Cooking Green Beans In Microwave

10 minutes from start to finish with this simple side dish!

Steamed Green Beans in the microwave are so easy and only take minutes to make. Perfect when paired with rich heavy meals and leftovers are always put to use! It's the easiest way to cook them!

Next time for a great side dish, be sure and try this collard greens recipe!

Microwave steamed green beans on white platter with serving fork. — Bright, crunchy and freshly this is an easy green beans recipe.

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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
💭 Recipe backstory
🗒️ Ingredients
🔪 Microwave instructions
Stovetop instructions
Equipment
🙋‍♀️ FAQ's
Tips
Variations
Storage
Serving suggestions
Related recipes
3 Ingredient Steamed Green Beans

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

Steamed vegetables in the microwave is such a simple way to prepare them. You'll love this because they only take 10 minutes to make!

They are a quick and easy side dish that goes with most any meal.

💭 Recipe backstory

I want to share with you another great recipe from my amazing friend Michelle, she is a marvelous cook!

Over the years, one of the (many!) things I've learned from Michelle is the simplicity of a perfect dish. Sliced tomatoes, roasted carrots or sautéed Brussels sprouts, ingredients don't have to be fancy, simple is often best!

Green beans are readily available year-round. In the summer at the farmers market, in the bin at the grocery store or you can even purchase bags of pre-cleaned beans. Whatever works for you is the best choice.

Steaming green beans is a great way to cook them and can be done in the microwave or stovetop! It's perfect for the summer months when vegetables are so readily available and you're working towards a healthier lifestyle!

🗒️ Ingredients

fresh green beans or haricots verts
soy sauce
butter

🔪 Microwave instructions

How to prepare the vegetable with an example. Green beans are on a plate, with stems snapped off. — You'll want to snap the stems off to prepare them for cooking.

Snap beans removing the stems, no need to remove the ends/tails.
Cut them into bite sized pieces.
Rinse them well and place them in a microwave dish.
Add a little bit of water - about two tablespoons of water to the dish. Microwave on high for four to five minutes.
Remove from the microwave and sprinkle with a teaspoon of soy sauce or a pinch of salt and add a tablespoon of butter, letting it melt over the top.
Mix well and serve!

Stovetop instructions

Trim green beans, no need to remove the ends/tails.
Cut them into bite sized pieces and rinse them well
Fill a stock pot with one-inch of water. You only need enough water to bring for a boil, do not cover the beans. You want them to steam, not boil.
Fit with a steam basket.
Add the fresh beans to the basket, cover with a lid and place over medium-high heat.
Steam beans for 7 minutes.
Remove from heat, drain and sprinkle with a teaspoon of soy sauce and add a tablespoon of melted butter.
Mix well, transfer beans to a serving dish and serve!

Equipment

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This size dish is perfect for the microwave and pretty enough to put on the dinner table.
If you need a steaming basket, this is the one I use.

🙋‍♀️ FAQ's

How long does it take to cook fresh string beans?

In the microwave it only takes 4-5 minutes to steam green beans perfectly every time!

How do you cook green beans healthy?

Steaming green beans is a great way to enjoy a healthy side dish. Topping with just one tablespoon of butter is a guilt free way of adding a ton of flavor!

How do you steam green beans without a steamer basket?

Stovetop - Add water to the bottom of a pan. Make tin foil balls and put a plate on top, adding the beans to a plate and steaming until crisp.
Oven or Grill - Wrap the beans in foil, add a bit of butter and a couple tablespoons of water to the packet and seal completely. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp tender.
Microwave (instructions below) are my favorite method!

How do you know they are done?

The beans will turn a vibrant bright green color, but will still be crispy and firm. Overcooked beans are limp and rubbery.

That's it - perfect and delicious every time! We love green beans, they are great for a cookout or the holidays too because you're not taking up valuable oven-space.

steamed green Beans on platter, ready to eat! — Microwave Steamed Green Beans

Tips

After cooking, keep the lid on the casserole dish. The vegetables will stay warm for several minutes.
It's better to steam than boil this vegetable. Boiling often results in an overcooking.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the top before serving makes them taste that much better!

Expert Tip: Don't overcook the green beans. They aren't supposed to be drab or limp. Perfectly steamed green beans are bright and crisp!

Variations

Looking for something more? Here's a few more flavor combinations to enjoy!

fresh squeezed lemon and butter
olive oil, kosher salt and pepper
minced fresh herbs - adds a ton of flavor without a lot of work!
a sprinkle of your favorite seasoning
toss them with a pinch of red pepper flakes to add a bit of heat!

No matter how you top them green beans are great side dish. They compliment and balance when serving with rich heavy foods or great side when you're grilling as well.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container. They will last in the refrigerator 3-4 days.

Serving suggestions

This easy steamed green beans recipe goes great with casseroles because they are so simple and quick to make!

Try these combinations with a Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole - it's one of the most popular recipes on the blog!

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole - it's easy to make and cheesy with a wonderful crispy topping, this casserole is delicious!

Ground Beef Noodle Casserole - Beefy, cheesy and delicious this casserole is terrific and so rich. The Steamed Green Beans Recipe would be the BEST side dish with any of these recipes!

Looking for more easy green bean recipes? I do love my veggies, what can I say! This recipe for Instant Pot Green Beans with Bacon is super popular and so tasty!

Love green beans? Here is a recipe for the Classic Green Bean Casserole.

This Green Bean Salad - you'll love this five bean salad, it has just the right amount of tang and deliciousness!

How about steamed is Brussels sprouts. They stay bright and fresh without adding a ton of calories. Learn how long to steam brussel sprouts and all the info you need for cleaning and storing too.

Have you made Swiss chard? I braise it and the combination of sautéing the greens and garlic is tantalizing. Follow this recipe for step by step directions how to cook Swiss chard and it will be a new favorite!

Instant Pot Corn on the Cobb - so simple! Two minutes in the pressure cooker for corn perfection. I make this all the time.

What's your favorite side dish? Comment below, I'd love to hear from you! Don't forget if you make this, please snap a picture and tag me on Instagram!!

3 Ingredient Steamed Green Beans

10 minutes from start to finish with this simple side dish!

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 10 mins

Course: Vegetables and Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Calories: 96 kcal

Cost: $5

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▢ 2 pounds fresh green beans
▢ 2 tablespoons water
▢ 1 teaspoon soy sauce
▢ 1 tablespoon of butter or more!
▢ fresh ground black pepper

Snapping off the stems of the green beans. The tails you can leave on, no need to remove them. Cut them into 2 inch (bite sized) pieces. Rinse them well and place them in a microwave dish.
Add two tablespoons of water to the dish and microwave on high for four to five minutes. The exact time will depend on your microwave - check after 3 minutes and adjust the microwave time.
Remove from the microwave and sprinkle with a teaspoon of soy sauce and add a tablespoon of butter, letting it melt over the top. Top with a grind of fresh ground black pepper. Toss well and serve.
That's it - perfect and delicious every time! This is a great dish for the holidays too because you're not taking up valuable oven-space and if you keep the lid on the casserole dish the beans will stay warm until it's time to serve.

Steaming Green Beans 3 Ways

Best tip - don't overcook the beans. They should be bright and crunchy!

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Published October 2016 - last updated June 9, 2021 to add better tips and improve readability.

About Bowl Me Over

Welcome to Bowl Me Over! My name is Debra and I send warm greetings from sunny California. I am a serious foodie – I've been known as the go-to girl in our family for years, catering weddings and anniversary parties. In the summer I help cook mountains of food for our family reunions. Often times things I create end up in a bowl, hence the name Bowl Me Over! Let's stay connected, you can email me at [email protected] and find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.