Blanching green beans sounds fancy but it's really a very simple method that has lots of benefits. That bright green color...that crisp-tender texture...keeping all the good nutrients like vitamin a and vitamin c. You may already know that blanching involves a quick hot-to-cold shock. But exactly how long do you need to blanch green beans?
The two-step cooking process is simply dropping fresh green beans into a pot of water over high heat for 2-3 minutes and then shocking them in another bowl of ice cubes and cold water to stop the cooking.
How To Prepare Green Beans
To cut prep time, fresh green beans can be purchased pre-washed and pre-trimmed. If using untrimmed, place the beans in a colander and rinse. Line them up evenly on a cutting board in a single layer. With a large knife, give the stems a quick chop.
Why You Should Blanch Your Beans
Blanched beans have that beautiful bright green color. Blanch all your green veggies like string beans, broccoli, broccoli rabe, snap peas, and asparagus.
Pro Tip: Broccoli rabe can be a delicious side dish but it can be a little bitter. Before you saute, blanch that broccoli rabe. This extra step adds to the total time but with certain vegetables, it's totally worth it for the flavor and color.
Blanching is the easiest way to loosen thin-skinned fruits and vegetables like tomatoes (sauce!) or peaches (pie!) You'll also keep the nutrients freshest by blanching the beans. If you plan on freezing batches of veggies in freezer bags, blanching is an important step.
How To Blanch Green Beans
-Trim the stem ends and rinse your fresh green beans.
-On your stovetop, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
-Make your ice water bath by filling a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
-Use a slotted spoon to drop the raw trimmed green beans into the boiling water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Don't walk away! Keep an eye on them to make sure the color doesn't get boiled out.
-Transfer the green beans to a bowl of ice water for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the beans and dry on paper towels.
The cooking process of blanching aka "quick boiling" is an easy way to cook green beans. You can freeze green beans without blanching, but blanching really brings you closest to that fresh flavor and color when you are ready to reheat. Green beans can be stored in the freezer for up to 8 months! Handy!
All green bean recipes benefit from blanching. From crudite platters to garlic and olive oil sauteed green beans, stir-fries, and everyone's favorite green bean casserole.
