9 Healthy Green Bean Recipes That Go Beyond Casseroles

Heirloom Tomato and Green Bean Salad

No need to search any further; you've landed at quite possibly the best healthy green bean recipe for summer. Think of this as a mash-up of a pasta salad, tomato salad, and a green bean side all in one ready-in-30-minute package. Quick-cooking couscous adds just enough staying power to help this caper-spiked, herb-infused salad work as both a carbohydrate and a veggie side.

Make-Ahead Green Bean Salad

If you wrote off steamed green beans based on Mom's canned vegetable side dish, this healthy green bean recipe will inspire you to see the technique in a new light. Start fresh—with fresh haricot verts, that is—and steam until just crisp-tender. Refrigerate the make-ahead side dish up to 3 days, then toss with toasted sliced almonds, fresh mint, and a zippy Dijon vinaigrette. While this salad is easy enough to pack for weekday lunches, it's also elegant enough for any holiday table.

Two-Tone Green Bean Salad with Hazelnuts and Parmesan

Now here's a healthy green bean side dish you'd likely never guess is good for you. Heart-healthy fats from olive oil and hazelnuts add indulgence to the healthy green bean recipe. But we added just enough of those richer ingredients to the veggies to keep each serving around 100 calories—and totally delicious.

Green Bean and Mushroom Skillet

This cream-free, easy, healthy green bean casserole alternative is like the 21st century twist on Grandma's classic green bean casserole. A bit of crispy bacon, goat cheese, and French-fried onions (we wouldn't dare skip them!) lend just enough flavor and nostalgia to pump up a whopping 1½ pounds of fresh or frozen green beans. Not a huge goat cheese fan? Feta, Parmesan, Asiago, blue, or any other salty cheese you prefer will work.

Toasted Sesame Green Beans with Teriyaki Glaze

This best green bean recipe might take you a bit longer than 30 minutes start to finish, depending on how quickly you chop veggies. But once you've trimmed the beans, sliced the mushrooms, and grated the ginger, it's really only a matter of dump, stir, and cook for about 10 minutes. The extra prep pays off in taste and the impending "mmm's" from everyone who eats it.

Buy It: House of Tsang Sesame Oil ($6, Target)

Green Beans with Basil and Mint

Hello, speedy, super-fresh side dish. With just one pan and 20 minutes you can whip up this double veggie and double herb healthy green bean side dish to go with virtually any entrée. The bright, fresh flavors balance a meaty or starchy main dish beautifully.

Green Beans with Toasted Panko

Add a little crunch to your green beans with some seasoned, toasted bread crumbs. Admittedly, this easy, healthy green bean casserole substitute takes a bit longer than the others here, at 35 minutes, but only because they roast (hands-off time for you) for 20 minutes to give you that delicious charred flavor. This will quickly become one of the most-requested side dishes in your home.

Parsleyed Green Beans

If you've got parsley and green beans on hand, we can pretty much guarantee you've got everything else you need for this quick and healthy green bean recipe (the rest is just butter, garlic, salt, and pepper). This simple side dish cooks up fast, and you can partially make it a day ahead and chill to get it on the table even faster if you like.

Lemony Green Beans and Arugula

Get a double dose of greens with this arugula and green bean combo. Peppery arugula is tempered by slightly wilting in oil and garlic with a bit of citrus to pair deliciously with slightly sweet, fresh green beans. While this 25-minute healthy green bean dish pairs well with any protein, we particularly adore the bright lemon notes with a salmon, shrimp, or scallops recipe.