Fresh green beans are so delicious, and cooking them in the microwave is a quick and easy way to prepare them. There are just a couple of tricks to cooking them the right way to ensure that they retain their flavor and texture (no one wants over-cooked green beans!).
The secret to perfectly cooked green beans in the microwave is to steam them, rather than boiling them. Steaming is a more gentle way to cook them, helping to retain their texture, along with nutrients, both of which can be lost if they are cooked directly in boiling water.
Some other veggies that can be successfully steamed in the microwave are carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Scroll down for the printable recipe card, or read on for all the details!
What do you need?
Microwave-safe dish + lid
To cook fresh green beans in your microwave, you will need a microwave-safe dish with a close-fitting lid. You could also use a microwave-safe bowl with a plate on top, but make sure it fits well enough to prevent the steam from escaping during cooking.
If you don’t have a dish with a lid, you can cover it with plastic wrap – just remember to pierce it a few times with a sharp knife.
Microwave-safe trivet
A microwave-safe trivet or steamer basket can be used to raise the beans up out of the water during cooking. I have a silicone vegetable steamer*, which works perfectly.
It is optional, and you can still cook beans in the microwave without one, but you may find the beans in the bottom of the bowl that are sitting in the water get a little overcooked.
Fresh green beans
All varieties of fresh green beans can be steamed in the microwave using the method below. You can also use microwave-frozen green beans, though the cooking times will be a little longer.
You also need a small amount of water in the bottom of the bowl. The right amount will boil quickly, and fill the bowl with enough steam to cook the beans. I usually find around an inch of depth works – this is around ½ cup in the bowl that I use.
How to steam fresh green beans in the microwave
- Prep the beans. Rinse them, trim the ends, and cut them in half so the pieces are around 2 inches / 5 cm long.
- Place the steamer basket (if using) into the microwave-safe dish, add the trimmed green beans, add the water, and cover the container with the lid or plastic wrap (ensure it has holes to let the steam escape).
- Microwave the beans until tender. The exact cooking time depends on how powerful your microwave is and how many beans you are cooking. Half a pound (220g) of beans takes around 4 minutes in my 1000W microwave.
How long to microwave green beans
My 1000W microwave takes around 4 minutes to cook ½ lb/ 220g of beans. You will need to adjust the times for other microwave Wattages or a different amount of beans.
You can estimate cooking times for a different wattage microwave using the chart below.
| Wattage | ½lb/ 220g | 1 lb/ 450g |
|---|---|---|
| 600W | 6 min 40s | 10 min |
| 700W | 6 min | 9 min |
| 800W | 5 min 20s | 8 min |
| 900W | 4 min 40s | 7 min |
| 1000W | 4 min | 6 min |
| 1100W | 3 min 20s | 5 min |
| 1200W | 2 min 40s | 4 min |
You may need to use a little trial and error to get it exactly right. I would recommend printing off the recipe card below and making a note of how long worked for your microwave to make it easier next time!
Serving ideas
- Season with salt and pepper and top with a curl of butter
- Toss with garlic butter and grated Parmesan
- Drizzle with sesame oil, add a splash of soy sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds
Storing and reheating
Store leftover microwaved green beans in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and use within 3 days.
To reheat in the microwave, place the beans in a microwave-safe bowl and cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap (pierce a few times). Microwave on high for around 1 minute until piping hot.
Microwave Steamed Green Beans
Instructions
- Wash green beans, trim the ends, and cut into ~2-inch/ 5cm pieces.
- Place beans in a microwave-safe bowl with a lid (use a microwave trivet if you have one), and add the water.
- Microwave beans on high for 4 minutes (1000W microwave), until beans are tender. See below for times for other wattages.
- When you remove the lid from the bowl, please be very careful as a lot of hot steam will escape.
- Serve beans with a sprinkle of salt, or topped with butter.
Notes
| Wattage | ½lb/ 220g | 1 lb/ 450g |
|---|---|---|
| 600W | 6 min 40s | 10 min |
| 700W | 6 min | 9 min |
| 800W | 5 min 20s | 8 min |
| 900W | 4 min 40s | 7 min |
| 1000W | 4 min | 6 min |
| 1100W | 3 min 20s | 5 min |
| 1200W | 2 min 40s | 4 min |
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
