Low FODMAP green beans with lemon sauce are on heavy rotation at our house, and the searing part happened by accident. I discovered that searing the beans in garlic oil before steaming them is straight-up magic, and now I cannot make them any other way.
Side dishes that are low FODMAP but do not feel like it are pure gold. These beans are just that. Garlic oil, lemon, butter, a little salt and pepper, and you are done. We make them year-round, but summer is when we really cannot stop. They come together in under 15 minutes, they go with basically everything, and not once has anyone at my table asked "wait, is this low FODMAP?"
If you love a quick, easy vegetable side that pulls double duty, my Glazed Sweet and Salty Green Beans use a similar skillet method with a completely different flavor profile. Both are worth keeping in your back pocket for busy nights.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 15 minutes - start to finish
- One skillet, minimal cleanup
- Bright lemon butter flavor without any high FODMAP ingredients
- Naturally gluten free and easily made dairy free
- Fresh, crisp green beans that actually taste like something
What You'll Need
- Fresh Green Beans - Fresh is the only way to go here. During testing, frozen green beans steamed right in the garlic oil instead of searing and just turned mushy. Fresh beans are the move, every time.
- Garlic-Infused Olive Oil - All the garlic flavor, zero FODMAPs. This is the workaround that makes low FODMAP cooking actually worth doing. Covita is my favorite brand. Find it on Amazon if your grocery store does not carry it.
- Butter - Salted butter melts into the lemon juice and creates that silky sauce. One tablespoon does a lot of work.
- Fresh Lemon Juice - Squeezed fresh from one lemon, about 3 teaspoons. Always go fresh here. The whole dish is simple, so the lemon really shines.
- Water - Helps steam the beans just enough to get them tender without losing that crisp bite.
- Sliced Almonds (optional) - Adds a little crunch and makes the dish feel more special. Totally optional, but worth it.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Selected ingredients are based on guidance on current serving sizes measured by the Monash University Food App and FODMAP Friendly App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash, trim, and cut the green beans in half. Keeping them roughly the same size means they cook evenly.
Step 2: Heat the garlic-infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Make sure you have a tight fitting lid for your skillet.
Add the green beans, salt, and pepper. Stir occasionally until the beans are spotty brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Do not rush this step - that browning adds real flavor.
Step 3: Add the water and cover the skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes. This quick steam gets the beans bright green and just tender while keeping that satisfying crunch.
Remove the cover. If water remains, increase the heat to high for about 30 seconds until it evaporates completely.
Step 4: Add the butter and fresh lemon juice. Toss the beans until everything is coated in the sauce. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top if using. Taste and add a pinch of Kosher salt if needed. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks
Do not walk away during the browning step. Four to six minutes goes fast. Keep the beans moving every minute or so and you will get that golden, slightly caramelized exterior that makes these worth making on repeat.
Go fresh with the lemon. Bottled juice works, but fresh makes a noticeable difference. An extra squeeze right before serving never hurts either.
Don't waste green beans. Growing up, my sisters and I were in charge of snapping the green beans, and my mom made sure we didn't waste any! Same goes for this situation.
We stood over the skillet and ate these straight out of the pan during recipe testing. No plate, no fork. That is when I knew this one was a keeper.
Looking for a hands-off vegetable side on nights when the oven is already running? My Low FODMAP Oven Roasted Vegetables are ready with almost zero effort and just as family-friendly.
Ingredient Swaps
- Butter - For a dairy free version, use a dairy free butter alternative. The sauce will still come together the same way.
- Garlic-Infused Olive Oil - No garlic oil? Use avocado oil and add a certified low FODMAP garlic salt to the seasoning to keep that savory depth without the FODMAP triggers.
- Almonds - Swap for roasted pepitas or skip the topping entirely. Both are fine.
Variations
Lemon Parmesan Green Beans: After tossing in the lemon butter sauce, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over the top. Parmesan is low in lactose and low FODMAP at a normal serving size. A simple upgrade that feels fancy.
Sweet and Salty Bacon Green Beans: Skip the lemon and add chopped leftover bacon and a glug of pure maple syrup instead. Sweet, salty, smoky. Leftover bacon does exist occasionally in our house - this is exactly what to do with it.
Extra Lemony: Add a little lemon zest along with the juice for a brighter citrus punch. Zest packs in a lot of flavor with almost no extra effort.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep leftover green beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through. Stovetop gives the best texture. Microwave works too.
Freeze: Not recommended. Cooked fresh green beans turn mushy once thawed and are not worth freezing.
Low FODMAP Notes
So are green beans low FODMAP? Yes - and they are one of the easiest vegetables to work with on this diet. Here is the breakdown:
Fresh Green Beans - Low FODMAP at a 75 gram serving per meal according to Monash University. A normal side dish portion lands right in that safe range.
Garlic-Infused Olive Oil - Safe at 1 tablespoon or 18 grams per meal. Fructans in garlic are water-soluble, not oil-soluble. The flavor transfers to the oil. The FODMAPs stay behind with the garlic pieces that get removed. This is why garlic-infused oil shows up in almost every savory recipe on this site.
Butter - Low in lactose and considered low FODMAP at 1 tablespoon per meal.
Lemon Juice - Safe at 1 tablespoon or 21 grams per meal. Always go fresh squeezed when you can.
Kosher Salt, Black Pepper - Safe at typical seasoning amounts.
Sliced Almonds (optional) - Safe at 18 almonds or 22 grams per meal. Keep the topping light since almonds become high FODMAP at larger amounts.
For additional information on a low FODMAP diet, please visit Monash University or FODMAP Friendly. Both have websites and apps for additional guidance and testing results.
FAQs
Yes! Green beans are low FODMAP at a 75 grams serving per meal. That is roughly one cup, which is a solid side dish portion. Stick to the recommended serving size if you are in the elimination phase.
Frozen green beans will not work here. They release too much water, which prevents browning and turns the beans mushy. Fresh only for this one.
Yes. Swap the salted butter for a dairy free butter alternative. The lemon sauce will still come together the same way.
Use avocado oil or any neutral oil instead. Add a certified low FODMAP garlic salt to keep that garlic flavor without the FODMAP triggers. Regular garlic powder is high FODMAP and should be skipped.
These are best served fresh right out of the skillet. You can trim and cut the beans ahead of time and store them in the fridge. When it is time to cook, the whole thing takes about 15 minutes.
Nope. They add a nice crunch but the dish is great without them. Pine nuts or pepitas work too if you have them.
What To Serve With Low FODMAP Green Beans
These lemon butter green beans go with just about anything. For a complete weeknight dinner, serve alongside my Low FODMAP Pork Tenderloin - both are ready in under an hour and the flavors are a natural match.
For a comfort dinner the whole table will be happy about, pair these with Easy Baked Caesar Chicken and a big scoop of Almond Milk Mashed Potatoes. Need more ideas? Browse more side dish recipes for easy options the whole family will eat.
More Loveable Side Dish Recipes
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Recipe
Low FODMAP Green Beans with Lemon Sauce
Equipment
- Large Skillet With Cover
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans washed, trimmed, and cut in half (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- Juice of one lemon about 3 teaspoons, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon sliced almonds for topping optional
Instructions
- Wash, trim, and cut the green beans in half. Try to keep the pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Heat the garlic-infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans, salt, and pepper. Stir occasionally until the beans are spotty brown, about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add the water and cover the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes for bright green, crisp-tender beans.
- Remove the cover. If water remains, increase the heat to high for 30 seconds until fully evaporated.
- Add the butter and fresh lemon juice. Toss the beans to coat. Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top if using. Taste and add a pinch of Kosher salt if needed. Serve immediately.
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