Pesto Green Beans
The ultimate side dish: a little elegant, still easy to make, and utterly delicious. Herbaceous pesto, a little lemon zest, and earthy toasted walnuts are the best way to take simple green beans up a notch.
Ingredients
- 10-12 ounces green beans trimmed and rinsed
- kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup chopped raw walnuts
- zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1/3 cup pesto
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, then add the green beans. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the beans are tender and bright green in color. Drain into a colander and set aside.
- While the green beans are cooking, set a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the butter, walnuts, lemon zest and juice, red pepper flakes if using, and another pinch of kosher salt. Toast the mixture, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, until the butter is lightly browned and the walnuts are fragrant and golden. Watch carefully that the walnuts don’t burn.
- When walnuts are toasted, add green beans to the skillet, followed by dollops of the pesto. Toss to warm through and lightly coat the green beans. Top with extra pesto to taste, and serve right away.
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Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 191 kcal, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 17 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0.1 g, Cholesterol: 9 mg, Sodium: 220 mg, Potassium: 193 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 995 IU, Vitamin C: 9 mg, Calcium: 70 mg, Iron: 1 mg