Marinated Green Beans
Updated June 11, 2025
- Total Time
- 2½ hours
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes, plus at least 2 hours’ marinating
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 12ounces green beans, ends trimmed
- 3tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2garlic cloves, grated
- ¼cup torn fresh basil leaves
- ¼cup torn fresh mint leaves
- Crushed red pepper (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
123 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 260 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a large pot, combine 2 quarts water and ½ tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Add the green beans to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, until they are a vibrant green color. Strain the green beans and lay them on a kitchen towel or paper towel and blot them to dry. Set aside.
- Step 2
Make the marinade: In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, grated garlic, half of the basil and mint, 1 teaspoon salt and and pinch each of black pepper and crushed red pepper, if using.
- Step 3
Add the dried, still-warm green beans and the marinade to a shallow dish or a zip-top bag and toss to coat. Let sit for 15 minutes, then cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, tossing occasionally. The beans will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so feel free to make ahead or enjoy leftovers.
- Step 4
Serve cold or at room temperature, garnished with the remaining basil and mint.
Private Notes
Comments
In my experience, cooking beans for 2 minutes until they're "crisp-tender" means they're crisp alright, but not tender. Basically the texture of raw beans. I cooked these for about four minutes and they were perfect
Why are we still recommending the use of plastic bags? Especially when vinegar could cause plasticizers to migrate into the food?
Bob, you're correct, the type of salt does make a difference! In general, if we don't specify a specific type of salt, you can use whatever you have. In this case, Dan used Diamond Crystal kosher salt; I've updated the recipe to reflect that detail. If you prefer to use fine salt or Morton coarse kosher salt, which are denser than Diamond Crystal, I would start with 3/4 teaspoon in the marinade, and adjust the salt to taste at the end. Whatever salt you use, I hope you make the recipe!
Delicious. Added parsley as suggested. Also had cherry tomatoes, baby spinach and tiny, roasted potatoes so I threw those in as well.
Use sherry wine vinegar. Lightly sauté the garlic - watch or it will brown! Make the dressing before cooking the green beans. Agree, the mint is strong. Might use just the basil and parsley.
To Kay, who commented that the use of vinegar in plastic bags can leach out plasticizers: Kay -- I'm a chemist, and plasticizers used in plastics are not soluble in water or acid. They would more likely be fat soluble (as in oil). Fortunately, plasticizers are not used in polyethylene food bags, so no worries.