Green Beans with a Mountain of Panko is my latest statement side dish invention! Blanched beans smothered in a billowy tahini yogurt sauce piled high with a mountain of crunchy parmesan panko breadcrumbs. Easy. Make-ahead. Snack-worthy!

My latest green bean side dish invention

Today’s dish has me deep in the throes of a green-bean-munching obsession. It’s supposed to be a vegetable side, but to me it’s an enormous pile of snacking-worthy food that you literally cannot stop eating once you start.

Let me paint the picture for you.

There’s a good amount of unremarkable looking blanched green beans. (Nobody is jumping up and down at this stage.)

They’re smothered with a generous amount of billowy tahini yogurt sauce (people start to perk up). Then an enormous mound of golden salty parmesan panko is piled on top (people start gathering).

Then said people dig in. And they quickly realise that the sauce acts as a glue so you get a generous amount of parmesan-panko crunch with every bite of green bean……

If every vegetable side dish was this amazing, EVERYBODY would eat their greens!!!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make your new favourite green beans recipe!

Green beans

Yes! You need green beans for this recipe!! 😂

whipped tahini yogurt sauce

This is my current favourite sauce that I’ve been using excessively on “everything”, such as the recent Sweet Potato Steaks and Pan Fried Eggplant. “Whipped” sounds fancy for a sauce that takes 20 seconds to whisk!! 😂 I use the name as a clue of the texture which is more light and fluffy than a basic yogurt sauce. It’s almost like soft whipped cream.

• Plain yoghurt – Not sweetened, and not flavoured. 

• Tahini – Paste made with sesame seeds. Usually found in the health food aisle at grocery stores. Use hulled tahini (more common), not un-hulled which is darker and more bitter. The jar label will specify which it is. Use Chinese sesame paste as a sub if you have leftovers from other recipes I’ve shared, like this one or this one!

• Lemon – For tangy lemon flavour.

• Garlic – Because it makes it tastier. Finely grate it using a microplane so you don’t have big lumps in the sauce.

CRUNCHY TOPPING

Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs fried up in olive oil until golden and crunchy. You know it’s gonna be good!

• Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most big supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths) in the Asian foods section and Asian stores. Substitute with regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find it.

• Parmesan – Grate your own (better flavour) or use store bought pre-grated (the sandy type).

• Olive oil – For pan frying until golden.

How to make Green Beans with a Mountain of Panko

The recipe in my working files is articulately written up as:

• Beans – Boil, drain, cool, toss.

• Tahini sauce – Whisk, microwave 20 sec, whisk again.

• Panko – Mix, pan fry.

I did promise you easy! Here are step photos (and a few more words on each of those steps!).

Preparing & cooking green beans

Obviously pros should blow right past this section (or read it and share your opinions in the comments section below!).

1. Trimming – Only the stem end of the beans needs to be trimmed but to do this, you need all the beans lined up in the same direction which is (speaking frankly) a pain to do. I only do that for company (and recipe photos 😂). In reality, I just grab handfuls, line one end up, cut, line up the other end, cut.

2. Boiling – Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add the beans, let it come back up to the boil (this might take 1 to 2 minutes) then cook for 2 minutes.

3. NO ICE! Drain the beans in a colander then run the beans under the tap for 10 seconds to stop them cooking further. There is no need to waste your precious cocktail ice on this step. Tap water is all you need!

4. Dry – Spread the beans out on a tea towel and pat dry. Or, if you have the time, just leave them to air dry. We need to dry them else the oil won’t stick and they will taste watery.

5. Season – Put the beans in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

6. Temperature – The beans can be used warm or at room temperature in this recipe, but not piping hot (else it makes the sauce melt).

Everything else

1. Golden panko – Mix the panko, parmesan and olive oil in a bowl. Then toast in a non-stick pan for 4 to 5 minutes until golden. Let it cool before using.

2. Whipped tahini yogurt sauce – Whisk the ingredients in a heatproof bowl just to combine. Microwave for 20 seconds on high, then whisk again. Watch as it transforms into almost like a softly whipped cream consistency! This can be used immediately, or set aside for a while (just microwave/whisk again if needed to loosen).

   No microwave? Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with 1″/2.5 cm of simmering water. Then whisk – as the mixture warms up slightly, it will transform into the whipped cream texture.

3. Assembling – Pile the green beans on a large plate. Pour the Whipped Tahini Yogurt Sauce over then pile the panko on top. Then serve!

4. Proof of tastiness – Look how happy I am!

Make-ahead dream

As mentioned from the outset, this dish came about because I was after a new green bean side dish that could be prepared ahead but with an element of “wow” factor. It’s coming up to holiday season, we can do better than plain steamed beans!! 😂

So the beauty of this recipe is that it can be entirely prepared ahead then assembled in a matter of minutes. It’s a dish that is intended to be served at room temperature, so there’s no reheating to be done.

Here’s how to make ahead:

1. Beans – Cook today, refrigerate overnight. Take out of the fridge and bring to room temperature, then toss in oil, salt and pepper just prior to serving (once tossed the oil starts to dull the vibrant green colour of the skin).

2. Whipped tahini sauce – Mix together, don’t microwave. Refrigerate overnight. Then do the microwave and finally whisk prior to serving. This sauce will lose the soft whipped texture the longer it sits out.

3. Parmesan panko topping – Make this the day before, let it fully cool then store in a container in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature before using.

4. Assembling – Then this part is really nice and quick. No fiddling, just spread the beans on a plate, smother with sauce and pile on the panko. Done!

Serve as a vegetable side dish. Though as I mentioned earlier, make it once, and you’ll see the snacking potential as everyone grabs the beans and munches on them like french fries! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Green Beans with a Mountain of Panko

Recipe video above. My latest "wow-factor" green bean side dish invention which is quick, easy and a make-ahead dream. Blanched beans smothered in a pillowy tahini yogurt sauce piled high with a mountain of parmesan panko breadcrumbs – hence the name!

The sauce acts like a glue so you get a stack of crunchy parmesan panko in every-single-bite. Supposed to be a vegetable side dish but I snack on these like fries!!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Keyword green beans recipe, vegetable side dish

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Cooling time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 188cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Beans:

• 700 g/1.4lb green beans , ends trimmed (Note 1)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Whipped Tahini Yogurt:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 1/2 tbsp tahini (Note 2)
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (sub 1 tbsp clear vinegar)
• 1 garlic clove , finely grated
• 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt

Parmesan Panko Mountain:

• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 3)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/8 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 1/4 cup parmesan , finely grated (tightly packed cup)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Shortform recipe:

• Toss blanched beans with oil, salt and pepper. Whisk Tahini ingredients, microwave 20 seconds, whisk again. Toast Panko mix on stove. Assemble – beans, sauce then panko. Attack!

Full directions:

• Cook beans – Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add beans, let it come back to the boil, cook for 2 minutes, then drain in a colander. Rinse under cold running water for 10 seconds to stop cooking (there is NO NEED to use ice!).
• Season – Spread beans on a tea towel then dry with a 2nd tea towel. Transfer into bowl, toss with the oil, salt and pepper.
• Panko Mountain – Mix the ingredients in a bowl. Preheat a large non-stick pan on medium high. Add the panko mixture and stir for 4 – 5 minutes until golden brown. Transfer back into the bowl then let it cool.
• Whipped Tahini Yogurt – Whisk ingredients in a heat-proof bowl just to combine. Microwave for just 20 seconds on high, then whisk again for 10 seconds – it will resemble softly whipped cream. (Note 4) Use immediately or at room temperature.
• Assemble – Spread green beans on plate. Pour over sauce, pile on panko. Attack!

Notes

1. Bean trimming – If you’re making an effort, just trim the stem end. The pointy end doesn’t need to be trimmed and I think it looks pretty to keep it attached. But trimming just one end is a pain. Easy to do both ends!

2. Tahini – A paste made with sesame seeds. Usually found in the health food aisle at grocery stores. Use hulled tahini (more common), not un-hulled which is darker and more bitter. The jar label will specify whether the tahini is hulled or un-hulled.

Use Chinese sesame paste as a sub if you have leftovers from another recipe I’ve shared, like this one or this one!

3. Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most big supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths) in the Asian foods section and Asian stores. Substitute with regular breadcrumbs if you can’t find it.

4. No microwave? Use a bain-marie set up. Put the bowl on a saucepan filled with 1″/2.5 cm of simmering water. Then whisk – as the mixture warms up slightly, it will transform into the whipped cream texture.

5. Make-ahead: Cook beans, fridge up to 24 hours. Make tahini sauce day before, panko toasted up to 2 days before. Bring everything to room temp, toss beans in oil, salt & pepper. Whisk tahini, 20 seconds in microwave, whisk again. Then assemble!

Leftovers will keep for 2 days but the panko in contact with the yogurt does lose crunchiness. You can always make a big batch then reserve some of each component to assemble tomorrow.

Nutrition per serving assuming 5 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 188cal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 886IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 2mg

More green bean recipes

Had no idea I had so many green bean recipes!!

Parmesan Roasted Green Beans

Green Beans in Creamy Parmesan Sauce – with bacon!

Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic

Green Bean Salad

Green Bean Casserole perfection!

Ottolenghi’s Green Bean Salad

Chargrill Charlie’s Green Bean Avocado Salad (copycat!)

Green Bean recipes

Life of Dozer

Dozer being measured for something special….NOT an outfit!!! Stay tuned…

The post Green Beans with a Mountain of Panko appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Sautéed Green Beans with crispy bits of garlic is an easy, classic preparation for a green beans side dish. Though not the most explosively exciting recipe on my website, it’s a life essential recipe that will serve you well for the rest of your days!

I serve this as a side with all cuisines. Yes, even Asian food – read on!

Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic

I have a surprising number of recipes starring green beans on this website. From sides to mains (Sichuan Green Beans with Pork, anyone??), it turns out that green beans may just be my favourite vegetable. Second perhaps only to potato which, as my mother would quickly point out, doesn’t have great nutritional value and thus qualify as a vegetable whose vast intake you ought to boast about.

Saying I love green beans on the other hand does make me feel somewhat virtuous.

Having said that, to date all the green bean-centric recipes have been things I classify as interesting or just plain fabulous (pretty sure there’s been an excessive use of both these words in all these recipes). Like Ottolenghi’s herb loaded Green Bean Salad. Or a luxe Green Bean Casserole. And this Green Bean Salad with a Creamy Avocado Dressing.

All worthy dishes, but they’re either a wee bit on the rich side and/or are a little more involved. In other words, not the simple green bean side that I make “all the time”. Rather that place is often filled with today’s recipe: Sautéed Green Beans with crispy little golden garlic bits!

What you need to make Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic

Here’s what you need to make Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic:

• Green beans – Look for fresh perky ones, not sad and floppy ones speckled with black dots.

• Garlic – Two smallish cloves or one large one. Finely mince the garlic using a knife. Do not use a garlic press/crusher. This makes the garlic go wet and pasty so you won’t get nice golden bits, like pictured. In fact, the garlic will just spit when it hits the skillet.

  As for jarred garlic paste? Not on my watch! This stuff doesn’t really taste like garlic and it’s oddly sour due to the preserving agents. Plus it’s wet so it too will spit like crazy.

• Olive oil or butter, if you’d like a buttery flavour on your beans. If you want to dial up the butter factor, use clarified butter / ghee instead!

How to cook Sautéed Green Beans

Boil the beans for 4 minutes until they become bright green and are barely tender. Drain and then toss the beans in a skillet with the garlic.

Well … you could toss … or be a normal person and just STIR!!! I promise it works just as well. 😂

What to serve with Sautéed Green Beans

The beauty of this dish is that it’s so simple and neutrally pitched that it goes with almost anything. It would be great with an elegant piece of fish with white wine sauce or a big juicy steak, or from a giant pan of paella to a big cosy lasagne.

And although you wouldn’t think of it, this dish works alongside Asian foods too! Either serve it as-is, or give it an Asian-inspired touch by adding a bit of minced ginger, and finishing with a drizzle of sesame oil or a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

No recipe video is included today because it’s a quick and easy side! However if there’s a process in this recipe you’d like to specifically see, I’d be happy to do a quick little video for you. Just leave your request in the comments section below! – Nagi x

Overloaded with green beans? More ideas!

Ottolenghi’s Green Bean Salad

Green Bean Casserole perfection!

Chargrill Charlie’s Green Bean Avocado Salad (copycat!)

Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans

Green Bean Salad

Chargrill Charlie’s Green Bean Avocado Salad (copycat!)

Green Beans in Creamy Parmesan Sauce – with bacon!

Green Bean recipes

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Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic

This is a wonderful,classic preparation for a green beans side dish – simmer beans until bright green then toss with garlic until golden and crispy. Serve as a side with everything, any cuisine, from Western to Italian, Middle Eastern to French!

If serving with Asian food, I like to add the tiniest drizzle of sesame oil at the end and sometimes a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Just gives it that little Asian-esque finishing touch!

Love green beans? So do I! See all my Green Bean Sides.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Keyword green beans recipe, sauteed green beans

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 2 – 4

Calories 102cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Blanched Green Beans:

• 250g/ 8oz green beans , trimmed (Note 1)
• 1 tsp salt

For Sautéing:

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or… butter!)
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced (~ 2 tsp), do not use jar or garlic crusher (Note 2)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 pinch black pepper

Instructions

• Blanch beans: Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with 1 teaspoon of salt. Add beans, cook for 4 minutes (they will turn bright green), drain, then rinse under cold tap water to cool. (There's really no need to shock in ice water). Shake off excess water.
• Sauté: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add green beans and garlic. Toss (or stir!) for 2 minutes until the garlic is golden and crispy. Add salt and pepper, then toss.
• Serve: Transfer beans to serving dish. Serve warm!
• Prepare ahead: Blanch beans per step 1, cool and dry, store in fridge until required. When ready to serve, just toss with garlic. It's an instant on-demand side!

Notes

Serves – 4 as a small side, or 2 as a large side if it’s the only veg side on the plate.

1. Trimming green beans – Only the stem tip of the beans needs to be trimmed before eating. ie the part that was attached to the rest of the plan. However, if the other pointy end is a bit scraggly looking, I will trim them too.

To trim, line up a handful of beans so all the tips are facing the same way. Then cut the tips off. If you are trimming the fine pointy end, repeat.

Cutting size – I like to keep the green beans whole because it looks a little more elegant than cutting the beans into smaller pieces. It’s how most fine dining restaurants will serve green beans. But feel free to cut the beans to your preferred size.

2. Garlic – Use a knife! Do not use a garlic crusher/press as this makes the garlic wet and pasty. It will stick to the pan, spit, and burn in little clumps.

Jar garlic paste simply doesn’t have the same flavour as fresh, plus it’s sour. It’s also wet and pasty which means you won’t get nice little golden garlic bits, as pictured. It will just smear and burn.

3. Nutrition per serving, assuming this serves 2.

Nutrition

Calories: 102cal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 783IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

Cookbook prospective recipe. He doesn’t realise it’s meat free….😂 Well, possibly he doesn’t care.

The post Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

This is a bewitching green salad from Yotam Ottolenghi’s wildly popular cookbook Jerusalem. It’s a bean salad brought to life with an earthy dressing of crispy garlic, capers, coriander and cumin, and freshened with a handful of chervil, tarragon and some lemon zest. It’s a unique Mediterranean-hopping salad that’s buzzing with flavour!

Ottolenghi’s Green Bean Salad

I’m a self-confessed Ottolenghi tragic (who isn’t??). His gift and passion for imagining original vegetable dishes with eclectic influences that are vibrant, nourishing, exciting and beautiful to the eye all at once, is inspired.

This is a recipe adapted from a green bean salad in his popular cookbook Jerusalem. In classic Ottolenghi style, it’s a salad that brings together an unlikely combination of ingredients that nevertheless just works so well together:

• A distinctly Eastern Med / Middle Eastern-inflected dressing made by sizzling cumin and coriander seeds in oil along with thinly sliced garlic until the garlic turns to crispy and golden chips;

• A hint of the Mediterranean with a sprinkle of capers providing welcome tanginess and addictive salty pops; and

• An unmistakably nod to French cooking through a good handful of fresh chervil and tarragon.

What you need for this Green Bean Salad

Here’s what you need to make this:

• Green beans – Ottolenghi’s recipe calls for a mix of green and yellow beans, for colour life. For simple ease and accessibility, I typically just make this with green beans only;

• Chervil and tarragon (lots!) – Two big players in this salad that make it so memorable and gives it a uniquely French touch! These herbs grow abundantly in my garden which is one reason why I’ve been making this salad so often. However, if they are not so accessible to you, try one of these combinations instead (different flavour profile but they work just as well and bring a similar feel):

  Option 1: 1/2 cup roughly chopped coriander plus 1/4 cup chopped dill (ie. chop first, then measure)
  Option 2: 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley + 1/4 cup roughly chopped coriander + 1/4 cup chopped dill;

• Red capsicum / bell peppers – These add a terrific splash of colour in this otherwise very green salad!

• Coriander and cumin seeds – Spices that add a distinctly Eastern Mediterranean / Middle Eastern flavour to the dressing. Don’t skip them!

• Garlic – Finely sliced and cooked until golden so you get little crunchy bits throughout the salad. They also infuse garlic flavour into the dressing oil;

• Capers – For some welcome briny tanginess;

• Green onion – A good amount of finely sliced green onion introduces another fresh element in this salad; and

• Lemon – Because salad, lemon! Just the zest, 2 teaspoons. Enough for a hint of subtle flavour.

How to make Ottolenghi’s Green Bean Salad

This is a salad that can be served either warm or at room temperature. It keeps well overnight too, but be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving.

1. Cook beans – You can cook the beans either by boiling or steaming, your choice. But cook them only until just cooked (3 minutes if you boil them). You want them so they are cooked through but not boiled to death. Overcooked beans are grey, limp and lifeless (and stripped of all nutrition and flavour!);

2. Drain and dry – Drain, then run under cold tap water to stop them cooking further. People with a steady supply of ice can plunge them in a bowl of ice cold water to speed this up. Otherwise cold tap water works just fine. Drain well, and dry using one of these methods: leave them out for a while, spread out on a tea towel or pat them dry.

   Let the beans cool down until just slightly warm, or to room temperature;

3. Cook capsicum – Ottolenghi and I differ here on approach. He opts to just oven bake the capsicum strips until softened. I prefer to sauté them over high heat in a cast iron skillet so you get a bit of colour (the charred spots are the best!). Because as I always say, colour = flavour! Add these to the bowl with the beans and let them cool for 5 minutes;

4. Golden garlic dressing – For the dressing, heat the oil in a little skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Put the garlic in first and cook it for 20 seconds;

5. Finish dressing – Then add the capers and cook for 15 seconds. Add the cumin and coriander seeds, and cook for a further 15 seconds or until the garlic is golden and crispy;

6. Douse and sizzle! Immediately remove the skillet from the stove and pour the dressing over the beans. Enjoy the theatrics of the sizzle!

7. Toss well – Toss immediately while the dressing it hot. Toss well to coat all the beans in that lovely garlicky dressing!

8. Add fresh herbs – And finally, add the green onion and fresh herbs, and toss again. Serve immediately, or keep up to overnight!

As I mentioned earlier, the reason I’m sharing this salad is because I love the originality of the flavour combination that is unique yet also has such universal appeal. I’m telling you, everybody loves this salad!

All credit to Ottolenghi, I doubt I would have ever come up with such an wicked combination myself.

What to serve with this green bean salad

Though the obvious thought would be to serve things with all things Middle Eastern, its eclectic character means it’s a salad that I think is just as at home alongside many Western / European dishes too.

The last time I made it was for a lunch with Garlic Butter Roast Chicken with Lemon Potato Salad, and served it warm because it’s winter over here in Sydney.

For Middle Eastern options, serve it with Chicken or Lamb Shawarma, or with koftas. For something a little different, try putting on a spread of interesting salads for lunch with friends – great for catering for vegetarians especially. This Green Bean Salad with, say, a Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Yogurt Dressing, a Greek Marinated Chickpea Salad and some flatbreads or crusty bread would delightful.

But this is a salad that’s also interesting enough to stand on its own two feet and be the star in a meal. Try it with a simple piece of pan fried fish or baked chicken breast. Have it alongside grilled pork chops or a simple yet grand-looking whole baked herb-stuffed fish. Ooh yes! That would be a terrific combination! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Ottolenghi’s Green Bean Salad

Recipe video above. This is a bewitching green salad adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's wildly popular cookbook Jerusalem. It calls for a LOT of fresh chervil and tarragon and it takes time to pick the leaves! Worth the effort to experience the unique combination of flavours when combined with the earthy golden garlic-cumin-coriander dressing.

Eastern Mediterranean / Middle Eastern flavours with a touch of French. It's very, very good!

Course Side Salad

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword green bean salad, Middle Eastern salad, Middle eastern side dish, ottolenghi salad recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 6 people

Calories 230cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 500g/ 1 lb green beans , trimmed (Note 1)
• 4 green onions , finely sliced
• 2 cups chervil leaves (Note 2 other herb options)
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped tarragon leaves (Note 2 other herb options)
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Sautéed capsicum:

• 2 red capsicum / bell peppers , cut into 0.5cm / 0.2″ strips
• 2 tsp olive oil
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Dressing:

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves , finely sliced
• 3 tbsp capers , rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Cook beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add beans, bring back up to the boil, then cook for 3 minutes.
• Drain and dry: Drain, rinse under cold running tap water to cool. Shake off excess water well, then pat dry. Transfer to bowl.
• Blister capsicum: Heat oil in a heavy based skillet over high heat until smoking. Add capsicum with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every now and then, until tender-crisp with some nice charred edges. Transfer bowl with beans, allow to cool to room temperature.
• Dressing: Heat oil in a small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add capers and cook for 15 seconds. Add cumin and coriander seeds. Cook until garlic is golden, then immediately pour over the beans.
• Toss and serve: Add green onion, herbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Toss well. Serve immediately, though it keeps really well overnight too (make sure to serve at room temp).

Notes

1. Beans – Ottolenghi uses a mix of green and yellow beans (equal parts). I typically just make this with green beans because they’re more readily available.

2. Herbs – Excellent salad to make if you’ve got chervil and tarragon growing abundantly in your garden! If not, try these combos instead – different flavour profile but also very, very good:

• Option 1: 1/2 cup roughly chopped coriander plus 1/4 cup chopped dill (ie chop first, then measure)
• Option 2: 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley + 1/4 cup roughly chopped coriander + 1/4 cup chopped dill

3. Source – Adapted from the Mixed Bean Salad recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem cookbook. Changes I made: Only use green beans instead of 50/50 yellow and green beans, char capsicum on stove instead of cooking in oven (just kind of goes soggy).

4. Storage – Keeps very well overnight even once dressed. Make sure to serve at room temperature.

5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 230cal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 1244mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3860IU | Vitamin C: 105mg | Calcium: 320mg | Iron: 8mg

Life of Dozer

The doggie door at the place I’m renting is a little too small for Mr Dozer….😂

The post Ottolenghi’s Green Bean Salad appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Green beans…. like you’ve never had them before! Green beans are sautéed in a garlicky bacon fat then semi-braised-semi-steamed in stock before being simmered with a creamy garlic sauce. Decadent? Yes. Special? Double yes.

Handy stove cooked side dish – no need to juggle oven space for Sunday night roast dinners and holiday feasts!

A very special Green Bean recipe!

This is not your usual “light and fresh” green bean side dish that you’ll pull out night after night. It is unapologetically indulgent and that’s exactly what this is intended to be – a special side dish for all those times when you want something that’s a cut above the usual quick ‘n easy vegetable sides that we make for quick midweek meals.

You know it’s going to be a winner when I tell you it starts with THIS ……↓↓↓

Yep, THAT is what we cook the green beans in – all those tasty bacon drippings. Flavour flavour flavour!!!

What goes in Green Beans in Creamy Sauce

Think Alfredo pasta – but with beans instead of spaghetti!

• Fresh green beans – because, well, this is a green beans recipe!😂 Having said that, this recipe will be terrific with carrots (cut into batons), asparagus and I’ve also published am equally delicious version using brussels sprouts;

• Bacon – massive flavour boost here, not only used for sprinkling the finished dish but also to saute the green beans in the drippings instead of using butter or oil;

• Garlic – because it appears in virtually every single savoury dish I make!

• Chicken or vegetable stock/broth – the idea here is to use a bit of liquid to sort-of-steam-sort-of-braise the beans in the skillet. This way, we can get a double flavour wack – sautéing in bacon drippings first, then braising in stock so it absorbs the flavour. Oh wait – THEN it’s simmered in the parmesan cream sauce, so it’s a triple flavour dose!

• Cream – the base of the creamy sauce. But don’t worry, I have some lower fat alternatives in the recipe for you!

• Parmesan – not only adds flavour into the sauce but also thickens it. If you don’t have parmesan, add small dab of mustard will provide a similar thickening effect.

How to make Green Beans in Creamy Sauce

And here’s how to make it:

1. Trim and chop the green beans;

2. Cook the bacon bits first so they release all that tasty fat;

3. Cook garlic until golden then stir in the green beans to coat it in all that flavour;

4. Add chicken stock/broth then cover with a lid. It’s only a bit of liquid – enough to add a bit of extra flavour to the beans and to create a steamy environment to cook the beans, but little enough so by the time the beans are cooked, there is not much liquid left (otherwise it would make our sauce too watery);

5. Add cream and parmesan, then simmer for a minute or two to thicken;

6. Garnish with bacon and a little extra parmesan if you want. And why wouldn’t you, we’re going all out anyway!😇

What and how to serve these green beans

It’s intended as a side dish that’s a little bit fancy. Something that will take a roast chicken and turn it into a special Sunday night dinner. (Or try this one or this one or even this slow cooker one!).

A vegetable side that’s worthy of a place at a holiday occasion – think Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and everything in between.

Having said that though, this is rich enough, interesting enough and flavour loaded enough to be worthy of serving as a meat free main. Serve it over pasta, rice, cauliflower rice (for low carb), mash, cauliflower mash, quinoa or other starchy vehicle of choice. Or just some bread for mopping. YUM. – Nagi x

PS For those who noted the crossed out “meat free” – if you really want/need to make it meat free: skip the bacon, use butter and proceed with recipe. Then finish with a sprinkle of pangrattato (that’s fancy Italian speak for croutons) or store bought crispy fried shallots (the Asian kind) or, in a nod to good ole’ Green Bean Casserole, a scattering of hot crispy fried onions (homemade or store bought).

PPS UPDATE: Reader made a terrific suggestion – use it as a sauce over grilled or pan seared proteins, like pork chops or breast. Perfection!

Watch how to make it

Print

Green Beans in Creamy Parmesan Sauce - with bacon!

Recipe video above. The easier and dare I say a tastier alternative to Green Bean Casserole! Using the bacon fat and garlic to saute the green beans before semi steaming/braising the beans in chicken broth guarantees flavour even before we get to the creamy paremsan sauce!

Serve this as an extra special side dish, or turn it into a meal by using it as a pasta sauce, or over rice/quinoa/cauliflower rice/mash.

Course Sides

Cuisine Western

Keyword green bean recipe, green bean side dish, green beans

Prep Time 13 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Servings 4 - 5 as a side

Calories 358cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 150g/ 5oz bacon , chopped (use streaky, not lean)
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 500g/1lb green beans , trimmed, cut into ~5cm / 2" pieces
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock / broth , low sodium
• 1 cup cream , heavy/thickened (Note 1)
• 1/2 cup parmesan , finely grated (best to grate your own)
• Black pepper , freshly ground

Cups - Metric

Instructions

• Place bacon in cold skillet, then turn the stove on high. (Note 2)
• Cook bacon for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, then remove with a slotted spoon.
• Discard excess bacon fat, leaving behind 1 1/2 tablespoons (or so). If you're short, add a dab of butter (or olive oil).
• Add garlic and stir for 10 - 15 seconds until light golden.
• Add green beans and stir to coat in garlicky bacon fat.
• Add chicken stock, stir, bring to simmer then cover with lid. (Note 3) Cook 3 minutes, stirring every now and then so it cooks evenly, until beans are tender-crisp, still bright green and almost cooked to your liking (it will cook more). There should be some liquid left (if not, that's ok too)
• Add cream, parmesan and pepper. Stir, bring to simmer then lower heat to medium low and let it gently simmer for 2 minutes until the cream reduces and becomes thicker. If you want it to stick to the beans thickly when warm, then reduce the sauce for another 1 minute until the sauce is quite thick. (Note 4)
• Taste and add salt if needed (I don't find it needs more).
• Transfer to serving bowl, sprinkle with cooked bacon and extra parmesan if you like.

Notes

1. Lower fat alternatives - evaporated milk or light cream. If sauce is too thin for your taste at the end, then dissolve 1 teaspoon cornflour/cornstarch in 2 tsp water and stir that in.

2. Bacon into cold pan - bacon fat renders out better (ie melts) if you start with a cold pan because the fat starts to melt as the skillet heats up. This means you don't need any extra fat to cook the bacon. In contrast, if you use a preheated skillet, you will need a bit of fat so the bacon doesn't stick when you first add it (bacon fat does get released, it just works better starting with cold pan).

3. Pan lid - pictured lid in video isn't made for the skillet used. Just use any lid around the size of the skillet, doesn't matter if some steam escapes. More suggestions: baking tray, foil.

4. Sauce thickness - it gets thicker once it cools a bit. I like the sauce to be syrupy so it doesn't stick to the beans thickly which I find a bit too rich for my taste. But if you want the sauce to coat the beans thoroughly, just simmer the cream sauce for another 1 - 2 minutes. You can make it so thick that the beans are literally completely covered in the sauce.

5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings and no bacon fat is discarded. If you use  turkey bacon and low fat cream, it reduces to 232 calories per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 358cal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1478IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

Harnessed up, ready to go! He comes everywhere with me.

PS The harness he’s wearing is a brand called Sleepy Pod which I got for him a few years back after (alarmingly) discovering that the one I was using that was sold as “crash tested” but was NOT certified (ie it didn’t pass the crash test!!). Hence furious (and immediate) researching to find a harness that passed a crash test which led me to Sleepy Pod harnesses. Pricey, but worth it, especially with a large 40kg/80lb dog like Dozer (for the both his safety and those in other cars).

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