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.
These green beans are stored well as long as you blanch them. This makes them an ideal make-ahead dish for a gathering or meal prep.
Make-Ahead: Blanch the beans and store them in the refrigerator until you can toss them with the gremolata.
Refrigerator: Cooked green beans will last 3-5 days in the fridge. Store them in an airtight container.
Freezer: Freeze cooked green beans for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Pro Tips
When cleaning the green beans, cut off the end and pull the string center filament towards you. Those can be hard for the little ones to eat.
As soon as the beans are cooled off, remove them from the ice bath and dry them well. Store layers of beans between paper towels and place them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.
Don't use the bitter white part of the lemon when zesting. It can ruin the taste of the dish.
Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.