When it comes to side dishes, I like to keep my recipes quick and easy with maximum flavor! We mostly lean towards bowl food types of dishes for an ‘all in one’ approach. But sometimes it’s nice to make a side dish or two to go with a simple entrée.
With loads of green beans at the Farmer’s Markets right now, I knew I had to do something with them soon. I also happened to have way too much dill in the fridge, and so a new recipe was born. When green beans aren’t in season, you can always use frozen green beans. They do tend to cook more quickly than fresh because they’ve been blanched before freezing. So just be sure and start checking them for doneness a little sooner. The lemon dill vinaigrette is a great flavor pairing with green beans, but other herbs like basil are equally as good. Really, this recipe is just a good starting point from which to experiment!
If you’re using fresh green beans, you’ll want to trim off the stem ends first.
I like to make the dressing and have the rest of my meal prepped before cooking the green beans. They only take a few minutes, so it’s best to have everything else ready to go.
While I’m a big fan of making things ahead, I would recommend making this dressing fresh or refrigerating it for just a few hours. Something about lemon and garlic can taste a bit weird over time as they sit together. Luckily its’ super easy to make, so there’s not need to make it ahead! 5 from 10 reviews Lemon Dill Vinaigrette: 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill 1/2 Teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/4 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil, the best quality extra virgin you have on hand Place the trimmed green beans in a large skillet, (12″) along with 1/4 cup water. Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat on to high until it comes to a boil. Then lower the heat to maintain a simmer, and steam the green beans just until barely tender and bright green, 6-8 minutes for fresh. Be sure to keep an eye on the level of water in the pan, if it looks like it’s running dry, add a few tablespoons more water to finish cooking. If you’re using frozen green beans, start checking sooner as they come already partially cooked. Drain the green beans and toss them with the dressing. Serve immediately!
