Green Beans from a Can That Don't Taste Like It! Recipe - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

How do you make green beans not taste like green beans? ›

Empty both cans in to a medium sauce pan and add onions, bacon bits, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. The trick is to let it bubble and DO NOT take the lid off. The bacon bits and onions soften and enhance the flavor of the beans.

Toss drained/rinsed/dried beans with a bit of olive oil (or avocado oil) and your favorite seasonings. You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.

Canned green beans— or for that matter, almost any canned vegetable— tastes different from fresh because they have been cooked. And usually, they have been cooked with salt and other seasonings and additives. That alters the flavor and texture.

If you're looking for a simple mixture that will pair well with a variety of meals, a combination of onion salt, garlic salt, garlic powder, and black pepper works well. You can add dry spices, such as the ones in this mixture, to the skillet at the same time as the green beans.

Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.

It impacts the flavor of your food: "[Rinsing] gives the bean a cleaner mouthfeel and prevents the gel-like coating from altering the flavors of the surrounding ingredients." This is why you might want to rinse canned beans even if you are making a dish that calls for additional liquid, as tempting as it might be to ...

Use seasonings

Seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, oregano, and chili powder can be used in different combinations to give your vegetables an extra kick of flavor without adding extra calories.

Canned beans are packed in a solution of water, salt, and starch. That solution can leave a glossy film on the beans, interfering with not only mouthfeel (slimy beans are a little off-putting), but also the ability of the beans to cling to other ingredients in the dish and absorb those flavors.

Why do my canned green beans taste sour? ›

Flat sour is an unappealing off-flavour that canned goods, home or commercial, can develop. It's caused by keeping jars of just-processed food warm too long after processing, either by keeping them in the canner, or by covering them with a towel, etc.

If your recipe happens to call for Italian green beans, these are the best canned green beans. Del Monte is the brand that makes the most appearances on this list, but if you're looking for French style green beans, go for Great Value. They're less salty and more substantial than Del Monte.

Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the drained green beans and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook for and additional 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and the beans are heated through.

If you're serving them solo, frozen green beans are the way to go. If they're being added to a cooked dish or casserole, canned green beans are just as handy. Look for frozen ones packaged without additional salt or sauce and reduced-sodium canned options.

Your Beans Will Cook Faster

Well, creating an alkaline (or basic) environment by adding a small amount (about 1 teaspoon per cup of dry beans) of baking soda to your soaking/cooking water can actually help your beans cook faster.