The Easy Trick for Out of This World Green Beans

For the best green beans ever, smash them like a burger. This recipe for smashed green beans uses a screaming hot skillet and a pot lid to achieve blistered, smoky, yet still crisp-tender green bean perfection.

A closeup overhead shot of slightly charred pan fried green beans sprinkled with coarse salt and garnished with a lemon wedge — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

The best green beans are charred green beans. I call them “smashburger beans” because they’re cooked just like trendy smashburgers—pressed in a searing hot pan until charred and crispy. Cooking beans this way gives them a hint of smokiness while still keeping them juicy and crisp-tender, and they’re done in the time it takes to set the table. Since I have discovered this cooking method, I’ll never cook green beans any other way.

It's a trick I learned while watching a chef in a fancy restaurant cook green beans in a hot cast iron skillet. I watched in fascination and disbelief as he threw the beans into a smoking hot pan, pressed them down with a pot lid, and then walked away. A few minutes later, those beans were part of the steak entrée I ordered and they stole the show!

They were perfectly cooked and tasted intensely bean-y, smoky, and sweet—in other words, the dish was so much more than a sum of its simple parts. Here’s how to do the charred green bean trick at home.

Choose The Right Pan

You’ll be heating a dry, heavy sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat until it is screaming hot. I recommend cast iron because it can take the heat and won’t buckle or scorch. Be sure to use a large enough pan to hold the green beans in a single layer (or close to it); I use my Le Creuset 12-inch cast iron skillet.

Be patient when preheating—it’s the key to getting a good sear on the beans, so be patient. Don’t forget to turn on your stove exhaust hood or open a window since there will be a little smoke.

A closeup shot of slightly charred pan fried green beans — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Tips for Making The Best Green Beans

Take green beans from ordinary to extraordinary with a simple trick. A hot pan and a smash with a pot lid adds tons of flavor and excellent texture. It’s a simple process, but here are a few tips for success:

Toss the beans with a minimal amount of oil. If you use too much, the oil will produce a lot of smoke and gunk up your pan, making it hard to wash.
When you add the beans, spread them out quickly and press down on them firmly. This dish is a quick one, so don’t wander away.
A little goes a long way, so don’t be tempted to cook them for too long. You want the beans scorched in places, but not blackened everywhere.

Finishing and Serving

Occasionally, I’ll add a little acid to the beans once they are done cooking and in the serving bowl. A squeeze of lemon, a splash of sherry vinegar, or even hot sauce or chile oil to match the other flavors going on in the meal. It’s not always necessary, though, if your entrée has lots of sauce on its own.

Keep in mind that the whole process is fast—just 12 minutes total and the beans are best eaten right away. If I’m making this as a side dish, it’s the last thing I prepare before sitting down to eat.

Overhead shot of a white oval serving plate with slightly charred pan fried green beans, sprinkled with coarse sea salt and garnished with a lemon wedge — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Dishes To Serve With Charred Green Beans

Preheat the skillet and prep the beans:

Heat a large (10 to 12-inch) heavy cast iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Turn on the exhaust fan above the stove or open a window. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the beans with the oil, salt, and pepper.

Smash and cook the beans:

Quickly add the beans to the pan, arranging them in an even layer. Place a flat metal pot lid that fits inside the pan on top of the beans and press down firmly until you hear the beans sizzling and there’s a little smoke coming from under the lid. Quit pressing and let cook, covered with the lid, until the beans begin to char in places on the bottom, about 2 minutes.

Stir and finish beans:

Remove the lid from the beans with an oven mitt. Stir the beans with tongs, return the pot lid, and press again. Cook until the beans are crisp-tender, bright green, and charred in places, 2 to 3 more minutes.

Season and serve:

Immediately remove the pan from heat. Remove the lid and transfer the beans to a serving bowl. Toss with lemon juice, vinegar, or hot sauce, if using. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

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