Green beans: season and benefits
Seasonal calendar - Green beans
Nutritional values
Low in calories and rich in gentle fibre, green beans are a good source of vitamin C and potassium.
Storage
Fresh green beans keep 2 to 3 days in the fridge vegetable drawer. Top and tail just before cooking. They freeze perfectly after 2 minutes of blanching in salted boiling water, then an ice bath to fix the colour. Extra-fine beans are the most tender.
Origin
The bean originates from Central America, cultivated for 7,000 years by the Aztecs. Brought to Europe in the 16th century by conquistadors, it was initially the dried bean that was adopted. The green bean (harvested before maturity) is a French culinary invention of the 18th century. France is the largest European consumer of green beans.
Cooking Green beans
Goes well with
Recipe ideas
- Salade niçoise
- Garlic-sautéed green beans
- Green beans lyonnaise
- Green beans with almonds
- Warm green bean salad
Did you know?
The green bean is actually a fruit in the botanical sense: it is the pod surrounding the future seeds (dried beans) harvested before maturity.