If you’re looking for an easy, flavorful, and healthy side dish, look no further than Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans. This simple recipe uses only a few ingredients and the convenience of your slow cooker, making it perfect for busy professionals, parents, and anyone wanting to enjoy a tender, flavorful vegetable side dish without much hassle. In just a few steps, you’ll have a savory side that pairs wonderfully with just about any main course. Plus, the garlic butter sauce will make your green beans irresistible, offering a rich, savory flavor in every bite.
Whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner or preparing a weeknight meal, this Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans recipe is guaranteed to become a household favorite. Let’s dive into the ingredients, cooking method, and serving suggestions for this easy and delicious side dish.
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Ingredients for Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans
To make this Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans, you will need just a few simple ingredients. Below is the list of ingredients and potential substitutions you can use to make this dish your own.
- Fresh Green Beans: The star of the dish. Green beans are known for their crisp texture and vibrant color.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic, not garlic powder, to create that fragrant, savory garlic butter sauce.
- Unsalted Butter: Provides the richness in the garlic butter sauce.
- Vegetable Stock: This forms the base of the cooking liquid, making the beans tender and flavorful.
- Salt and Black Pepper: For seasoning, add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Substitutes for Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans:
- Frozen or Canned Green Beans: If fresh green beans aren’t available, you can use frozen or canned green beans. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time for frozen beans and rinse canned beans before using.
- Ghee: If you want a dairy-free or lactose-free alternative to butter, ghee works great as a substitute while still giving the beans a rich flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Swap vegetable stock for chicken broth for a slightly different flavor profile, or simply use water for a lighter option.
Optional Additions to Enhance the Flavor
While Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans are delicious on their own, there are plenty of ways to customize the flavor and make it even more exciting:
- Bacon Bits or Bacon Grease: Adding bacon bits or a spoonful of bacon grease gives the green beans a smoky, savory kick.
- Red Pepper Flakes: For a little heat, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes to add spice.
- Leftover Ham: If you have leftover ham, toss in a few pieces for extra flavor and protein.
These additions can transform this basic recipe into a gourmet dish that suits your taste preferences.
How to Make Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans
Making Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans is incredibly easy and requires minimal prep work. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Prep the Green Beans
Start by washing and trimming your green beans. Simply cut off the tough ends and discard them. This ensures that you have perfectly tender green beans that will cook evenly in the slow cooker.
Step 2: Mince the Garlic
Peel and mince a few cloves of fresh garlic. The garlic will infuse the butter and stock, creating a deliciously aromatic base for the green beans.
Step 3: Add Ingredients to the Crockpot
Place the prepared green beans, minced garlic, unsalted butter, and vegetable stock in your Crockpot. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper. Stir everything together to combine.
Step 4: Cook in the Crockpot
Cover the Crockpot and cook the green beans on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. The slow cooking process will make the beans perfectly tender while absorbing all the garlic butter flavor.
Step 5: Toss and Serve
Once the beans are tender, give them a quick toss in the garlic butter sauce to coat them evenly. Serve immediately as a delicious side dish to your favorite main course.
Serving Suggestions for Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans
These Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans pair wonderfully with a variety of main dishes, making them an incredibly versatile side:
- Whole Roasted Chicken: The savory and tender green beans complement the crispy skin and juicy meat of a whole roasted chicken.
- Chicken Cordon Bleu: This elegant dish combines perfectly with the creamy and flavorful green beans.
- Short Ribs: The rich, beefy flavor of short ribs contrasts beautifully with the light and buttery green beans.
- Air Fryer Steak: For a quick and easy meal, serve these green beans with a perfectly cooked steak from the air fryer.
No matter what you’re serving them with, these garlic butter green beans will elevate the meal and provide a comforting, flavorful addition.
FAQs
Yes, you can easily double this recipe if you’re serving a larger crowd. Just ensure that your Crockpot is large enough to accommodate the increased ingredients. You may need to adjust the cooking time slightly, but the flavor will remain just as delicious.
Yes! Frozen or canned green beans are great substitutes for fresh ones. If you’re using frozen beans, you don’t need to thaw them beforehand. Just adjust the cooking time as needed. Canned beans should be rinsed before adding them to the Crockpot to remove excess salt.
Absolutely! You can freeze the leftover garlic butter green beans for up to 6 months. Simply store them in an airtight container, and when you’re ready to enjoy them again, just reheat them on the stove or in the microwave.
String beans are an older variety of green beans, often with a string that needs to be removed. Modern green beans (also known as snap beans) don’t have this string, making them easier to cook and eat. Green beans are the preferred variety for this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Each serving of Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans contains:
- Calories: 114
- Carbs: 9g
- Fat: 9g
- Protein: 2g
These green beans are a great option for those following a low-carb diet. The rich flavor comes from the butter and garlic, but the simple ingredients keep it healthy and light.
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Crockpot Garlic Green Beans
- Total Time: 4 hours 5 minutes
Description
If you’re looking for an easy, flavorful, and healthy side dish, look no further than Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans. With just a few simple ingredients and your slow cooker, you’ll have a tender, flavorful side dish perfect for any meal. The garlic butter sauce will make your green beans irresistible!
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and trim the green beans by cutting off the tough ends.
- Mince the garlic cloves.
- Place green beans, minced garlic, unsalted butter, and vegetable stock into the Crockpot.
- Season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine.
- Cover the Crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Once tender, toss the beans in the garlic butter sauce before serving.
Notes
You can enhance the flavor with bacon bits, red pepper flakes, or leftover ham. This dish is easy to customize!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
Final thoughts
Crockpot Garlic Butter Green Beans are the perfect side dish to complement any meal, whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a special holiday feast. The ease of the slow cooker method ensures that you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones. With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have a delicious, healthy, and savory vegetable dish that’s sure to please everyone at the table.
Why not try out this recipe next time you’re looking for an easy yet flavorful side dish? And remember, you can always customize it with additional ingredients like bacon, red pepper flakes, or leftover ham to suit your taste.
Related recipes
For more simple and tasty recipes, check out our other blog posts like Crescent Roll Breakfast Recipes or Breakfast Potatoes Recipe – Easy & Crispy for inspiration. Happy cooking!
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