Quick and Easy Side Dishes that Go with Any Meal
by Tracy Shaw
Explore quick and easy green bean side dishes perfect for busy weeknights! From air fryer green beans to vegan green bean casserole, find delicious and nutritious recipes your family will love.
When it comes to making healthy weeknight dinners the faster you can get it on the table the better. You’ve had a long day of work, the kids have had a long day of school, and there may even be evening after-school activities or sports practices to attend. That’s why you need a variety of quick and easy side dishes that go with any meal.
Green beans are healthy, and delicious, and can be prepared in a variety of ways that your family will love. Plus, you will love how fast you can make all the yummy side dishes we have listed for you below!
You can prepare green bean dishes even faster by using green bans that are already prepped for you to use. Look for ones that are already washed and snipped, and that you can microwave them in the bag they come in! Now that’s a quick side dish for a busy night that will go with any meal!
Health Benefits of Green Beans
Green beans are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals including folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, manganese, and potassium. Folate is a B vitamin that helps cells work and tissues to grow. Vitamin C helps to boost your immune system, helps your body to produce collagen, and protects your skin. As a mom over 40, sounds like I need to add more green beans to my daily routine 😉
Vitamin A helps to promote healthy vision and is also important to your immune system. Calcium is important for bone health and a healthy heart. Manganese promotes bone health and wound healing and also improves metabolism. Potassium helps your nerves and muscles, particularly your heart muscles, to function properly.
Quick and Easy Green Bean Side Dishes that Go with Any Meal
Now that you know the health benefits of green beans, and why they are so good for you, let’s talk about some delicious and easy ways to prepare them!
Air Fryer Green Beans
Air fryer green beans are a simple side dish that you can pair with any meal. Simply heat your air fryer, drizzle the green beans with a little olive oil give them a dash of salt and pepper, and air fry them for about ten minutes. They are crispy, crunchy, and absolutely delicious!
Buttery Garlic Green Beans
The whole family is going to love these butter and garlic green beans side dish! Prepped in 5 minutes and ready to serve in 15 minutes, these are perfect for busy school nights! All you need is fresh green beans, butter, garlic and some lemon-pepper seasoning. Done!
Italian Green Beans
These fresh and delicious Italian green beans can be on your dinner table in under 30 minutes! Green beans, grape tomatoes, red onion, garlic, and a little olive oil are all you need to create this fantastic side dish! It’s easy, it’s bright and colorful, and it tastes fantastic!
Garlic and Parmesan Green Beans
These easy garlic parmesan green beans can be on your dinner table in a matter of minutes! Green beans, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese are all you need for a healthy side dish that the whole family is going to love.
To make them start by heating a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, add a 12-ounce package of green beans. Cover the skillet and cook the green beans for about 10 minutes, stirring often to ensure even cooking. After 10 minutes, add a tablespoon of minced garlic and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese to the skillet. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes, stirring well to combine all the flavors. Serve and enjoy these delicious Easy Garlic and Parmesan Green Beans!
Honey Ginger Green Beans
Honey ginger green beans are a simple side dish with an Asian flair that will pair perfectly with any meal. Combine your green beans with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and honey for a sweet and savory side dish that everyone is going to love for dinner.
To make this easy side dish begin by heating a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, add a 12-ounce package of green beans, along with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of honey. Cover the skillet and cook the green beans for about 10 minutes, stirring often to ensure they cook evenly. After 10 minutes, add a tablespoon of minced garlic and a tablespoon of minced ginger to the skillet. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes, stirring well to combine all the flavors. Serve and enjoy these flavorful Honey Ginger Green Beans!
Easy Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans and Carrots
When you are looking for a simple side dish that’s perfect with any meal these easy roasted potatoes with green beans and carrots are an excellent choice. You can have this dish prepared for the oven in just ten minutes, and ready for your table in under an hour, but that gives you plenty of time to help with homework or pack school lunches. This easy dinner side dish is fancy enough for holidays and simple enough for a weeknight.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
While green bean casserole is a holiday staple, this version is so easy and delicious we don’t see why you wouldn’t serve it all year long! This green bean casserole is prepped and ready for the oven in just ten minutes, or if your family does meal prep, you can prepare it and leave it in the fridge until the night you plan to serve it.
Ready-to-use green beans, onions, mushrooms, and crispy fried onions for the topping are the main ingredients you need. You will also need a few additional kitchen staples, almond milk, and vegetable broth to keep it vegan.
Green beans are delicious, good for you, and as you can see, a very versatile ingredient. By using green beans in your kitchen you have a nutritious side dish at your fingertips that can be on your dinner table in a matter of minutes. Kitchen shortcuts like snapped and trimmed green beans are a lifesaver for busy moms trying to get dinner on the table fast during the busy back to school season.
What is one of your favorite green bean side dishes?
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