How to Steam Green Beans

5 from 1 vote

This is the healthiest way to cook green beans so they retain all their nutrients.

Prep Time5

Cook Time6

Total Time11

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: green beans, steamed green beans

Servings: servings

Wash the green beans and trim about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the stem end (you can trim both ends if you like).
Pour 1-2 inches of water into a large pot, place a steamer basket inside. Bring the water to a boil.
Add the green beans to the steamer basket and cover the pot with a lid.
Cook for 3 to 6 minutes. Check the beans after 3 minutes and cook longer if desired.
When the green beans are finished, transfer them to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper or your choice of seasonings. See notes for ideas.

Place the trimmed green beans in a microwavable bowl and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate and cook on high for 3 to 6 minutes. Cook until the desired doneness.

Make sure the water is steaming before you start cooking the green beans.
Perfectly cooked green beans are vibrant green, crisp but tender enough to pierce with a fork. If you want the green beans soft like canned beans, cook them for 8 to 9 minutes. However, If you cook them that long they will lose that vibrant green color.
If you don’t have a steamer you can place the green beans directly into the pot with the steaming water but the beans on the bottom will be poached in the water and lose some of the nutrients.
Additional seasoning is not calculated in the nutrition information.