Worcestershire Green Beans

Discover the simplicity of these 18-minute Worcestershire green beans. Fresh green beans are blanched and then sautéed with Worcestershire sauce and shallots, creating an easy side dish that’s tender-crisp and packed with savory flavor. It’s a fan favorite on Pinterest, with over 56,000 shares and counting!

Quick Fork-Tender Sautéed Green Beans

Fresh green beans are a staple in many American homes year-round. Whether you pick them from the garden in July or find them in a grocery store for your Thanksgiving menu, they are a familiar green veggie that cooks up quickly.

To achieve that perfect fork-tender balance of tender and crispy, these green beans are cooked in two steps: blanching and sautéing. It’s more exciting than steaming but results in a more tender bean than sautéing alone. The best part, it’s all done in one pan.

Seasoned with the combination of tangy worcestershire sauce and the sweet bite of shallot, these worcestershire sautéed green beans are packed with flavor. They should definitely be on your list of favorite simple side dish recipes.

What You’ll Need

Seven ingredients are all you need to make these deliciously flavor-packed green beans. Some of them may already be in your pantry. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

• Fresh green beans – Crisp green beans that snap in half are best. This recipe can be adapted to use frozen green beans by adjusting the cooking time during the blanching step.
• Shallot – Typically found with the onions, shallots have a delicate garlicky flavor with a hint of sweetness when cooked.
• Low-sodium chicken stock – Adds flavor to the beans during the blanching stage. If you use regular chicken stock, you may not need additional salt.
• Worcestershire sauce – Tangy, with a savory sweet umami flavor, it is what makes the flavor in this dish unique.
• Cooking oil – Avocado oil is my choice and ideal for high-heat applications like sautéing.
• Kosher salt – Brings out all the flavors, so adjust as needed.
• Black pepper – Adds a warm, woody flavor with a bite of spice.

Recommended Kitchen Tools

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• 12″ skillet with lid – cast iron works best, but stainless steel or non-stick will do the job.
• Cutting board – Bamboo is my choice for fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
• Chef’s knife – I’m loving this one from Made-In.
• Liquid measuring cup – These glass ones from Pyrex are microwave and dishwasher-safe.
• Measuring spoons – The long skinny shape of these is great for spice jars.

How to Make: Worcestershire Green Beans

In my kitchen, there is no substitution for fresh green beans. They are easy to find and easy to prepare. Simply snap off the end that was attached to the bush and give them a light wash. If you prefer, you can go one step further and cut them into one-inch pieces.

• Prep your ingredients. Mince shallot. Clean beans and trim ends as needed. Set out the remaining ingredients and gather the necessary tools. 
• Heat a lidded skillet over medium heat. Add cooking oil and allow to heat for one minute then add minced shallots then cook for 1 – 2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add worcestershire sauce, low-sodium chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Add green beans, stir to coat beans, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just slightly more firm than desired, about 8 – 10 minutes.
• Uncover, turn up the heat and allow to cook for 2 – 4 minutes to reduce the sauce. The sauce should become syrupy, coating the green beans and making the shallots stick. 

Cooking Method: Blanch and Sauté

My favorite way to cook green beans is the two-step approach of blanching followed by a quick sauté. I use this method for both this recipe and my Screaming Skillet Green Beans.

What is blanching?

In short, blanching is a cooking method that involves submerging your ingredients in boiling liquid to partially cook. It is often followed by shocking, which is when you take the hot ingredients and immediately place them into an ice bath. For this recipe, however, we skip the shock.

Blanching the green beans cooks the inside of the bean, making it tender without making it soft. It locks in their flavor, and as long as you don’t overdo it, it also locks in their green color. To enhance the flavor of these beans, instead of blanching in water, we blanch in a worcestershire enhanced stock that will become the sauce.

What is sautéing?

Sautéing is when you cook foods at a high heat in a small amount of fat. It’s similar to frying but uses considerably less fat and is typically done over a high heat instead of a moderate heat.

While I consider this recipe a two-step cooking method, technically, the actual sautéing doesn’t happen until the sauce is reduced and the extra water has evaporated, leaving behind the oil and flavor.

Sautéing requires a bit more hands-on attention than blanching, as both the greens and sugars in the sauce are susceptible to burning if left too long in one spot. When done right, sautéing caramelizes all the flavors in the pan, leaving us with a thick, rich sauce.

Tips and Tricks

Every recipe has its own unwritten tips and tricks to get the best results the first time and every time. Here are a couple of my most important tips for you.

• Use the right size pan. While I recommend a 12″ pan, you could use a 10″ pan, but don’t go smaller than that without reducing the recipe. While it won’t make a significant impact on the blanching portion, it will take longer to reduce the sauce, leaving you with overcooked beans.
• The lid is just as crucial as the pan. It’s going to trap the steam allowing the green beans to cook without reducing the sauce too early.

Serving Suggestions

These green beans are a quick and easy 18-minute recipe perfect for a weeknight meal. I’ve served them with grilled maple mustard chicken, pork chops with mustard shallot gravy, and this bacon-avocado ground beef burger.

With their impressive, rich flavor, they have also been known to show up on my Christmas table right between my beef tenderloin and creamy mashed potatoes.

These green beans are best when served immediately, so I advise against making them in advance. If you are making a large roast or turkey, make these beans while the main entree rests so they can be served hot.

How to Store and Reheat

If you have leftovers, they keep well in the fridge for 2 – 3 days when stored in an airtight container. While you could hypothetically freeze them, it will alter the texture of the beans, so I wouldn’t recommend it.

To reheat, toss them in a skillet and sauté them until hot through, about 3 – 5 minutes. I’ve also had good results throwing them in the air fryer at 400ºF for 3 – 5 minutes. I’ve also enjoyed these beans cold for lunch the next day.

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Sautéed Worcestershire Green Beans (Fork-Tender!)

Discover the simplicity of these 18-minute Worcestershire green beans. Fresh green beans are blanched and then sautéed with Worcestershire sauce and shallots, creating an easy side dish that's tender-crisp and packed with savory flavor. It's a fan favorite on Pinterest, with over 56,000 shares and counting!

4.3 stars (48 ratings)

prep: 5 minutes minutes

cook: 13 minutes minutes

total: 18 minutes minutes

servings: 4 servings

author: Renee N Gardner

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot
• 1 pound fresh green beans – washed and trimmed
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt*
• 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

• Mince shallot. Clean beans and trim ends as needed. Set out the remaining ingredients and gather the necessary tools. 
• Heat a lidded skillet over medium heat. Add cooking oil and allow to heat for one minute. Add minced shallots, then cook for 1 – 2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add worcestershire sauce, low-sodium chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Add green beans, stir to coat beans, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are just slightly more firm than desired, about 8 – 10 minutes.
• Uncover, turn up the heat and allow to cook for 2 – 4 minutes to reduce the sauce. The sauce should become syrupy, coating the green beans and making the shallots stick. 

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Notes

If using a full sodium chicken stock or homemade with added salt, wait and add the salt at the end. You may not need any additional salt, depending on how much is in your stock of choice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 510mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.

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