Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Crisp cooked green beans topped with lemon and feta is a flavorful side dish that looks impressive but it’s so easy to make.
How long it takes: 10 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: skillet
Servings: 4
One of the things I look forward to most during the spring and summer months is heading to the farmers’ market or to local farms to pick up fresh produce. Fresh green beans are always on the top of my list.
Any way I cook them, lightly steamed, roasted or boiled, the green beans are always delicious. The key to this recipe is to just barely cook the beans so they’re still nice and crisp. The last thing you want is mushy green beans, especially when they are farm fresh.
“This recipe is wonderful …this is how we typically make green beans now. Thank you for the recipe!”
These green beans with lemon and feta make an amazing side dish but I like to have them for a light lunch, too. They taste great hot, warm or cold, and are unbelievably easy to prepare.
Are you a green bean fan? Be sure to check out my popular roasted green beans, green beans almondine, or my green bean casserole!
More Green Bean Recipes
Green Beans with Lemon and Feta
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh green beans
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
- kosher salt
- coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Put about ½ inch of water into a medium-sized sauté pan. Add salt to the water if desired. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. While it's heating up, snip the stem end off the green beans and rinse them.16 ounces fresh green beans
- Add beans, cover the pan, and continue to cook on medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes or until fork tender but still crisp. Drain and return the beans to the pan.
- Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange the green beans on a platter, and sprinkle with feta cheese and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Serve immediately (see note).
Notes
- Cooking tip: I’ve found that people have varying opinions about how much time to cook beans. The best way to know if the beans have cooked long enough for you is to try one. If it’s too crisp yet, cook the beans a little longer. More mature beans take longer to cook, too.
- Serving suggestion: The green beans are delicious served at room temperature. If you’re aren’t planning on serving them immediately, reserve the lemon juice and feta until you’re ready to serve. The lemon juice tends to discolor the beans, turning them an olive color rather than bright green.
- Lemon zest; If you’re really liking the lemon flavor, zest the lemon before you juice it and sprinkle the zest on the beans, too. Lemon zest will not discolor the beans but still add a nice lemony flavor.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I’m not a huge green bean eater, but that looks delicious! Thanks for sharing.
YUM! I can’t wait to hit up the Fulton St market again. We love green beans too. My little ones always sneak them out of the bag raw while we are grocery shopping. This would be perfect for Easter!
oh yum! i happen to have the ingredients in my fridge! i’m making this tonight!!!
This looks delish! I love feta cheese!
These look great!! I agree that fresh green beans taste better and I too prefer them barely cooked and with a lot of crunch. Great recipe!!
This seems so healthy! Thank you very much for sharing it with us :)
I love these flavors- pretty much anything with lemon and feta I’m all over. So bright and perfect for spring. Gorgeous photos!
The perfect simple vegetable side dish. The flavor combination, I can eat them all! I love green beans :).
Green beans + feta are my jam! Such a spring-tastic side dish. Can’t wait to make this for Easter!
Oh I will be trying these this summer. Thank you for the recipe.