Seasonal recipes for today's kitchen

Roasted Green Beans with Crunchy Breadcrumbs and Almonds

Roasted Green Beans with Crunchy Breadcrumbs and Almonds

November is here, and I find myself thinking often about past Thanksgiving gatherings. During my youth my mother’s family convened with lots of cousins, aunts, and uncles, all of us waiting to dig into the holiday specialties—Aunt Dean’s baked turkey and marshmallow-topped yams, my mom’s cornbread and oyster dressing, and Aunt Jo’s vegetable casseroles swimming in cheesy sauce. There were lots of folks and generous offerings of food.  This Thanksgiving we will have fewer people around the table. But I still want the meal we share to be special. Instead of the tried and true vegetable casserole, I’m planning to make roasted green beans capped with a topping that’s crunchy and delectable. It will be complement the other dishes we have and is a snap to make.

When fall days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, I find myself using the oven more and more for our meal preparation. I like how the oven caramelizes vegetables, intensifying their flavor. Roasted green beans are my newest addition to this treatment. After just 10 minutes of roasting, fresh beans become savory and more boldly flavored. And while the oven works its magic on the beans, I can prepare a topping that brings bright flavors and lots of crunch to the table.

I adapted this recipe from one that combines salmon and green beans in Diana Henry’s great cookbook From the Oven to the Table. Henry suggests roasting green beans in the oven with salmon filets atop, crowning the whole dish with a crisp homemade breadcrumb mixture. I’ve made this salmon dish several times and always loved it. Using Henry’s encouragement to try roasting green beans on their own, I experimented, adding a couple of ingredients and changing the cooking method a bit.

Beans as the Base Layer

This recipe uses few ingredients, but all have an important role to play.ingredients for roasted green beans

The green bean base is simple to prepare. It starts with lining a cookie sheet with foil and preheating it in the oven for about 10 minutes. After removing the stem ends from fresh beans, I simply toss the beans with oil and season them before moving them to the baking sheet. Its hot surface guarantees that the beans begin their oven time sizzling away.pan of roasted green beans

While the pan is preheating in the oven, I can prepare toasted almonds and then move on to make the flavorful breadcrumb topping.
toasted almonds

The breadcrumbs start from a couple of slices of stale bread briefly run through the food processor.  Henry’s recipe brings a bright note to the toasted breadcrumb mixture with the addition of Dijon mustard and lemon zest. She also adds cornichons, the tiny French pickles, finely diced, along with garlic and minced fresh parsley.flavored bread crumbs

The mixture of these lively and acidic notes harmonizes well with the crunchy crumbs and savory beans.

Adding Crunch and Flavor

When the beans have finished roasting, I brighten their flavor with a bit of lemon juice, plate them, and top with the prepared breadcrumbs.roasted green beans topped with breadcrumbs

To add another level of crispiness to the dish, I sprinkle the almonds atop the beans at the very end.almond and bread crumbs top beans

I’m looking forward to these roasted green beans gracing our Thanksgiving table this year. I can prepare the toppings ahead of time and then roast the beans while the turkey rests.  It will work well for our smaller gathering, and will offer a light, flavorful alternative to the creamy casserole we’ve often had in the past.

plate of roasted green beans

Roasted Green Beans with Crunchy Breadcrumbs and Almonds

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie
Oven-roasted green beans topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and almonds can make a weeknight meal special or take a place at the holiday table.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

For the topping

  • 1/3 cup sliced raw almonds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 garlic clove --finely minced or grated
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped cornichons
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
  • grated zest of 1 lemon divided in half (see below)

For the beans

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound fresh green beans stem ends snapped off
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • salt (to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions
 

For the topping

  • Heat a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced almonds to the pan and toast until golden brown, stirring frequently. When the almonds are done, remove them to a small plate and allow to cool. Wipe out skillet with dry cloth and return to stove.
  • Heat 1 1 /2 tablespoons of olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown. Add the minced garlic and cornichons and cook 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in mustard, parsley, and half of lemon zest. Set skillet aside.

For the beans

  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large (13 in X 18 in) cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place cookie sheet in oven and allow to heat up for 10 minutes.
  • In a medium bowl, toss the green beans with 2 tablespoons of olive oil . Season the beans with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Remove hot cookie sheet from oven and carefully transfer beans to pan. Spread beans out so that all are in contact with bottom of pan. Return to oven and bake for 6 minutes. Stir the green beans and return to the oven to bake for an additional 4 minutes.
  • Remove green beans from oven. Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon onto beans and stir well.
  • Place skillet of crumb mixture in oven to warm up for 2 minutes. Transfer the beans to a serving dish. Remove skillet from oven. Top beans with warm crumb mixture. Sprinkle almonds and remaining lemon zest over. Serve.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe in Diana Henry's From the Oven to the Table
Almonds can be roasted up to two days ahead.  Cover and store at room temperature.  Roasted crumb topping can be made up to two hours ahead.  Set aside at room temperature.

 



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