What To Make With What’s On Sale: Fresh Green Beans

It’s time for What To Make With What’s On Sale! Fresh green beans are $0.99/lb this week at Safeway and Sprouts, and $1.00/lb at Sunflower Market.

Here’s a how-to guide for preserving fresh green beans and six recipe ideas for using green beans as a side dish and a main dish!

How to preserve fresh green beans

If you prefer fresh green beans to what you buy in a can, try freezing them like this:

Rinse and drain fresh green beans, then trim the ends. Place the beans in boiling water, cover, and cook for three minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the beans from the hot water and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Keep them in the ice water for a few minutes; drain well.

Place the beans into freezer-safe bags, and remove as much air as possible before freezing.

Green bean recipe ideas

The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Fresh Green Beans is basic but very flavorful. To make it even tastier, try adding a teaspoon of brown sugar to the pan along with the beans. Yum!

For a more exotic flavor, try these Stir-Fried Green Beans with Pork and Chilies. The recipe calls for 6-9 hot chiles, but I’d recommend using less unless you like your food very hot! Another tasty Asian dish is Szechuan Green Beans.

Szechuan Green Beans: Image from Food Network

Serve either of these with potstickers (Chinese dumplings) on the side for a complete Asian-style meal.

Paula Deen’s Honey Balsamic Green Beans require just five staple ingredients in addition to the beans, and as a side it goes well with beef, poultry, or fish.

Green Bean Bundles: Image from Allrecipes

This 5-star recipe for Green Bean Bundles makes a pretty side dish or appetizer that’s full of flavor. My kids think they’re the greatest thing ever!

I can’t wait to try this recipe for Spicy Roasted Green Beans & Shrimp — it looks delicious! (Jumbo Gulf shrimp are $5.99/lb this week at Sunflower Market.) Again, be sure to reduce the amount of pepper unless your family loves spicy-hot food!

How do you like to prepare fresh green beans?