Pesto Can Elevate Your Green Beans In A Pinch

Green beans aren't exactly known for stoking excitement at the dining table, but they absolutely can when paired with the right ingredients. Their simplicity may have you going for a quick saute with salt and pepper every time. A classic go-to as that may be, it's not all you can do with these legumes. Adding store-bought or homemade pesto is the perfect choice when you feel like trying something new without stepping too far out of your comfort zone. Whenever your green bean dish needs an elevation, reach for this Italian green sauce and taste the transformation in an instant.

On their own, green beans offer a mostly earthy taste, with specks of sweetness occasionally popping up as you bite into the crunchy pieces. When pesto comes into play, it brings the signature herbaceous brightness that's been known to add bursting flavor to almost anything. Pay closer attention and you'll also notice cheesy, nutty hints peeking through. For green beans, this tantalizing addition takes things up a notch, creating a captivating flavor profile. Still, at the heart of the dish is green beans' rustic nature, highlighted by pesto's deceptively simple complexity.

There are many ways to have fun with green beans. The simplest way to use pesto to liven up beans is boiling and draining them and tipping them back into the warm pan, then simply adding some dollops of pesto and tossing to evenly coat the beans. Do keep the pesto's heat exposure to a minimum to preserve its raw, pronounced taste. While you're at it, feel free to add other ingredients, like a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for a sweet depth, lemon juice if you like zesty notes, or pesto essentials like garlic, basil, pine nuts, almonds, or parmesan cheese, to enhance the sauce's flavors.

On the lighter side, try green bean pesto as a salad. Leaning into the Italian influence, it could be a caprese spin-off with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. For a substantial salad with significant textures, try this pesto and green beans twist mixed into a potato salad.

As a main course, this pairing works like a dream when incorporated into pasta dishes, as evidenced by our Ligurian pesto pasta recipe. This features the beans along with both potatoes and pasta, all delectably drenched in homemade pesto. You can also change the ingredients to fit your personal preference and keep the dish exciting over time. Branch out with different vegetables, perhaps considering eggplants, cherry tomatoes, or even legumes like green peas. For the cheese, while parmesan is foolproof, perhaps give ricotta or pecorino Romano a try as well.