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Looking for a simple way to make green beans a bit more exciting? These sautéed green beans and mushrooms are just what you need! They’re tossed with vegan butter, olive oil, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat. The mushrooms turn beautifully golden, the green beans stay tender with a subtle bite, and everything gets coated in a savory garlic butter sauce.
Serve it alongside your favorite vegan roast, some crispy tofu, vegan meatloaf, or a bowl of rice. We could just eat it as a main!
Growing up, my mom made green beans and mushrooms all the time. Not just for Thanksgiving or special occasions. They showed up on a regular Tuesday, usually next to chicken or fish, and there were no leftovers. Funny thing is, the chicken and fish left my table years ago (and hers too, actually!), but this side dish never did. It’s still very much around. Some things are just too good to give up!
Over the years, I gave them a few little updates: vegan butter, a touch of soy sauce for depth, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a hint of heat. What you get is a skillet of tender green beans and deeply golden-brown mushrooms tossed in a garlicky, buttery glaze. It’s simple, it takes about 30 minutes, and somehow it’s always the first thing to disappear when we have guests.
⭐️ Why You’ll Love These Green Beans and Mushrooms
I hear you, green beans and mushrooms don’t exactly scream exciting, but they should. Here’s why this simple dish deserves a spot on your table:
- It’s a one-pan wonder. Almost. I say that because I still boil the green beans separately. Why? They cook more evenly this way, and you don’t need an oversized pan to sauté everything together.
- It goes with just about everything. Pasta, baked tofu, rice, mashed sweet potatoes, vegan meatballs… it plays well with all of them. Bonus: the leftovers keep very well in the fridge. Just reheat them in a skillet for a few minutes, and they are almost as good as freshly made!
- The green beans stay tender but slightly snappy. No soggy, sad green beans here. They stay bright, tender, and just a little crisp.
🫛 What You’ll Need
- Green beans – Use fresh green beans and trim off the ends before cooking. If your green beans are particularly long, cut them in half.
- Mushrooms – I like using cremini mushrooms for their earthy flavor, but white button mushrooms work just as well. You can even use a mix of different varieties! Slice them about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick. Thinner slices dry out, and thicker ones take longer to brown.
- Olive oil and butter – Butter adds a rich, buttery flavor. The olive oil lets you cook at a medium-high heat without the butter burning.
- Garlic – Two cloves are enough to give the dish a lovely garlicky flavor, but feel free to add more if you’re a big garlic fan. It goes toward the end of cooking the mushrooms for a simple reason: overcooked garlic turns bitter.
- Soy sauce – Just half a teaspoon adds saltiness and umami. Use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
- Black pepper and red pepper flakes – Black pepper adds warmth, while red pepper flakes bring a subtle heat. Feel free to adjust the amounts to your liking.
- Salt – To season!
📔 Tips for the Best Texture
- Use a large pan. Although the green beans are already cooked, I recommend using a large pan (at least 11 inches / 28 cm) to give the mushrooms and beans enough room to brown evenly.
- Don’t stir the mushrooms too often. Resist the urge to stir them constantly. Give them some time to develop a nice caramelization.
- Want softer green beans? Add 3-4 tablespoons of water to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook for an extra 4-5 minutes. The beans will steam and become more tender. Then, remove the lid and sauté for another minute or two to let any excess water evaporate.
- Toss with extra melted butter. If you want an even richer, buttery finish, add an extra tablespoon of vegan butter toward the end of cooking and toss well before serving.
🥣 How to Make It
- Cook the green beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the green beans and cook them for 5-7 minutes or until al dente.
- Drain them. Drain the green beans and set them aside.
- Melt the butter. Heat the olive oil and vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook them for 3-5 minutes.
- Cook them until they are slightly browned and caramelized on the edges.
- Add the garlic. Then, add the minced garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Pour in the soy sauce and toss to coat.
- Add the green beans, salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Toss to combine. Toss to combine everything and sauté for another 5 minutes, or until the green beans start to brown.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Lemony: Add a squeeze of lemon juice and 2-3 teaspoons of lemon zest at the end of cooking.
- Crunchy: Garnish with toasted sliced almonds or fried onions.
- Frozen beans: Cook them straight from frozen. Keep in mind that frozen beans will turn softer than fresh ones.
- No vegan butter: Use 2 tablespoons of olive oil in total.
🍚 What to Serve It With
These green beans and mushrooms make a great side dish for all kinds of meals. Here are some ideas:
- Tofu: Serve them alongside crispy tofu, tofu roast, marinated tofu, or tofurkey.
- Grains: They’re delicious with steamed rice, quinoa, buckwheat groats, or farro.
- Roasted vegetables: Pair them with roasted carrots, sweet potatoes (btw, if you’ve never tried roasted white sweet potatoes, give them a try), or cauliflower.
- Vegan mains: They also work particularly well alongside vegan meatloaf, seitan roast, vegan burgers, stuffed butternut squash, etc.
❄️ Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until warm.
💬 FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen green beans, although they may have a softer texture than fresh ones. There’s no need to thaw them first. Cook them straight from frozen.
Absolutely. You can wash, trim, and boil the green beans ahead of time. Let them cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best texture, I recommend sautéeing the mushrooms and tossing everything together just before serving.
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Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 11.5 ounces (325 g) fresh green beans
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (14 g) vegan butter
- 5.5 ounces (150 g) mushrooms sliced into 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick slices
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the green beans. Start by trimming the ends of the green beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the green beans and cook them for 5-7 minutes or until al dente. They should be tender but still have a little snap. Drain the green beans and set them aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil and vegan butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook them for 3-5 minutes. Cook them until they are slightly browned and caramelized on the edges.
- Add the garlic. Then, add the minced garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Pour in the soy sauce and toss to coat.
- Assemble. Add the cooked green beans, salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine everything and sauté for another 5 minutes, or until the green beans start to brown.
- You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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