Green Bean

Green bean is the immature, tender pod of common beans, typically slender and crisp with small undeveloped seeds. Its flavor is mild and grassy with a fresh snap; it cooks quickly by blanching, sauteing, steaming, roasting, or stir-frying, and holds shape in casseroles and salads. Sold fresh whole or trimmed, and commonly available frozen or canned.

Originating from common bean domesticated in Mesoamerica and the Andes, green beans spread worldwide after the Columbian Exchange. They appear in French amandine, North American casseroles, East and Southeast Asian stir-fries, and Mediterranean braises, with commercial supply from field crops and greenhouse or imported production.