Lemony Green Beans With Pine Nuts & Garlic

Lemony Green Beans With Pine Nuts & Garlic cover

From the Cook

From Patricia Bronson

1/6

Lemony Green Beans With Pine Nuts & Garlic

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Lemony Green Beans With Pine Nuts & Garlic

1 ½ tablespoons pine nuts

1 lb green beanstrimmed

⅓ cup water

½ tbsp olive oil

½ tbsp unsalted butter

1 shallotthinly sliced

2 large cloves garlicminced

½ tsp red pepper flakesplus more or less, to taste

1 tsp lemon zest lemon

Lemon juiceto taste

Kosher salt and black pepperto taste

Instructions

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Instructions

In a large dry skillet, cook the pine nuts over medium heat until they are toasted and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Spoon the pine nuts into a bowl and set aside. Return the pan to the stove.

Place green beans in the skillet. Add the water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the green beans are slightly tender but still crisp.**

Remove the lid from the pan and stir until the water is evaporated, about 3-4 minutes.** Then, make a well in the center of the pan and add the olive oil and butter until it is melted.

Add the shallots to the olive oil-butter mixture and sauté until the shallots are soft and starting to brown on the edges, about 3-4 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir the green beans with the shallot-garlic mixture.

Remove the pan from the heat (at this point, the green beans should be crisp-tender). Add the red pepper flakes, lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss, taste, and add additional seasonings if desired.

Spoon the green beans onto a serving dish and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.*** Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

1
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All Reviews
5.0

Patricia Bronson

I would make again! Easy to prepare and to make for a large group (I served 30) Yummy garlic and shallot ratio.

Dec 4, 2025

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Toast Pine Nuts Separately 🥜
Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant, then set aside. This prevents them from burning when added to the hot green beans and ensures maximum crunch and flavor.
Blanch Green Beans First ❄️
Blanch the green beans in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp, then immediately shock in ice water. This locks in color, removes excess moisture, and prevents overcooking when you sauté them with butter.
Build Flavor Layers with Aromatics 🧄
Cook minced garlic and shallots separately in butter for 1-2 minutes before adding the blanched green beans—this creates a fragrant base that infuses the entire dish with deep, mellow flavors.
Add Citrus at the End 🍋
Toss the warm green beans with fresh lemon juice and zest in the final 30 seconds of cooking to preserve the bright, acidic notes and prevent the lemon flavor from becoming muted or bitter.
Use Finishing Salt and Quality Olive Oil 🧂
Season with fleur de sel or another finishing salt at the table rather than during cooking, and drizzle with high-quality extra virgin olive oil just before serving to add richness and enhance all the fresh, bright flavors.