Overly tender and dull green beans are a big NO in my house! There are many ways to cook green beans, but blanching them in a simple method which makes them bright green in color with the perfect texture. I try to achieve crunchy green beans in the Instant Pot (awesome recipe by the way!), but there are other recipes where the green beans should be a little tender, especially authentic recipes such as Greek Fasolakia, and Palestinian stewed green beans. However, when it comes to serving green beans in a salad or as a side dish, they must be crunchy and tender at the same time. I usually blanch green beans to use in my three bean salad. And in this post, I will show you how to blanch green beans in just ten minutes! Want to learn how to blanch other vegetables as well? Check out my tutorial on how to blanch broccoli!
What is Blanching?
Blanching is a cooking method used for fruit and vegetables, that are scalded in boiling water or steam for a specific amount of time and then plunged in ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. It is usually done to change the texture, color, or help remove the peel (think nut peeling). Blanching also helps preserve the nutritional value and color of the fruit or vegetable.
How to prepare green beans
Wash the green beans, and drain in a colander. Then either snap off the inedible ends with your fingers (this can be time consuming!), or just place them on a cutting board and cut off the ends. And that’s it, you’re done!
How to Blanch Green Beans
How Long to Blanch Green Beans
I find 2-3 minutes is enough to reach the perfect texture for green beans. If you like your greens beans on the softer side, feel free to leave them in the hot water for an extra minute. Now that you’re a pro at blanching green beans, you will never have to deal with mushy or dull green beans ever again! Make sure to pin this tutorial for more people to enjoy. © Little Sunny Kitchen
