These sauteed green beans with dill, and caramelized onions are proof that a simple side dish doesn't have to be boring. Fresh green beans are sauteed until tender-crisp, then tossed with sweet, golden caramelized onions, and a sprinkle of fresh dill for a side dish that's savory, a little sweet, and full of bright flavor in every bite. It comes together in one skillet with just a handful of ingredients, making it easy enough for a weeknight dinner but special enough for a holiday table. Whether you're serving it alongside a weeknight roast chicken or adding it to your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter table, this is the green bean side dish that actually gets eaten.
Why this is the best Sautéed Green Beans with Dill and Caramelized Onions recipe
It's a simple and easy side dish. These sautéed green beans use just a handful of basic ingredients, and most of the work happens right in one skillet. There's no complicated prep or special cooking technique required.
The flavors in these sauteed green beans are simple but impressive. Sweet caramelized onions balance the fresh green beans, while fresh dill gives the finished dish a bright, herby finish.
Sauteed green beans stay crisp-tender. Sautéing them briefly keeps the beans from turning soft and mushy. You get tender green beans that still have a little bite, which is so much better than mushy, overcooked vegetables.
Sautéed green beans work for weeknights and holidays. These green beans are easy enough to serve with a quick chicken or pork dinner, but the caramelized onions and fresh dill make them special enough for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or Sunday dinner.
Sautéed green beans are a fresh alternative to a heavy green bean casserole. If you want green beans without a heavy, creamy sauce, this recipe gives you plenty of flavor while keeping the vegetables front and center using only green beans, caramelized onions, fresh dill, olive oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.
What you'll need to make the best Sautéed Green Beans recipe
Equipment
- Large cast iron skillet or whatever 12-inch skillet you have
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.
Ingredients
- Olive oil - This is the liquid for making the caramelized onions. You can use butter if you prefer that flavor.
- Sugar - This is also for the caramelization process. It makes the onions a little bit sweet.
- Pearl onions - These should be cut in half. If you can't get pearl onions, you can use sweet onions that have been roughly chopped.
- Fresh garlic - This is optional but adds a great flavor.
- Green beans - As fresh as possible.
- Fresh dill - You can go overboard with fresh dill, so stick to the amount suggested in the recipe.
- Salt
- Black pepper freshly ground
How to make easy Sautéed Green Beans
- Heat oil and sugar together in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
Add onions and sauté until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 30 minutes. - Turn heat up to medium-high. When pan is hot, add green beans and continue cooking until the beans are crisp-tender (or your desired tenderness), stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. You can add the lid to make cooking quicker.
- Remove from heat and toss with dill, salt, and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Substitutions & variations
You can use fresh or frozen green beans for this recipe. Fresh green beans will give you the crispest texture, but frozen beans work in a pinch. Thaw and drain them well before adding them to the skillet so they sauté instead of steaming.
If you don't have fresh dill, you can use dried dill, but use about one third of the amount suggested because dried herbs are more concentrated. Fresh parsley, chives, or thyme would also work if you want a different herb flavor.
For the onions, you can use yellow, sweet, or pearl onions. Pearl onions are especially nice for a holiday meal because you can leave them whole or cut them in half.
For even more savory flavor, add fresh garlic (pressed or minced) and/or fresh ginger (grated) during the last minute or two of cooking the onions. Don't add it too early or it may burn before the onions are caramelized.
You can add other veggies like sliced mushrooms. You could even add fresh carrots, but I would recommend steaming them first as they will take a lot longer to cook than the green beans.
You can also finish the green beans with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of lemon zest, grated Parmesan cheese, toasted almonds, or chopped pecans. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a little heat without overpowering the dill and onions.
If you don't want to use sugar to help caramelize the onions, simply leave it out and cook the onions a little longer over medium to medium-low heat until they're deeply golden and naturally sweet.
Storing leftover Sautéed Green Beans with Dill and Caramelized Onions
Allow leftover green beans to cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
For the best texture, reheat the green beans in a skillet over medium heat with a tiny splash of olive oil. Stir them occasionally just until heated through. You can also microwave them, but they may become softer than they were when freshly cooked.
I don't recommend freezing these green beans. They are safe to freeze, but thawed green beans tend to lose their crisp-tender texture and can become soft or watery. If you do freeze them, place cooled leftovers in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag and use them within about 2 months.
Check out more delicious Bean recipes
- Asian Green Beans
- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
- Beef and Green Bean Stir Fry
- Easy Black Bean Soup with Canned Beans
- CrockPot BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon (Plus Stovetop Instructions)
- Mexican Rice and Beans
Recipe
Sautéed Green Beans with Caramelized Onions
Equipment
- Large cast iron skillet or whatever 12-inch skillet you have
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 pound pearl onions cut in half
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced, optional
- 2 pounds green beans
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Heat oil and sugar together in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 extra minute.
- Turn heat up to medium-high. When pan is hot, add the green beans and continue cooking until the beans are crisp-tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in dill, salt, and pepper.
- Serve immediately.
Robyn's Online World says
I love fresh green beans also. Canned are just a different thing altogether so if anyone thinks they do NOT like green beans based on canned, try fresh!
Your recipe looks yummy - I will give it a try - but minus the dill (one of the few flavors I really don't like).
.-= Robyn's Online World´s last blog ..Places to Keep my iPhone =-.
mariah says
I'm with ya! I could eat green beans for every meal
.-= mariah´s last blog ..Big sister crushed the other and I made Pho =-.
mariah says
I'm with ya! I could eat green beans for every meal
.-= mariah´s last blog ..Big sister crushed the other and I made Pho =-.
Robyn's Online World says
I love fresh green beans also. Canned are just a different thing altogether so if anyone thinks they do NOT like green beans based on canned, try fresh!
Your recipe looks yummy - I will give it a try - but minus the dill (one of the few flavors I really don't like).
.-= Robyn's Online World´s last blog ..Places to Keep my iPhone =-.
Shannanb aka Mommy Bits says
Fresh green beans and carmelized onions? Mmm. Two of my favorite things. This sounds delish!
Happy MM.
.-= Shannanb aka Mommy Bits´s last blog ..Mouthwatering Monday - Southwest BBQ Pizza =-.
Juli says
i'm going to try this this week! we have some green beans from andres' garden, and dill from the garden too. could i use thawed frozen pearl onions? i have regular sweet onions from the farmers market too. thanks for sharing!
Tara says
Juli - You can definitely use thawed frozen pearl onions. That's what the original recipe called for. 🙂
Juli says
i'm going to try this this week! we have some green beans from andres' garden, and dill from the garden too. could i use thawed frozen pearl onions? i have regular sweet onions from the farmers market too. thanks for sharing!
Tara says
Juli - You can definitely use thawed frozen pearl onions. That's what the original recipe called for. 🙂
Shannanb aka Mommy Bits says
Fresh green beans and carmelized onions? Mmm. Two of my favorite things. This sounds delish!
Happy MM.
.-= Shannanb aka Mommy Bits´s last blog ..Mouthwatering Monday - Southwest BBQ Pizza =-.
Andrea McMann says
That looks like a really yummy recipe! I'll have to try it soon! 🙂
.-= Andrea McMann´s last blog ..Tackle it Tuesday: Cardio! =-.
Andrea McMann says
That looks like a really yummy recipe! I'll have to try it soon! 🙂
.-= Andrea McMann´s last blog ..Tackle it Tuesday: Cardio! =-.
Kelli @ writing the waves says
Sounds good! I've been looking for a fresh green beans recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Kelli @ writing the waves says
Sounds good! I've been looking for a fresh green beans recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Geri@heartnsolcooking says
I love fresh green beans. I think summer is a GREAT!!! time of year. All the fresh veggie in the garden, in the store and at the growers markets. I'm going to try this recipe soon. THANKS!!! for the GREAT!!! recipe. Geri
.-= Geri@heartnsolcooking´s last blog ..SHRIMP AND BOK CHOY =-.
Geri@heartnsolcooking says
I love fresh green beans. I think summer is a GREAT!!! time of year. All the fresh veggie in the garden, in the store and at the growers markets. I'm going to try this recipe soon. THANKS!!! for the GREAT!!! recipe. Geri
.-= Geri@heartnsolcooking´s last blog ..SHRIMP AND BOK CHOY =-.
Amy Green - Simply Sugar & says
I love mixing green beans with other veggies - carmelized onions always add a punch. It's so much fun making fabulous food out of fresh produce.
Amy Green - Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free says
I love mixing green beans with other veggies - carmelized onions always add a punch. It's so much fun making fabulous food out of fresh produce.
Brenda says
I bet the sugar with the onions makes it extra yummy!
.-= Brenda´s last blog ..Grilled Corn on the Cob/TMTT =-.
Lisa@Blessedwithgrace says
Yep, that would make for some tasty green beans.
.-= Lisa@Blessedwithgrace´s last blog ..Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.... full of flavor and simple =-.
Brenda says
I bet the sugar with the onions makes it extra yummy!
.-= Brenda´s last blog ..Grilled Corn on the Cob/TMTT =-.
Lisa@Blessedwithgrace says
Yep, that would make for some tasty green beans.
.-= Lisa@Blessedwithgrace´s last blog ..Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.... full of flavor and simple =-.