Steam Green Beans In Microwave. Let me introduce you to the most delicious and fastest way to cook fresh green beans using the microwave and a steamer basket.
Plus, we will be showing you how to dress up your microwave green beans and give them the wow factor with garlic, butter, and parmesan.
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Microwave Green Beans
Growing up in England, green beans was never top the priority list for favourite vegetables.
You knew green beans were there, it was just with lovely root vegetables like swede and carrots and parsnips, it never stood a chance.
In fact, I think the only time I had green beans before my 25th birthday was from restaurants in France and other Mediterranean countries.
After 13 years living in Portugal, green beans became one of those vegetables I loved to cook.
Its much faster cooking compared to carrots or broccoli and ideal for tossing in some garlic and parmesan for a delicious Mediterranean side dish.
Now I cook green beans all the time, especially air fryer frozen green beans.
But I wanted to see how green beans compare in the microwave with my microwave steamer basket.
Well, these microwave green beans do not disappoint, and today I wanted to share with you, how you too can steam green beans in the microwave.
If you are looking for more simple microwave recipes beyond green beans in microwave then do try: microwave turkey bacon, microwave cauliflower rice, microwave fudge, defrost chicken in microwave, defrost mince in the microwave, and lets not forget about reheating steak in the microwave.
Can You Steam Green Beans?
Yes, you can steam green beans. You will love steamed green beans in microwave.
Its easy, it keeps the delicious flavour and nutrients, and you can do different types of beans.
You could steam string beans, steam runner beans or even steam some frozen green beans – the choice is yours!
Can You Cook Green Beans In The Microwave?
Yes, you can. Cooking green beans in the microwave, is one of the easiest ways you will ever find to cook your favourite green beans.
Whether you are using trimmed fresh green beans (like we are today) or you are going frozen, you will love the result.
Can You Cook Beans In The Microwave?
Yes, you can cook any type of beans in the microwave. Whilst I grew up on baked beans in the microwave, you can do any.
Try microwave string beans or microwave runner beans as a quick side dish for your next dinner.
Why Steam Green Beans In Microwave?
Until you try microwave green beans you won’t understand just how fast and easy it is.
You trim your green beans (or buy green beans already trimmed) and load them into your microwave steamer basket with a little water.
Add your seasonings and then the microwave works its magic for you.
Plus, because the green beans are being steamed and NOT boiled, they keep their flavour and don’t have that over boiled texture.
Microwave Fresh Green Beans
I prefer to microwave fresh green beans. A surprise really considering I am obsessed with air frying a lot of frozen veggies.
BUT fresh green beans are just as effortless as frozen, and you can cook as many fresh green beans as you like in the microwave.
It doesn’t have to be a large portion.
I am also the only one in the Milner house that loves green beans, so I often do enough just for me.
Blanch Green Beans In Microwave
If you want to blanch green beans in the microwave instead of cooking them to serve for dinner, then you can do this too.
Simply reduce the cook time for your microwave green beans to 2 minutes, then allow to cool before loading into the freezer.
How To Steam Green Beans Without A Steamer?
If you want to cook steamed green beans without a steamer basket then its easy peasy.
Firstly in cooking fresh green beans in the microwave is that you can use a Ziploc bag and a little water, like we show you with microwave corn on the cob.
That is because steamed green beans just need to be in something sealed (such as a Ziploc bag) and a tiny bit of water, plus your microwave and then you are all set.
Further Reading: Ziploc Bags In Microwave
How To Season Steamed Green Beans?
After steaming green beans in the microwave, I am sure you want to know what seasoning for steamed green beans to use.
Well, we love salt and pepper, and usually add some mixed herbs too. Mixed herbs are brilliant as it can be any mix. It can be Italian seasoning, bouquet garni or even a stronger flavour such as cajun seasoning or fajitas seasoning.
We also love to add some cheese, which can melt over the steamed beans.
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Microwave Green Beans Recipe Ingredients
Beans – I recommend for cooking green beans in the microwave, that you use a pack of trimmed fresh green beans. It’s a total life saver and it saves you the task of having to trim the green beans yourself.
Water – To steam green beans in the microwave you will need a tablespoon of water into the bottom of your steamer basket.
Seasoning – Then for seasoning your green beans I recommend you keep it simple with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic.
Optional – I love to dress up my green beans and make them even better. If you want to dress up your green beans then you will need butter and parmesan cheese.
Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this microwave green beans recipe it has just been our Panasonic Microwave Oven. We have this one and its wonderful for many types of microwave recipes.
As well as your microwave you will need a good steamer basket that will fit in your microwave. We recommend this one.
How To Cook Green Beans In Microwave?
- Liquid. Start by adding a tablespoon of water to the bottom of your steamer basket. This is so that you can perfectly steam your green beans.
- Prep. If you have not bought trimmed fresh green beans, then you will need to trim the ends off your green beans. Then load into the steamer with your seasonings and then with your hands mix the seasoning into the beans. Coat the top of the green bens with butter.
- Microwave. Then place the lid on your steamer and then load your steamer basket into the microwave. Microwave your green beans for 5 minutes. Then remove the lid, add grated parmesan and microwave for another 2 minutes.
And I am sure you can see now how easy it is to steam green beans in the microwave and why it is a firm favourite of mine for a quick veggie side dish for dinner.
How To Dress Up Microwave Green Beans?
Dressing up your green beans is such an easy task and forget those days of bland green beans cooked in boiling water.
The dressing up of the green beans starts by tossing your green beans in oregano and garlic.
Then butter is added to the top of your green beans and as you steam your green beans in your microwave, this butter melts into the green beans.
Then to make your green beans even better, we remove the steamer lid for the last 2 minutes to add parmesan cheese and to melt it over your green beans.
How Long To Cook Green Beans In Microwave?
The microwave fresh green beans time is JUST 7 minutes. This is for tender green beans that are loaded up with melted parmesan.
If you are skipping the parmesan and just want a basic green beans recipe, then the cook time is reduced to 5 minutes.
Listen To Steam Green Beans In Microwave
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This green beans in microwave recipe is an updated post and was originally shared on Recipe This in 2022.
Your microwave green beans recipe is below, note you can print it out with or without photos, adjust servings, or click between metric and imperial depending on where you are in the world.
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How To Steam Green Beans In Microwave
Ingredients
- 300 g Fresh Green Beans trimmed
- 3 Tsp Light I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
- 28 g Parmesan Cheese
- 1 Tsp Oregano
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt & Pepper
Kitchen Gadgets
Instructions
- Place one tablespoon of water in the bottom of your steamer basket.
- Using a vegetable knife trim the ends of your green beans if not trimmed already. Then add to the steamer basket. Add your seasonings and mix with your hands for an even coating.
- Add a few chunks of butter over the green beans.
- Place the lid on the steamer and then place in the microwave.
- Microwave for 3 minutes. Stir, and microwave for a further 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid, stir again, and add grated parmesan cheese over the beans. Microwave for 2 further minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then save it for later!
