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Canned (or frozen) green beans are something I almost always have tucked away in the pantry or freezer. They’re easy, inexpensive, and everyone in my family will eat them, but I don’t always want to just heat them up and call it good.
These Garlic Parmesan Green Beans are an easy way to give canned green beans a little more flavor without turning a simple side dish into another whole recipe I have to think about. I cook them on the stovetop with butter, garlic, a few seasonings, and Parmesan cheese. Sometimes I’ll add bacon if I have some already cooked, but they’re really good without it too.
I especially like easy sides like this for meals when the main dish already needs most of my attention. These green beans would be an easy addition alongside Juicy Garlic Herb Chicken Breasts, Easy Lasagna, or French Onion Chicken and Rice Casserole. They’re simple enough for a weeknight but still work well when you want a vegetable side for Sunday dinner or a holiday meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Starts with canned green beans. This is an easy pantry side dish you can make without fresh produce on hand.
- Ready quickly. Since canned green beans are already cooked, they only need enough skillet time to heat through and pick up all that garlic butter flavor.
- Uses simple ingredients. Everything in this recipe is something I usually have in the pantry or refrigerator.
- Easy to customize. Add bacon, use fresh garlic, or add a little extra Parmesan before serving.
- Pairs with almost anything. Chicken, casseroles, pasta, pork, and plenty of other family dinners work with these green beans.
Ingredients
- Canned cut green beans
- Butter
- Jarred minced garlic
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Water or chicken broth, if needed
- Cooked bacon pieces, optional
Equipment
Large skillet or Saucepan – A wide skillet or saucepan gives the green beans plenty of room to heat evenly while allowing excess moisture to cook away. A good everyday skillet is one of those kitchen tools I use constantly.
Colander – You’ll want to drain the canned green beans really well before they go into the skillet. A sturdy colander makes this quick and easy.
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula – Either works well for tossing the green beans in the garlic butter and Parmesan without breaking them up too much.
Measuring spoons – Helpful for getting the garlic and seasonings consistent each time you make the recipe.
How to Make Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
The biggest difference between really good canned green beans and green beans that taste like they came straight from the can is how you cook them. Start by draining the beans very well. You don’t want a lot of canning liquid going into the skillet because we’re trying to coat the beans in garlic butter rather than simmer them in liquid.
Melt the butter in your skillet over medium heat, then add the minced garlic. Garlic only needs a short amount of time in the hot butter to become fragrant. Keep it moving and don’t let it brown too much, since burned garlic can quickly turn bitter.
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the drained green beans along with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss everything together so the beans are evenly coated in the seasoned garlic butter.
Let the green beans cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally. This gives them time to heat all the way through while allowing any remaining moisture to cook away. You aren’t trying to boil the beans or cook them until they fall apart. The goal is simply hot, flavorful green beans coated in butter and seasoning. Should the skillet become too dry before the beans are heated through, a small splash of water or chicken broth is all you need.
Turn the heat down before adding the Parmesan. Toss the cheese with the warm green beans and let it begin to melt and cling to them.
This final step gives you that buttery, garlicky Parmesan coating without scorching the cheese on the bottom of the skillet.
For the bacon variation, cooked bacon can be stirred in toward the end so it stays flavorful and doesn’t become too soft. Serve the green beans warm with a little additional Parmesan on top if you’d like.
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PrintGarlic Parmesan Green Beans
An easy stovetop Garlic Parmesan green bean recipe made with canned green beans, butter, garlic, seasonings, and Parmesan cheese. Add cooked bacon for an easy variation.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 (29-ounce) can cut green beans, drained
- or 2 (14.5 oz) cans
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon water or chicken broth, if needed
- ¼ cup cooked bacon pieces, optional
Instructions
- Drain the green beans well.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Add the drained green beans, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir until the beans are well coated in the garlic butter.
- Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are heated through and excess moisture has cooked away. If the skillet becomes too dry, add 1 tablespoon water or chicken broth.
- Reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the green beans and toss to coat. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the Parmesan begins to melt.
- If using bacon, stir in the cooked bacon pieces during the final minute of cooking.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
Using fresh garlic: If you prefer fresh garlic, substitute 2 freshly minced garlic cloves for the 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic. Add it to the melted butter and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the green beans.
Bacon variation: Stir in ¼ cup cooked and crumbled bacon with the Parmesan. For even more bacon flavor, replace 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon bacon grease.
Parmesan: Finely grated Parmesan will distribute more evenly over the green beans. Add a little extra Parmesan at serving if desired.
Recipes That Pair Well With This
These Garlic Parmesan Green Beans are versatile enough to serve with pasta, chicken, casseroles, or a more traditional meat-and-potatoes dinner.
- Juicy Garlic Herb Chicken Breasts – Garlic herb chicken and Parmesan green beans make an easy dinner that doesn’t require a complicated side dish.
- French Onion Chicken and Rice Casserole – The savory casserole pairs nicely with garlicky green beans and gives you an easy vegetable to round out the meal.
- Easy Lasagna – Serve these green beans alongside homemade lasagna when you want a vegetable alternative to the usual side salad.
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Dry Mix pairs well with these garlic Parmesan green beans when you need an easy vegetable and creamy pasta side for the same meal.
- Easy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie – A simple skillet of green beans works well with this classic comfort-food dinner.
- Creamy Homemade Mashed Potatoes – Add mashed potatoes when you’re serving these green beans with chicken, pork, or another favorite main dish.
- Perfect Classic Cheesecake – Finish dinner with a classic homemade cheesecake when you want a simple but special dessert.
- Bakery Style White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies – These cookies are an easy make-ahead dessert for a casual family dinner.
More Recipes to Try
Looking for more easy recipes to add to your dinner rotation? Here are a few more favorites:
- Garlic Butter Rice – An easy one-pot side dish with plenty of buttery garlic flavor.
- Easy Seasoned Rice – A versatile side that works with chicken, beef, pork, or vegetables.
- Easy Homemade Cornbread – A simple homemade bread that pairs especially well with comfort-food dinners.
- Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread – A warm, cheesy bread for pasta night or family dinners.
- Creamy Homemade Mashed Potatoes – A classic side dish worth keeping in your recipe box.
- No Knead Garlic Parmesan Dutch Oven Bread – Another good choice when you love the garlic-Parmesan flavor combination.
Tips for Little Helpers
This is a good recipe for little helpers because most of the work is simply adding ingredients and stirring. Younger kids can help drain the green beans with supervision, sprinkle in the seasonings, or add the Parmesan at the end.
Older kids can practice working at the stove by stirring the green beans and learning how to recognize when garlic is fragrant without letting it burn. It’s also a simple recipe for teaching that even canned vegetables can be turned into a homemade side dish with just a few extra ingredients.
Tips for Success
Drain the green beans well. Extra liquid will dilute the garlic butter and make it harder for the Parmesan to coat the beans.
Don’t overcook the garlic. It only needs to cook until fragrant before the green beans are added.
Keep an eye on the moisture. Canned green beans don’t need to simmer in a lot of liquid. Add just a small splash of water or chicken broth if the skillet gets too dry.
Add the Parmesan over low heat. Parmesan can stick or scorch over high heat, so reduce the temperature before tossing it with the beans.
Salt to taste. Canned green beans, Parmesan, and bacon can all contribute salt to the finished dish. It’s easier to add more at the end than to fix overly salty green beans.
Use finely grated Parmesan. It distributes more evenly and coats the beans better than large shreds.
FAQs
Can I use fresh garlic instead of jarred minced garlic?
Yes. Freshly minced garlic works perfectly in this recipe. Add it to the melted butter just as you would jarred garlic and cook briefly until fragrant before adding the green beans.
Do I need to rinse canned green beans?
You don’t have to, but you can rinse them after draining if you prefer. Either way, let them drain thoroughly before adding them to the skillet so you don’t introduce too much liquid.
Can I make Garlic Parmesan Green Beans with bacon?
Absolutely. Cooked and crumbled bacon can be tossed in with the Parmesan near the end of cooking. For even more bacon flavor, you can also replace some of the butter with bacon grease.
Can I use chicken broth instead of water?
Yes. Either one works when the skillet needs a little extra moisture, but chicken broth adds a bit more flavor.
Can I use shredded Parmesan?
Finely grated Parmesan works best because it coats the green beans more evenly. Shredded Parmesan can still be used, but the texture of the finished dish will be slightly different.
Why are my green beans watery?
The beans may not have been drained thoroughly enough, or they may need a little more time in the skillet before adding the Parmesan. Let excess moisture cook away before finishing the dish with cheese.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes. Use a skillet large enough to hold the green beans without overcrowding them. A wider cooking surface makes it easier for excess moisture to evaporate.
Storage
Allow leftover Garlic Parmesan Green Beans to cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat them gently in a skillet or in the microwave until heated through.
Because Parmesan and bacon can both become saltier-tasting after refrigeration, taste the reheated green beans before adding any additional salt.
Freezing Instructions
You can freeze leftover Garlic Parmesan Green Beans, although canned green beans will become softer after freezing and thawing. For that reason, I prefer this recipe fresh or refrigerated rather than frozen.
To freeze leftovers, allow them to cool completely and transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. A quick warm-up in a skillet can help cook away any extra moisture released during thawing.
Variations
Bacon Garlic Parmesan Green Beans: Add cooked, crumbled bacon near the end of cooking. You can also swap some of the butter for bacon grease for even more bacon flavor.
Fresh Garlic: Swap the jarred minced garlic for freshly minced garlic. Cook it briefly in the melted butter until fragrant before adding the green beans.
Extra Parmesan: Sprinkle additional finely grated Parmesan over the finished green beans just before serving.
Chicken Broth: Use a splash of chicken broth instead of water if the skillet becomes too dry. It adds moisture while giving the beans a little extra savory flavor.
A Little Heat: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes with the other seasonings for a slightly spicy version.
Final Thoughts
Garlic Parmesan Green Beans are proof that a quick vegetable side doesn’t have to be complicated. Starting with canned green beans keeps this recipe practical for busy nights, while butter, garlic, seasonings, and Parmesan give them enough flavor to feel like more than an afterthought.
Keep a can of green beans and some Parmesan on hand, and you’ve got an easy stovetop side dish that can go from the pantry to the dinner table in very little time. Add bacon when you want to change it up, or keep the basic Garlic Parmesan version for a side that works with just about anything.
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