Green beans are bang in season right now, and I have both climbing and French ‘dwarf’ beans producing a handful a day. My warm green beans with lemon and parmesan are a versatile side dish that pairs well with almost any main course. When steamed quickly, they maintain their beautiful, vibrant green colour. Still warm and tossed in the punchy vinaigrette, they not only taste amazing, but they look great as well!
Why you’ll love this simple side dish
I love the combination of the fresh green beans with the punchy, zingy vinaigrette and the salty parmesan. Dressing the beans whilst they are still hot ensures they soak up all the flavours and smell amazing. It’s such an effortless way to elevate a humble garden vegetable that’s bang in season right now. It’s a side dish that feels a little special, but it’s on the table in 10 minutes.
How to get that perfect crisp bean?
The secret to vibrant, tender-crisp green beans is to keep a close eye on the clock. Steaming them for just 5 minutes over salted boiling water ensures they lose their raw bite but maintain that beautiful bright green colour. I like to trim just the top ends and leave the little curly tails on for a rustic, home-grown look. Make sure you pour the dressing over them the second they come out of the pan as the heat of the beans helps release the garlic and lemon aromas as you carry the dish to the table.
Other related recipes on the site
If you’re looking for similar dishes to add as a side dish, see the list below:
Growing beans
Beans do pretty well in the UK and are a popular choice in the vegetable patch. Especially as they don’t require a lot of space – especially if you’re growing the climbing varieties as they go upwards! I like to grow a mix of dwarf (or French) beans and climbing beans. The dwarf beans are self-supporting and normally grow a couple of feet high, whilst the climbing beans will need tall sturdy canes to support them as they grow.
The beans like a sunny but sheltered spot – they don’t do too well if they are constantly battling the wind. Start your seeds off indoors or in the greenhouse in April, and once the frost has definitely passed, you can plant them outdoors. They will need watering often, and when the pods start to grow, ensure you harvest the beans to keep the crops coming and force more beans.
These are definitely best served immediately while they are still warm and the beans are perfectly crisp. However, you can mix the dressing in a jar ahead of time so it’s ready to pour the second the beans are cooked!
You could, but the texture will be softer. If using frozen beans, plunge them straight into boiling water and reduce the cooking time to avoid them going mushy. But ideally it’s really worth seeking out some fresh beans.
Pecorino works wonderfully as a direct substitute. If you want a dairy-free or vegan option, a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts or flaked almonds with a little nutritional yeast offers a lovely savoury crunch!
Warm Green Beans with Lemon and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 400 g green beans cut ends trimmed
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 10 g parmesan finely grated
Instructions
- Cut off the top ends of the beans, leaving the cute curly ends, and steam them over a pan of salted boiling water for 6 minutes.
- Whilst the beans are cooking, combine the mustard, vinegar, oil, lemon zest and juice, and the garlic in a jug or a jar.
- As soon as the beans are cooked, drain and tip them into your serving dish. Immediately pour over the dressing. Give everything a good mix, and then sprinkle on the grated parmesan.
- Season with a little sea salt (the parmesan is already quite salty) and some freshly ground black pepper and serve whilst still warm.
Notes
- This dish isn’t really one you can make ahead of time. It’s definitely best served immediately while the beans are still warm and crisp. However, you can mix the dressing in a jar ahead of time so it’s ready to pour the second the beans are cooked!
- Frozen beans don’t really work here; ideally you need to seek out fresh beans.
- If you don’t have parmesan, you can use pecorino. Or, if you’re looking to keep this vegan, then a suitable cheese alternative, or a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts and nutritional yeast gives a lovely savoury crunch!