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Italian Sautéed Green Beans

posted by Liz Berg on March 3, 2020 (updated 8/5/24)

Add Italian Sautéed Green Beans with Tomatoes to your menu for a pop of vibrant color on your plate plus an outstanding treat for your taste buds!

This Fresh Green Bean Recipe is easy enough for every day, yet elegant enough for company!

Overhead view of Italian Sauteed Green Beans in a white bowl.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 How to Blanch Fresh Beans

3 Ingredient Notes

4 How to Make Sauteed Green Beans

5 Recipe Notes:

6 Frequently Asked Questions

7 More Vegetable Recipes You’ll Enjoy

8 Italian Sautéed Green Beans

Why You Must Make

As I often do, I came to search my blog for this fresh green bean recipe. I spotted these yummy roasted green beans, but apparently, I was remiss in sharing this recipe with you all. Finding decent green beans in the produce section, in the middle of winter, reminded me of these tasty beans!

Once I tracked down the recipe, it took only about 10 minutes until they were ready to serve.
The recipe is super easy, yet definitely packed full of flavor.
It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, yet the flavor and colorful presentation make it a fun option when having company over.

How to Blanch Fresh Beans

Though these beans could easily be cooked until tender, strained, and parked until the garlic butter was ready, I decided to blanch them. What is blanching, you might wonder? Blanching is the process of plunging fruit or vegetables into boiling water briefly, then into cold water to stop the cooking process. I often do this for sugar snap peas and asparagus, when serving them as crudite, to slightly soften and minimize the “raw” flavor. When making peach pie, this process also is helpful in removing the skins.

According to the Food Lover’s Companion, blanching can set the color as well as heighten the flavor. Since I wanted them cooked past crisp, this may have been more of a parboil than blanching. Let’s call it a long blanch.

Green Beans with Tomatoes ingredients on a sheetpan with labels.

Ingredient Notes

Kitchen Staples – Butter (I use salted), Sugar, Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Fresh Green Beans – I prefer thin green beans (often called haricots verts), but any will be delicious. Blanch or par-cook before using so they will be soft enough to eat.
Cherry or Grape Tomatoes – Leave whole or slice in half (especially if serving to children)
Garlic Powder – If you use garlic salt, decrease the amount of salt you add.
Dried Basil – If it’s been in your kitchen for over a year, consider replacing if it isn’t fragrant when you rub a pinch between your fingers.

Italian Sauteed Green Beans in a white ceramic bowl with two red handled forks.

How to Make Sauteed Green Beans

First, the veggies are parboiled or blanched, then there are just a couple more steps.
The butter is melted and seasonings are added to the mix.
Next, the cherry (or grape) tomatoes are tossed in and cooked until soft.
Finally, the beans are added and cooked to your desired doneness.

Italian Green Beans Step 1 — Cook green beans in salted water, drain.

Italian Green Beans Step 2 — Cook green beans in salted water, drain.

Recipe Notes:

Though I didn’t do it this time, slicing the tomatoes in half makes them easier to eat.
Parcooking or blanching the beans until tender will make the final cooking time much shorter.
Fresh basil can be replaced with any other herb that goes well with beans and tomatoes, like fresh thyme.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Haricot Vert?

Haricot vert is a French term that translates to Green Bean (haricot meaning bean and vert meaning green). They are green string beans.

How Do You Blanch Vegetables?

To blanch, briefly plunge your green beans (or other vegetables) into boiling water, then transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process.

Why Do You Blanch Foods?

Blanching helps loosen the skin of fruit like peaches and tomatoes along with setting the color and flavor before freezing (according to my Food Lover’s Companion).

More Vegetable Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Easy Side Dishes and Salad Recipes from She Wears Many Hats
Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe with Rosemary from Cookin’ Canuck
Crack Broccoli from A Beautiful Plate
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
Stir-Fried Asian Asparagus
Roasted Autumn Vegetables with a Dijon Vinaigrette
Green Beans and Bacon Bundles
Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
More Vegetable Side Dishes

Haricot Verts with Grape Tomatoes in a white ceramic bowl with a garnish of fresh basil — *This recipe was first shared in March 2012. Photos and text were updated in 2020.*

By the way, I found this recipe shared in 2012 but had titled it Haricots Vert with Grape Tomatoes! And here I was searching for green beans. Photos, name of recipe, and text have been updated so this doesn’t go missing again.

The Recipe: