When I think of making green beans, I either jump to the soy or lemon preparations. Don’t get me wrong- these are two great ways to prepare them, but I thought it was time to add another option to the rotation. Enter, these, prepared with toasted hazelnuts and an amazing tahini spread, courtesy of an adapted recipe from Dining In. The best part? It’s bizarrely quick and easy to make!
Best For– An easy but impactful twist on green beans that’s perfect for a meatless Monday or everyday side!
Musical Pairing– “Dollar” by Electric Guest
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
- 2 tbs white distilled vinegar
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbs tahini*
- 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
- 1 lbs green beans
- 1 tbs veggie oil
* Though this may sound exotic if you’ve never bought before, I simply get mine at my local Trader Joe’s.
COOKING SUPPLIES NEEDED
- Large skillet
- Large bowl
- 2 small bowl
- Cutting board and chopping knife
- Optional- Cooking tongs (will make life easier)
DIRECTIONS
- Do your prep first. Seed and finely chop the jalapeño, coarse my chop the hazelnuts, finely chop the garlic, and juice your lemon. Do not combine all these- keep separate!
- In a skillet, toast your hazelnuts. You do not need any oil or butter. However, they will start to smell like browned butter when ready (about 5 minutes). Make sure to shake the skillet or stir with a wooden spoon fairly frequently.
- In a small bowl, combine the white vinegar, jalapeño, and garlic. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, tahini and lemon juice. It’s okay for the sauce to be thick- that’s the point!
- Heat a large skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) over high heat. Once heated up, add in your green beans, oil, and another sprinkle of salt and pepper. Make sure to toss frequently (I’d recommend using kitchen tongs), and cook until beans are lightly blackened on most sides. DO NOT OVERCOOK. You want to remove them when they’re still bright green and have a snap to them – about 4 minutes. These should in no way resemble mushy canned beans.
- Get a large bowl, remove the bean skillet from heat, and add the beans to the bowl. Drizzle the garlic jalapeño vinegar mixture over the beans and mix to coat (again, here is where I used my tongs). Let the beans in the mixture sit for two minutes to absorb.
- Time to plate! Two options. We’ll start with the wow factor. Spread the tahini sauce on the bottom of the plate using the back of the spoon and add green beans on top. Sprinkle hazelnuts on top of the beans. Save the extra tahini for dipping or a sauce to reuse for bowls or carrots or pita chips. Easier and quicker option? Use the tahini bowl for serving and scoop some onto your plate with green beans on the side. Top with hazelnuts. Either way- I have a feeling you’ll enjoy!
The Carmel Kama'aina 