22 Ways to Gussy Up Green Beans

Serve a classic creamy casserole or try simply roasting or sauteing the snappy green vegetable.

Photo By: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Ronnie Wright ©2015 Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Emile Wamsteker ©© 2016, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Photo By: Tara Donne ©2009, Tara Donne

©2012, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Kathryn Cooper

Haricots Verts with Rosemary

Tender, thin green beans tossed with rosemary and lemon-infused olive oil are the perfect complement to your roasted Turkey and mashed potatoes.

Get the Recipe: Haricots Verts with Rosemary

Stovetop Green Bean Casserole

Alex makes this classic casserole in a cast-iron skillet, starting with a creamy homemade mushroom base instead of canned cream of mushroom soup. Hers is boosted with cayenne pepper and Dijon mustard, then covered with crispy fried shallots.

Get the Recipe: Stovetop Green Bean Casserole

Green Beans With Mustard

Spicy mustard and freshly ground cumin seeds give green beans a kick, while pine nuts and almonds add sweet, nutty flavor.

Get the Recipe: Green Beans with Mustard

Best Ever Green Bean Casserole

This highly rated recipe from Alton Brown tops green beans with crispy, breaded onions, a lightly creamy sauce and earthy mushrooms.

Get the Recipe: Best Ever Green Bean Casserole

Heavenly Sauteed String Beans

Patti LaBelle goes beyond basic green beans by sauteeing them with fresh garlic.

Get the Recipe: Heavenly Sauteed String Beans with Garlic

Mushroom and Green Bean Casserole Wellington

Take this classic side dish out of the casserole dish and wrap it in a blanket of puff pastry for a creamy green bean-and-mushroom pie that can be served sliced or eaten handheld (we won't tell). Snappy beans and tough-yet-tender mushrooms are perfectly complemented by the buttery, flaky crust.

Get the Recipe: Mushroom and Green Bean Casserole Wellington

Tiffani's Aunt's Green Beans

It's OK to pawn off Tiffani's aunt's recipe as your own. Crunchy hazelnuts go perfectly with the vinaigrette made with honey, hazelnut oil and white wine.

Get the Recipe: My Aunt's Green Beans

Green Beans with Mushrooms and Shallots

Assorted mushrooms and shallots make the perfect accompaniment for fresh, snappy green beans.

Get the Recipe: Green Beans with Mushroom and Shallots

Green Bean Casserole

Though green beans take first billing in this recipe's title, the homemade croutons — infused with thyme, rosemary and chives, and crusted with Parmesan cheese — are the real stars.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Green Beans with Blood Oranges

A reliable make-ahead side, this dish holds up well for an hour when kept at room temperature until ready to serve, making room on your stovetop for other dishes.

Get the Recipe: Green Beans with Blood Orange and Tangerine Dressing

Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale

Dark, leafy and slightly bitter, kale makes an unexpected appearance in this green bean-based side, which takes on additional savory notes when sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale

Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Almonds

It's no secret that almonds are the perfect complement to crisp green beans, but Tyler improves the classic combo by adding caramelized onions for extra flavor.

Get the Recipe: Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Almonds

Louie and Pete’s Hot and Spicy Casserole

If spice is your thing, then this recipe was made for you. The green beans are hit with two times the heat, thanks to Szechuan sauce and habanero peppers. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Get the Recipe: Louie and Pete's Hot and Spicy Green Beans

Five-Spice Green Beans

Iconic and unmistakable, five-spice powder is typically made up of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and fennel –– a sharp mix that gives a kick to any meal. Here, it’s sprinkled on tender string beans just before they finish cooking.

Get the Recipe: Five-Spice Green Beans

Haricots Verts Almondine

Kelsey explains that it's important to salt the water you blanch your green beans in, as it imparts flavor and helps to keep the string beans crisp.

Get the Recipe: Haricots Verts Almondine

Green Bean Casserole

Not your typical cream-of-mushroom-soup casserole, this dish lets the green beans shine through by topping — not smothering them — with crispy fried onions.

Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Green Beans with Paneer

Bal updates this classic side dish by adding in mixed spices and paneer, a cubed Indian cheese.

Get the Recipe: Green Beans with Paneer in Fresh Tomato Sauce

Soy Sauce & Garlic Green Beans

Add some Japanese flavors to your Thanksgiving feast by tossing green beans in a garlic, sake and soy sauce marinade.

Get the Recipe: Foil-Baked Green Beans with Soy Sauce and Garlic

Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

After green beans are blanched in boiling water, place them in ice water right away to "shock" them. This stops the cooking process so you turn out bright green, crispy beans.

Get the Recipe: Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

Insalata di Fagiolini Verdi: Green Bean Salad

Debi and Gabriele add a Tuscan touch to green beans with cherry tomatoes, arugula and balsamic vinegar.

Get the Recipe: Insalata di Fagiolini Verdi: Green Bean Salad

Ginger, Carrot and Sesame Green Beans

Ching-He Huang stir-fries her green beans with carrots and ginger, then seasons them with sesame oil and soy sauce for a Chinese preparation.

Get the Recipe: Ginger, Carrot and Sesame Green Beans

Smoky Sauteed Green Beans

Caramelized onions seasoned with smoked paprika add instant flavor to tender green beans.

Get the Recipe: Smoky Sauteed Green Beans