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For frozen green beans cooking, follow the package instructions.
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Should green beans be boiled in cold or hot water?
Vegetables should always be boiled, fully immersed, in hot water to retain more properties. An exception is steam cooking in a pressure cooker, where green beans should be placed in its basket with a little cold water below.
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How to keep them green after cooking?
As soon as cooking is finished, drain them, then immediately immerse them in cold water and ice. The temperature shock will help maintain their nice green color.
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How to season boiled beans?
Once cooked and drained, season with a little salt, chopped garlic (and/or thinly sliced onion), vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil.
As herbs, try adding leaves of your choice from basil, oregano, santolina, savory, thyme, or others.
Boiled Green Beans sautéed in a pan
Once cooked al dente, they can be sautéed in a pan for a stewed cooking with tomato sauce.
Once cooked al dente, they can be sautéed in a pan for a stewed cooking with tomato sauce.
How long can boiled green beans stay in the fridge?
Boiled green beans can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days in a closed container. Before eating, let them warm up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
How to BUY and STORE fresh green beans?
Choose small, firm green beans with a bright green color, free from spots or mold.
Store in an open paper bag (or open biodegradable shopper) in the vegetable drawer or a lower shelf of the fridge.Is it better to freeze green beans raw or cooked?
It’s better to freeze green beans just blanched to best preserve their freshness and flavor. Before freezing, immerse them in boiling water for a few minutes and quickly cool them in ice water. Once dry, place them in freezer bags or containers and remove excess air. Blanched green beans can be stored for several months and will be ready to cook when needed.
