Green beans gremolata. The best side dishes are the best part of any menu assembly.
We also dedicate so much of our time to preparing them. And they are as important as the main meal itself.
They have to balance taste, combination, and of course, a bit of color.
The fresh green beans, or haricots verts, are that compelling side dish that should never be missing from your table any day and even more so during the holiday table.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July. The list is never-ending.
A much more saw after suitors than their counterparts, Brussels sprouts or broccoli.
This dish of green beans gremolata is healthy, easy to prepare, and delicious. A dish that can be enjoyed all year round too.
The gremolata gives an updated lift by bringing in new flavors.
In this Article
The Best Part is
The best part is that you can prepare this green beans recipe the day before. Take all the stress out and leave you with spare time to enjoy yourself.
Just clean your beans, cook them, and immerse them immediately into a bath of ice-cold water with additional ice cubes.
This step will prevent your beans from overcooking while maintaining their nice and crispy green color.
And as you know, we eat with our eyes too, and I do not know about you, but I do not care for brown or green beans when overcooked.
However, you must dry them well and store them in a plastic Ziploc bag.
In the morning, pull them out of the refrigerator to return to room temperature and add the finishing touches at the last minute.
Of course, green beans are a low-calorie food that provides vitamins C and K, fiber, and folate.
What is Gremolata?
Gremolata is a combination of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic finely chopped.
I chop the parsley and garlic in a food processor to save time.
Adding to the combination, lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and toasted pine nuts make the gremolata ready to be enjoyed with the sauteed green beans in just a few minutes.
Finish it with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy this wonderful gremolata recipe.
This wonderful gremolata can also be used with osso buco, traditionally prepared for. Chicken and fish can be enjoyed with this great condiment as well.
Do not skip the roasted pine nuts. They give this dish a wonderful uplifting savory flavor. You will love it.
Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this Green Beans Gremolata
A quick introduction to all the ingredients. Do read the complete recipe below for amounts.
Green beans: crisp and bright green with no bruising and hard to the touch.
Garlic: fresh and free of any bruising.
Lemon zest: do zest all the yellow minding not to zest the white pit, which is bitter.
Parsley: Italian flat leaf is one choice as it has the most flavor. Use the stems too.
Parmesan cheese: Grated would be best, do not skip this step, as it marries well with all the other ingredients
Pine nuts: are my favorite and bring the gremolata to a new level.
Lemon juice: although used at the last minute, it marries all the ingredients and gives a light savory touch to this vegetable side dish.
Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions to create this excellent Green Beans Gremolata.
You can find the printable recipe with all the correct amounts at the bottom of this post.
In this roasted green bean gremolata dish, you can eat it either hot off the skillet or cold. I prefer it cold.
- When cleaning the green beans, cut off the end and pull the string center filament towards you. Those can be hard to eat for the little ones.
- Blanch the green beans for a couple of minutes and immediately submerge them into a large bowl of cold water. This will stop the cooking process.
- Once the green beans are cold, remove them from the ice bowl, drain, and dry them with a towel. At this juncture, you can either store them and use them later or continue preparing your recipe.
- Use a large skillet to saute them. You want to saute them for a couple of minutes.
- The squeeze of lemon at the last minute gives it a nice final touch and enhances all the flavors.
- Ensure you do not zest the white pit part of the lemon, as it is the bitter part when preparing the gremolata.
If you enjoy this dish, check out these fabulous recipes:
Potato and Green Tomato Gratin
Green Beans with Pearl Onions and Salmon
Equipment and ingredients used to make this recipe:
Green Beans Gremolata
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.
- For the gremolata, toss the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, and pine nuts in a small bowl and set aside.
- When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat them dry. Add the beans to the pan and sauté, turning frequently, for 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through.
- Remove from the heat, add the gremolata and toss well.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Sides, Vegetables
- Cuisine: Italian
- Occasion: Mother’s Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving
- Type: Affordable Gourmet, Under 45 minutes
Did you make this?
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Originally published on August 18, 2013. Updated on February 10, 2023.
Ben
This recipe for Green beans gremolata looks amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you and you are most welcome.
Enjoy!
Sandi
Gigi, French string beans? Can you use regular? I know what French style is, but have never seen in the produce here in Memphis. ( but then again, you don’t see alot here in Memphis at grocery stores) lol
Sandi
Giangi Townsend
You can use the regular green beans, make sure they are smaller and remove both ends.
You are in the South, I am sure your local farmer will have some.
Enjoy!
xoxo
Lisa
This dish sounds absolutely delicious! Adding to my Easter menu.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you and Happy Easter!
Kat
This takes green beans to the next level! It’s the only way I can eat them now.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you!
Jeanine
I adore gremolata it has that fresh flavour that just brings your palate alive…and beans make a perfect pair… thanks for sharing this recipe.
Giangi Townsend
You are most welcome.
Sue
I love fresh green beans so much – thank you for sharing this make-ahead recipe!
Giangi Townsend
The pleasure is all mine. Thank you for stopping by!
Joanna
This must be so yummy! I love everything with pine nuts!
Giangi Townsend
Me too. Thank you!
Chef Mireille
I love Gremolata and you reminded me I have not made this in forever. It was so good on the green beans (though I did replace the pine nuts with pistacchio due to the high price of the pine nuts)
Giangi Townsend
A great suggestion to substitute the pine nuts with pistachios, thank you.
I am happy you enjoyed it.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
These will be making an appearance at Easter dinner this year. I bet they will be well received!
Giangi Townsend
It has graced my table for so many years and it is always welcomed.
Enjoy it and Happy Easter!
Bianca
I love the added pine nuts and the parmesan with the beans! So good
Giangi Townsend
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it.
Preeti Shridhar
An amazing recipe. Will be soon trying it out.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you and enjoy!
Keirsten
I love green beans so much! This Gremolata sounds & looks delicious. And I could easily veganize it using a vegan Parmesan or even omitting it.
I’d totally eat the whole bowl, no side dish 😅🙌
Giangi Townsend
I have eaten the whole bowl and loved every bite of it.
You do need the Parmesan, but a substitute vegan sounds perfect. It is about the texture and taste.
Enjoy!
Judith
Very tasty! Will definitely make this again.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you.
Holly
Excellent recipe! I served this with dinner last night and everyone agreed it’s a keeper. And since my mind is already on Thanksgiving, I’m thinking this will be a fantastic alternative to green bean casserole!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Holly! I make this Gremolata every Thanksgiving because it is easy to prepare and can be halfway prepared the night before.
Enjoy and thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internet
Mallory
I ate them cold like you recommended — absolutely delicious! Will be making again.
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Mallory! I am so happy you enjoyed them.
Brittany F
I’m a sucker for a gremolata and this recipe does not disappoint!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you.
Shelby
I love that you can prep these the day before you need them, such a busy mom win!
Giangi Townsend
Anything to make my and every mom’s life easy, I will make.
Katie
These green beans are the perfect healthy side! Perfect for fancy dinners, or an easy weeknight vegetable! I love them so much!
Giangi Townsend
Thank you, Katie! I am so happy you enjoyed it.