Take fresh green beans to the next level with this mouth-watering recipe. Tender-crisp green beans, lightly roasted almonds, and a zesty dressing with just the right balance between tangy and sweet make this green beans with almonds recipe an irresistible side dish. Garden-fresh green beans are great this time of year. But let’s face it, sometimes they need some added flavors to keep them interesting. This recipe is adapted from one I found in the June 2017 issue of Real Simple magazine. I used slivered almonds instead of walnuts, but otherwise it is basically the same, and it is a keeper. The tender-crisp pop of the green beans, the nutty crunch of the almonds, and the zingy miso-mustard-honey dressing all combine to make a flavor-filled and healthy side dish.
With a little extra effort and a few extra ingredients, you can transform green beans into a delicious and elegant side dish to energize your table or to take with you to a picnic. If you live in a rural area like I do, white miso paste may take a bit of effort to find, but to me it is so worth it. Whole Foods and similar health food or gourmet grocery stores sell it. And once you have it, miso paste (made from fermented soybeans) will keep for many months in your refrigerator, and a tablespoon or so of it really adds a boost of that comforting “umami” flavor to soups, dressings, and sauces.
I took this tangy green beans with almonds dish to a potluck lunch with my writers group this week. They loved it! I meet on a regular (and sometimes irregular) basis with three other women in the area who love to write, draw, paint, and work with wool, among other creative pursuits. We have goals and we have dreams, and we share them and hold each other accountable for striving for our goals (though we are very forgiving when life happens and we don’t reach them for that month). We talk about the challenges of balancing family, home, creative vocations, and money. We have not found any perfect solutions, but have made a lot of progress, and we encourage each other every step of the way. I have the utmost respect for these women, and I am so thankful to have them in my life. To share a lunch with them is a treat, as they are all really good and inspirational with food as well! So when they gave this green bean dish a thumbs-up, I knew it was blog-worthy.
The rain this week has caused a lot of new growth. Flowers and leaves are popping out everywhere. Our yard looks so soft and lush, kind of like an Impressionist painting. The rain and clouds are making me sleepy and wistful, and I had to make a couple extra cups of coffee this morning, or maybe my husband just drank more coffee before I got to it than he usually does. 🙂 All the intensity and beauty of teenage life is permeating our days and evenings lately, with late nights and early mornings, final soccer games and tournaments with teammates, studying for final exams, completing final projects, and the upcoming graduation of teammates and friends. There is something so poignant about this time of year, as the feeling of change, with all its excitement and nostalgia, is so palpable.
As beautiful as all the greenery is, hopefully the rain will hold off for a few days, since we will be at a big soccer tournament and a parade this weekend. I hope you all have a great weekend too! Do give this recipe a try if you are looking for a way to jazz up green beans! After a long absence, I look forward to sharing this recipe over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Lindy @ Love In The Kitchen and Paula @ Her Life Is Love.
Tangy Green Beans with Almonds
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound of fresh green beans, washed and with the ends snapped off
- 1 tablespoon of white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon of honey
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the slivered almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until they turn lightly golden-brown and fragrant. When they are cool, toss them in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, wash the beans and snap off the ends. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the green beans and cook them until they are bright green and just tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Drain the beans and transfer them to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep them crisp. Drain them again, and pat them dry. (Note–if you like your beans softer and not so crispy, just cook them a little longer).
In a large bowl, combine the miso, mustard, vinegar, honey, 1 tablespoon of water, 1/4 tablespoon of salt, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk until smooth. Add black pepper to taste. Then add the green beans and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to a platter (or just keep them in the bowl) and top with the roasted almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
This recipe is adapted from the June 2017 issue of Real Simple magazine.
This recipe is deceivingly simple for the flavor you must get with miso, rice wine vinegar, and mustard. It sounds like you’re full of gratitude for the spring and times around you. That so cool that you have a writers group. I had one for a while but I really need to hold myself accountable for writing again soon. I too feel that level of gratitude with the spring and activities of the timer of year. The way you express the nostalgia of it is beautiful. I should be back on the blog soon. I’ve taken a break because things have been quite busy here too. I saw morells in the store today AMD cannot believe you have such a precious shroom growing wild on your lawn! Enjoy the moments.
Thank you, Amanda! I couldn’t believe the morels either! Unfortunately, I haven’t found any recently, the season must be done here. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Yes, accountability is a good thing with writing…it helps with self-discipline, which I need. I hope you have a great weekend, and I look forward to your next blog post!
Wonderful timing 🙂 I just today bought green beans 🙂 now I got idea what to cook 🙂
Thank you! I hope you enjoy this recipe if you try it, and thanks for visiting!
I’m with Amanda! Love the idea of the miso paste, rice vinegar and mustard. And your photographs are so lovely. Thanks for bringing this along to Fiesta Friday.
Thanks so much, Lindy! And thanks for co-hosting FF this week!
I agree – I’m not a fan of plain green beans, but these look like anything but plain! These look fantastic, and I love the beautiful flower photo too!
Thanks, Mara! I hope you enjoyed today–I know I enjoyed being out in the sunshine after so many rainy days here! 🙂
What a delicious side dish, so fresh, vibrant and I like the crunch and flavor that the toasted almonds bring – yum!
Thanks so much, Lily!
We make green beans a lot and really like the way these beans are dressed…they sound great.
Thanks, Karen! It is indeed a tasty dressing! 🙂