Crisp, fresh green beans stir fried with butter, garlic, shallots and crunchy walnuts makes for an easy and delicious side ready in 15 minutes.
I remember the first time that I fed an infant Boy mashed green beans. He spit it right out, made a face, gagged (or at least pretended to) and closed his little mouth tight. He was having no more of it. Then I tried hiding it in his rice and lentil mash, but he saw right through my motherly machinations.
Then I gave up for a while. When he was old enough to eat cut-up and not mashed foods, I tried again. Hurrah! He kinda liked it. When he was older, a traditional Indian green beans stir fry became one of those few vegetables that he actually looked forward to eating. Mission accomplished. Phew!
So it is a no-brainer for me to include green beans as a side for Thanksgiving meal. Not the casserole, but a simple stir-fried recipe, smothered in a bit of butter and loads of garlic.
Okay, let me digress awhile and show you our Thanksgiving table this year. I was sorta aiming for a shabby-chic, homey feel. Soft candlelight, green plants and a cornucopia of fresh Fall fruits make up a simple centerpiece. I love layering natural textures and colors.
I showed you our main star (the whole roasted tandoori chicken) in this post, but here is the whole spread. It was simple fare but absolutely delicious, and our small family was living off of the leftovers for a few days. Not that anyone complained!
Back to our green beans now. I quickly blanched the tender green beans and sautéed them with butter, garlic and shallots. To finish off, I added a handful of toasted walnuts. They added crunch and texture, not to mention great nutrition. This is a really simple, no-fuss Thanksgiving side dish recipe. I apologize for not actually sharing this before Thanksgiving, but you can save it for your Christmas menu this year.
- Green beans - 1 lb, ends trimmed
- Butter - 2 tbsp
- Garlic - 3-4 large cloves, thinly sliced
- Small red shallots - ¼ cup, halved or quartered
- Toasted walnuts - ½ cup
- Salt - to taste
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add green beans and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from water and quickly immerse beans in ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Heat butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and shallots and saute for a couple of minutes till fragrant.
- Add green beans and saute for a few seconds. Season with salt to taste.
- Stir in walnuts and remove from heat. Serve immediately.
And that’s how you put together a side dish in under 15 minutes. How’s that for an easy, healthy and delicious side to your main course?
Don’t forget to PIN & SAVE this recipe for later.
Don’t forget to check out the other recipes in my month-long #ChristmasRecipeSeries posts.
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I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday, FoodieFriDIY & Saucy Saturday.
Alix @A Hedgehog in the Kitchen says
What a gorgeous spread! I love this beautiful salad! Thanks!
Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy And Harried says
Thank you!!
Zeba@Food For The Soul says
Such a beautiful clean and crisp dish. Love it!
Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy And Harried says
Thank you, Zeba!!
Sandhya says
The green beans look scrumptious, anjana. thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy And Harried says
Thank you!
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
These Green Beans look delicious Anjana!
Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy And Harried says
Thank you 😊