Green Beans

Ok, let’s talk green beans. I have to say I do not understand the whole green bean casserole thing. How about you, is it a part of your holiday meal? Regardless of your stance on it, you do have to give the dish credit. What was created to simply sell a soup product, definitely transformed kitchens & continues to remain a staple in many Thanksgiving traditions today. So even though it doesn’t work for me, I will at least pay homage to it with this green bean recipe.

The green beans are perfect on their own, but the addition of the creamy tahini herb dressing gives those casserole vibes without all the…well, casserole.

Print Recipe

Green Beans with Tahini Herb Dressing

An homage to that classic holiday dish.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: green beans, vegan, vegetarian

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs green beans washed, trimmed
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts sub walnuts
• 1 tsp vegan butter or olive oil optional
• 1 bowl if ice water optional for steaming

Tahini Herb Dressing

• 1/8 cup creamy tahini
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar sub white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs – dill, thyme, parsley see notes
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• water to thin

Instructions

• Prepare the dressing. Combine the tahini, vinegar, dijon & lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk until it thickens. Add water in small doses, whisking until it reaches your desired consistency. Add the herbs & stir. Set aside.
• Wash & trim the green beans. You have two methods to prepare the beans, steam or saute.

  If steaming, bring water to boil in a steaming pot. Cover with a lid & steam the green beans for 6-8 minutes until tender. Remove from heat & blanche the beans in a bowl of ice water to keep them from cooking & maintain their bright green color.

  If sauteing, melt the butter/oil to a large sauce over medium heat. Add the green beans & cook for 5-8 minutes until tender. Serve immediately.
• Toss the green beans with toasted hazelnuts. Drizzle with dressing or serve on the side.

Notes

The green beans can be prepared two ways.  Choose whichever is your favorite.  I prefer to saute, but tend to steam just based on the timing of preparing all the various dishes on such a busy cooking day.

The hazelnuts are optional.  They just add a fun crunch.  Walnuts work great too!

Choose your favorite herbs.  I had a mix of dill, thyme & parsley, but you can also add tarragon, rosemary, chives.

Enjoy!!!