Pesto Green Beans

5 from 2 votes

Pesto and Parmesan add great flavor to these Pesto Green Beans. A stand out vegetable side dish that's easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for a holiday meal.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 144kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

1 pound green beans stem ends trimmed (see Notes section below)
1¼ teaspoons salt or to taste, divided
2 tablespoons pesto
3 tablespoons sliced almonds or pine nuts
3 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread the almonds or pine nuts out on a small baking sheet or oven-proof dish and bake for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted and slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over HIGH heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the green beans. Cook the beans until they are crisp tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Watch closely to avoid overcooking. Drain the beans well and return them to the warm, empty pot. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste. Add the pesto and about half of the Parmesan and toss with tongs until well coated.
Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the toasted almonds and remaining Parmesan and serve.

Notes

String Beans or Snap Beans - These are the beans pictured in this post and my preference for Pesto Green Beans. They were named "string beans" because back in the day, this variety had a tough, fibrous string that ran the length of the bean. Newer varieties typically have had this bred out of them so the only prep required before cooking is to snap or cut off any tough stem ends.

Haricots Verts (French Green Beans) - This variety is thinner and more delicate than string beans and require less cooking time. They are a little pricier but very tasty.

Nutrition