Pesto Green Beans
September 28, 2020 • Cooking for One (or Two), Vegetables
Sometimes just the simplest of additions can take a boring food and make it irresistible. I personally don’t love green beans – unless they come with plenty of bacon! Turns out pesto is pretty great too.
When I harvest my basil every summer I make a very simple form of pesto which is just basil and olive oil, pureed in the food processor. I spoon that into ice cube trays then store the cubes in the freezer until needed. That way I can use the “pure” basil in a variety of dishes, everything from a Thai coconut and basil curry to traditional Italian pesto, like I did here. I had some leftover beans that I tossed with cooked pasta, extra virgin olive oil, and toasted pine nuts for lunch the next day. Pretty great for leftovers!
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons simple basil pesto (only basil and olive oil)
- 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
- 1-2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- ½ pound green beans, trimmed and steamed or boiled to desire level of doneness
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Combine the garlic, simple basil pesto, pine nuts, and cheese in a food processor and roughly pulse. Toss the pesto with the hot, cooked green beans. Finish by drizzling with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.