Oma's German-Style Creamy Green Beans (Grüne Bohnen)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: November 02, 2017, Updated: June 7, 2025

German green beans (grüne Bohnen) in creamy sauce ... just like Mutti made, with bohnenkraut for that traditional, comforting flavor.

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This creamy green bean dish brings back memories of my Mutti’s kitchen. She’d often make peas and carrots this way too, but green beans were my favorite. And of course, she’d season them with bohnenkraut (literally: bean herb) ... because that’s the traditional way and it tastes just right.

Top Tips for Best Results

1. Use Frozen Beans: They retain nutrients and are convenient year-round.
2. Don't Overcook: Aim for tender-crisp beans to maintain color and texture.
3. Season Well: Summer savory (bohnenkraut) adds traditional German flavor.
4. Vegan Hack: Use plant-based butter

Don't want the cream sauce? Then drizzle the cooked beans with some browned butter and sprinkle with grated cheese. Also very German.

Above, I've served the creamed green beans with boiled potatoes, pan-fried pork chops and some leftover gravy from Sunday's pork roast adding a bit more cream plus the cooking fat/juices from the pork chops to make a wonderful gravy for this meal.

From start to finish, this whole meal, including the meat, took me just 45 minutes to put onto the table. Yummy deliciousness!

Quick Cream Sauce Trick from Mutti

When I'm in a hurry, I do what my Mutti did: leave the cooked green beans in the pot, pour in some cream (and maybe a dab of butter), and gently stir over high heat.

As the cream reduces, it turns into a simple, delicious sauce that coats the beans perfectly. Add bohnenkraut, salt, and lots of black pepper, and you’re done!

I'll use this for Brussels sprouts too. So good. Toss in some bacon chips. DOUBLE YUM!

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3 Ways to Make German-Style Green Beans

No matter which type of green bean you have ... fresh, frozen, or canned ... this simple, creamy German-style dish works beautifully. Here’s how I do it depending on what’s in the kitchen:

1. Frozen Green Beans (My Usual Go-To)

Frozen beans are my favorite because they’re available year-round and still hold on to their nutrients.

Just cook them until tender and then continue with the cream sauce. Even store-bought ‘fresh’ beans don’t always have the same vitamin content unless they’re right out of the garden.

2. Fresh Green Beans (When in Season)

Fresh from the garden? You are SO blessed! Snip off the ends, pull any strings, and give them a good wash.

You can leave them whole or cut them up. Use the same cooking method, but they’ll need a few extra minutes to get tender.

Tip: Freeze any extras from the garden so you can enjoy them later!

3. Canned Green Beans (Quick and Easy)

Drain the beans (save a splash of liquid if you like) and jump straight to the sauce.

They’re not as nutritious as the other options, but they’re shelf-stable and ready in minutes.

If you can, go for low-salt or no-salt versions.

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Oma's German-Style Creamy Green Beans (grüne Bohnen)

German green beans (grüne Bohnen) in creamy sauce ... just like Mutti made, with bohnenkraut for that traditional, comforting flavor.

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

25 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds (681 grams) frozen green beans (See Hints below)
• 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
• ½ cup (75 grams) finely diced onion
• 2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour (see Hints below)
• about ½ cup (120 milliliters) vegetable broth or water, if needed
• ½ teaspoon (0.5 gram) summer savory (bohnenkraut)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place the frozen green beans in a saucepan and add enough water to almost cover the beans. Add the salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 8 minutes or until just tender.
2. Pour the beans into a sieve to drain, reserving the cooking liquid. 
3. In the saucepan, melt the butter and add the onions. Sauté for several minutes until the onions are transparent, but not browned. 
4. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
5. Stir in about 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and continue to cook while stirring. Simmer for about 5 minutes, adding more liquid if the sauce gets too thick. If you run out of cooking liquid, use vegetable broth or water.
6. Return the cooked beans to the sauce and stir in the savory. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley, if using, and serve.

Hints:

• To use fresh or canned beans, see the post above for info.
• You can use this recipe for making peas and carrots. Use either canned or frozen, cook till tender and make the sauce the same way. Use parsley instead of savory.
• Make this Gluten-Free by using GF flour.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe updated on June 7, 2025

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.