Glazed skillet green beans are rich, silky, and utterly delicious. The green beans cook with sugar and butter until they are tender.
The basis of this recipe is from Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook, Cravings. I love her innovative takes on classic dishes, and these beans are no exception. I serve green vegetables with most of our meals and I appreciate different ways to enjoy some of our favorite veggies like broccoli and green beans.
These classic skillet green beans are one of our all-time favorite side dishes. This dish involves the same concept with the beans slowly cooking in liquid.
Ingredients
Fresh Green Beans: Select beans that are bright green in color and free of discolorations and blemishes.
Water: The sugar dissolves in the water, creating a sweet glaze for the green beans.
Sugar: Yes, plain old white sugar. The sugar and the water cook down into a sweet, silky sauce that coats the green beans.
Butter: Adds richness to the sauce.
Salt & Black Pepper: The salt and pepper contrasts the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
Instructions
Add the sugar and the water to a skillet. Bring the water to a boil and stir as the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar is dissolved add the green beans and the butter. Stir and settle the green beans in an even layer in the skillet. Cover and allow the beans to cook for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, uncover and stir. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes or so. The time might vary depending on the thickness of your green beans. The beans are done when tender and coated with a silky sauce.
Serve immediately and enjoy! Glazed skillet green beans are great with a variety of main dishes. We recently enjoyed them with grilled chicken thighs and a baked potato.
Glazed Skillet Green Beans
Ingredients
- ½ pound fresh green beans washed and trimmed
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp fresh black pepper
Instructions
- In a large steel skillet with a lid, combine 1/2 cup of water with the sugar.
- Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add green beans and the butter. Cover and cook until the sugar water reduces, about 10 minutes.
- Uncover and continue cooking for 15 minutes tossing the beans until the sugar reduces to a light syrup and the beans are tender.
- Serve immediately.