I’ve you’ve bean thinking about the upcoming holiday season and fearful of not finding a fun and unique recipe to serve, look no further, my friend! Our easy garlic green beans and berries recipe will check all of your boxes and more. With its appetizing aroma, alluring appearance, and amazing ease of cooking, you’d better be ready for the oncoming compliments.
In less than 15 minutes, you’ll have a plate full of pretty red and green fruits and veggies packed with vitamins, minerals, and full-on flavor. The pungent garlic is offset by the tangy balsamic vinegar and tart cranberries, creating a perfect symmetry of contrasting color and tempting textures.
Put on an adorable kitchen apron, play your most favorite festive music, and let’s get those green beans boiling. You’ll absolutely love this delectable side dish!
We hope that the fantastic, food-filled photos will entice both your senses and your stomach. But, if you need more reasons why this garlic green bean recipe is so awesome, here they are!
- Healthy and satisfying
- Super colorful, quick and easy to make
- An enticing combination of slightly sweet, sour, and savory
- Dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, fiber-rich
Serving Suggestions
This delightful duo is the perfect partner to any holiday meal. Because it takes only minutes to make, you can leave it for the very last second before serving. Or, even better, make it the night before a memorable meal and dish it up deliciously cold the next day. It’s incredible either way—chilled or warm.
- Feeling Grinch-y About Green Beans? – We get it! You can use other green vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, sugar snap peas, or Brussels sprouts instead of green beans in this recipe. Consider using cauliflower if you would like a red and white “candy cane” look to your dish.
- Meet and Greet With Grains – How about grouping blanched green beans and rice together? When it comes to supplementing your supper, we always love pairing a veggie and whole grain together. If the thought of rice is not as nice, consider quinoa, amaranth, or bulgur instead.
- Craving a Bit of Crunch – Try topping your green beans with almonds and cranberries. You’ll get a crisp bite of the beans along with a tangy and nutty texture that will totally tantalize your taste buds. Other nuts would also work, including cashews, walnuts, pistachios, and Brazil nuts.
Star Ingredients
This recipe not only tastes heavenly, but is healthy as well. When you’ve got an overload of rich recipes planned for the party season, it’s great to balance those out with a couple of antioxidant-enhanced accompaniments.
Green Beans – High in fiber, rich in vitamins C and A and a good source of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, as well as plant-based protein.
Cranberries – High nutrient and antioxidant content, good source of vitamin C and B vitamins, rich in fiber and vitamin E.
Garlic – Excellent source of B6, manganese, selenium, and vitamin C.
Equipment You’ll Need
Just a few essentials and you’ll be one step closer to the most delicious holiday side dish. After a quick boil and dip into icy water, your beans will be ready to dress and serve. Feel free to add more or less of any ingredient as it suits you. This ravishing recipe is really versatile.
How To Make Garlic Green Beans
Step 1: Rinse and drain the green beans and trim off the ends.
Step 2: Fill a large saucepan with four quarts of water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 3: While waiting for the water to boil, measure out the cranberries, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Add them to a large bowl. Also, fill a second large bowl with ice water for submerging the green beans after boiling.
Step 4: When water is boiling, add the green beans and cook for 3-5 minutes over medium high heat. Drain well and immediately plunge the beans into the bowl of ice water. Let sit for a minute and then drain the beans again.
Step 5: Add the beans to the large bowl with the cranberry mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
This dish tastes delicious served either warm or cold. It’s even better the next day. Enjoy!