Green Beans Always Taste Better At A Restaurant And It's Clear Why

While green beans may not be the most popular vegetable consumed in the United States, they do make a frequent appearance on the dinner table. From dishes like a classic green beans almondine to the iconic casserole that shows up every Thanksgiving, this verdant and healthy vegetable can brighten up any meal. That said, when prepared from-scratch at home, they often lack the flavor and texture that an experienced restaurant chef can draw out of them.

As a professional culinarian with nearly two decades of practice under my belt, I have snipped, sautéed, roasted, and fried my fair share of green beans throughout my career. I happen to love the earthy, delicate, sweet flavor and lightly crisp texture this vegetable lends to a plate. It can complement virtually any kind of protein or jazz up a vegetarian dish in an instant, when prepared correctly. Read on to discover why green beans always taste better at a restaurant and how you can capture some of that gourmet magic yourself the next time you prepare them.

One thing chefs understand about green beans is that they are not a monolith. There are roughly 500 different types of green beans known to man, which fall into two categories, bush and pole varieties. Though both are edible, they have different characteristics that may make them more or less suitable for a particular culinary application. A well-educated, experienced chef will understand the nuances of each type of bean and will be able to either procure the right one for a specific dish or adjust a menu accordingly based on what is in season or available in bulk.

The green bean that most people are familiar with is the Blue Lake variety. This stringless bean is highly versatile and can be used in virtually any recipe thanks to its juicy, crisp texture and consistent size. That said, when it comes to a simple sauté, chefs will often opt for the hefty Kentucky Wonder. These are favored for their especially hardy shells and pungent flavor.

When it comes to salads, the jade-hued Kentucky Blue is popular owing to its distinct sweetness and juiciness. And, for more bougie recipes, the delicate, svelte Maxibel Haricot Vert is a common selection. Lastly, the unusual, Italian Romano bean is popular in stews, Asian-style stir fries, and for tossing on the grill thanks to its flat shape and firm texture.

Another difference between home cooks and restaurant chefs is that you will seldom catch the latter using canned green beans. While they may be convenient, canned green beans just cannot hold a candle to fresh ones. Not only do they lack the toothsome texture and vibrant green hue of the fresh variety, but canned green beans are notably different in nutritional value. They are generally lower in both vitamin C and potassium, and most varieties are quite high in sodium.

For the best quality, chefs always opt for fresh green beans. When possible, they will source them from a local farm or grow them themselves. When purchased from a produce distributor, they are quite discerning with the criteria they use to determine which beans to purchase.

Fresh beans should have a firm, not floppy, texture. The beans must be crisp when snapped in half, not mealy. And, most importantly, the beans should have a bright green color (unless you are buying a purple variety) and be free of blemishes, bruises, dark spots, or any sign of spoilage, like a slimy surface.

I will often go one step further when selecting beans and bite into a raw one to assess the flavor of the fresh bean. If it is slightly grassy and sweet without any excessive bitterness or rancid taste, I know I have a good batch.

It may seem obvious that you should clean and prepare green beans properly before using them for safety, the best flavor, and the highest quality mouthfeel, but this may be a little more involved than you might anticipate. This is where the legion of prep chefs at a restaurant have an edge over home cooks.

Once obtained, prep chefs will wash fresh green beans in cold water to remove any residual dirt or debris. The cleaned beans will be dried and sorted through to remove any damaged specimens. An easy way to eliminate excess water from washed green beans is to place them in a salad spinner in batches until all the beans have been thoroughly dried.

Next, each bean will have its stem end snapped or cut off with a knife. While I don't typically remove the tip end, as I like the way it looks on a plate, this is up to the discretion of each chef. Once the stems are discarded, green beans that are not stringless will need to have the string removed. From here, chefs will either leave the beans whole or cut them into pieces depending on the recipe they are using them for.

When it comes to green beans served at a restaurant versus at home, one of the things that is most notable is the difference in color and texture of the vegetables. The appearance of home-cooked green beans is often dull, lifeless, and unappetizing. The secret to why restaurant green beans are more vibrant than those made at home is a simple technique known as blanching.

Blanching is a process during which the green beans are briefly parboiled in salted water and then quickly cooled off in ice water to halt the cooking process. This effectively seals in the color and texture, and preserves the nutritional value of the green beans, allowing them to remain more toothsome, verdant, and flavorful.

Though blanched green beans can be served as-is, simply dressed with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, they are ideally suited for use in any recipe. The blanching process expedites other methods of cooking, from sautéing to roasting to casseroles, as it ensures the center of the green bean softens more rapidly without compromising the visual appeal of this vegetable.

As a chef, I believe the greatest cardinal sin when it comes to preparing green beans is boiling them to death. Not only does this cooking method render green beans dull and lifeless, it turns them into a mushy, soggy mess, void of much flavor. For this reason, you will never catch a restaurant worth its salt boiling green beans.

Another reason to avoid boiling green beans goes beyond taste and texture. The process of boiling vegetables can result in serious nutrient loss, particularly among water-soluble vitamins, including C and B vitamins. Boiling will also result in decreased levels of fiber and a 60-70% decline in valuable minerals, such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, according to Sutter Health. While you aren't necessarily going to a restaurant because the meal is designed to be good for your health, more and more fine dining establishments are interested in a holistic approach to food that takes into consideration every aspect of preserving the integrity of an ingredient, from its taste and texture to nutritional value and appearance, which means they will not be boiling their green beans anytime soon.

One thing restaurant chefs routinely do that home cooks do not is think outside the box in terms of cooking methods for different ingredients. Short of boiling them, green beans are remarkably versatile in terms of the ways in which they can be cooked, and restaurants are uniquely equipped with a number of different gadgets and gizmos that enable them to take full advantage of the range of possibilities of this humble vegetable.

Green beans generally shine best when prepared using higher heat cooking methods. They can be stir-fried, grilled, roasted, pan-fried, sautéed, air-fried, and fried.The key to cooking green beans using a high heat cooking method is to not crowd them. This enables the heat to be evenly exposed to each bean, cooking them evenly so that each bite is consistent in flavor and texture, which is the hallmark of a quality restaurant.

Another cooking method that can be used with green beans that is perhaps more exclusive to restaurants is placing them in a sous vide immersion circulator. This replaces the need for blanching the beans and the finished beans can be eaten straight out of the vacuum-sealed bag once cooked or can be finished on the grill or in a sauté pan for an added hint of color and flavor.

A phenomenon I often encounter with home cooks is a fear or lack of understanding as to what types and how much seasoning should be added to a dish. This is something restaurant chefs have mastered, and it can make or break a recipe, particularly something that is as simple and naturally delicious as green beans.

At the very least, green beans require an adequate amount of kosher salt to be added during the cooking process. Salt does a few things for beans. It helps to tenderize them faster, cook more evenly, maintain their verdant hue, and give them a balanced flavor. Salt should always be added at the beginning of the cooking process, when the beans are blanched, and you can adjust the seasoning at the end using a finishing salt for added flavor.

Other dynamite seasonings to use include za'atar, which is usually a combination of thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds. This unique blend has herbaceous notes from the thyme, tart ones from the sumac, and nutty elements from the sesame, which help to round out the inherent earthy and sweet flavors of the beans.

If you want a pungent herb that pairs beautifully with green beans, look no further than Summer Savory. Also known as the "bean plant," this herb has a taste comparable to oregano or marjoram, with a distinctive spiciness that can transform beans into something really special.

Texture is a key component of green beans that are prepared masterfully. Home cooks frequently under or over-cook green beans, resulting in something that is unpleasant to consume either way. Restaurant chefs are extremely cautious about getting this right so that they can showcase the green bean to its full potential and make eating them a positive experience.

While it may be safe to consume green beans raw, there are some reasons you would want to avoid doing so. Raw green beans are high in a protein known as lectin. This protein moves through the human body without being digested, which can cause gastrointestinal discomfort in many. The cooking process renders these lectins inert, making green beans digestible in cooked format.

That said, you don't want to go overboard either, as you run the risk of having floppy, sad green beans void of any flavor whatsoever. Fully cooked green beans should be toothsome, but not crunchy. They should be soft enough to yield when you bite into them, yet have a creamy, velvety quality that is satisfying. And, they should have a taste that is more on the sweet, versus grassy side.

One of the first principles chefs learn in culinary school is that fat equals flavor. While this may seem obvious to most, there are legitimate scientific reasons why this is so. Though home cooks often shy away from using high amounts of fat in an attempt at making foods "healthier," restaurant chefs understand that fat is the key to making many ingredients, especially vegetables like green beans, both more palatable, and, in some cases, more nutritious.

Humans have evolved to prefer foods that are high in fat because they are energy-rich. As such, we have developed many sensory abilities to detect fat, which are important to understand when it comes to cooking green beans. Fat enhances the taste, aroma, and texture of foods that may otherwise be perceived as bitter or unpalatable, like green beans. It also contributes moisture and increases the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, like A, D, E, and K.

These are all scientifically sound reasons to use fat when cooking green beans, but, ultimately, the proof is in the proverbial pudding. Right after green beans are blanched, they should immediately be tossed in fat. Doing so will preserve the vibrant color of green beans and seal in their juiciness, yielding a more luscious, flavorful bean. Try using a grassy extra virgin olive oil, herbaceous compound butter, or a nutty sesame oil for best results.

Another trick restaurant chefs often employ when cooking green beans is adding a splash of an acid to them when they are blanched or otherwise cooked. Certainly acidic ingredients can help to brighten green beans and tame some of their inherent bitter qualities. They can also help to intensify the sweetness of the beans, making for a more well-rounded taste.

Acidity can also play another role in enhancing green beans. They can help to preserve their bright, verdant hue and prevent them from becoming too mushy as they cook. This makes them more visually appealing and improves overall mouthfeel, giving green beans a more palatable texture.

Keep in mind that the acid you use should complement the taste of the green bean. You never want to use plain, distilled vinegar when cooking beans. This can be too harsh a flavor, overpowering the delicate beans. Apple cider or wine vinegar are far better alternatives. And, when it comes to citrus, lemon juice may be the obvious choice, but orange, grapefruit, or even lime juice can effectively be used with green beans for a more complex flavor.

Let's be honest, for some home cooks, green beans may only appear at the dinner table at Thanksgiving in the form of a spruced-up green bean casserole recipe. While there is nothing wrong with this, green beans are capable of being more than just the star of this popular holiday dish, or even relegated to being nothing more than a side dish. Restaurants are always looking for ways to jazz up the most humble ingredient and turn it into something revolutionary, which is why you will often discover green bean dishes that will blow your mind at a fine dining establishment.

Some of the most creative green bean dishes involve serving them cold, either in the form of a salad, a chilled soup, pickled, or as a spin on hummus that is sure to knock your socks off. Other iterations that are popular restaurant fare include fried green beans, green bean fritters, or green beans wrapped in prosciutto or bacon, for an appetizer that will revolutionize the way you conceive of this vegetable.

Then there are the myriad breakfast possibilities that will help make waking up more flavorful, healthier, and will encourage you to want to hit the pavement running. From frittatas to quiche to a vibrant spin on shakshuka, green beans can totally transform your morning routine. Ultimately, the only limitation to this vegetable is the capacity of the chef preparing them to think outside the box.

I'm going to let you in on a chef's secret. You might think topping that green bean casserole with breadcrumbs or nuts is all about getting a nice crunchy, brown crust that tastes good, but it's more than just that. Adding textural interest to a recipe will make you think you are eating more and will leave you feeling more satiated regardless of how simple a dish is. The added mouthfeel and increased chewing time will actually make those green beans feel more satisfying and filling.

Don't let this fool you though, we do care about taste, which is why we like changing things up. Nuts and breadcrumbs are fine, but they can get a little boring. We want to entice you with elements that will add sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami notes to your green beans. For this reason, we employ an arsenal of crunchy elements in green bean dishes, ranging from crushed breakfast cereal or crackers to crispy bacon and snappy pomegranate seeds.

When considering which crunchy ingredient to add to a favorite green bean recipe, I factor in any other ingredients I am using. If a recipe already calls for salty components, like cheese, I may opt for a sweet element to counterbalance this. If it relies predominantly on brighter, acidic notes, like lemon zest and juice, I may toss in some crushed potato chips for a salty bite. It's all about balance.

Condiments are as diverse and varied as snowflakes, and restaurants love to stock their pantries with them to help season their dishes. There are so many different types that can easily be added to green bean recipes to help give them that "je ne sais quoi" that will have your dinner guests clamoring for more. As a chef, I typically rely on condiments that are bold in either umami notes, intense heat, or a fermented funky flavor to jazz up green beans.

In the umami department, favorite condiments include salty and savory miso, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or fish sauce. Among my favorite spicy elements are sriracha, harissa paste, sambal oelek, and gochujang. When we are talking about fermented funk, kimchi, pickles, olives, and sauerkraut can all help green beans become way cooler than they already are.

A note about using condiments in green bean recipes. While they are integral to adding flavor, don't go overboard with them. A little goes a long way toward enhancing the beans., while too much will mask the natural flavors of the beans. Moderation is key.