When I plan a meal, I usually like to choose a green side dish to balance out all the carbs I favor. I wouldn’t complain with an all-carb meal, but when cooking for others, I try to resist the urge. These Garlic-Roasted Green Beans and Shallots with Hazelnuts made me forget how much I love carbs. Green beans are my go-to side, but I do get bored with them easily. I served these green beans to complete the Best-Ever Gourmet Meat Loaf and Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes meal. A fancy meal for guests, but easy to make on a weeknight as well.
So, how’s it taste?
I’ll eat any vegetable that is roasted. I think roasting brings out their natural flavors and I love to experiment with different herbs and spices. I was all over this recipe and couldn’t wait to taste it. The mild hint of onion from the shallots combined with the garlic made this a stand-out dish, which doesn’t happen often with green beans. The chopped hazelnuts added a nice contrasting crunch and made the dish special. This version of green beans will make my list for many meals to come.
Julie Grimes Bottcher, Tables of Content, The Junior League of Birmingham, Alabama
makes 6 (1/2 cup) servings
6 shallots (I only used 4)
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (I only used 3)
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Cut each shallot lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices. Combine the shallots, beans, garlic, and olive oil in a bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss again.
2. Spoon the bean mixture into a 10x15-inch baking dish and roast for 18 to 20 minutes or until the vegetables are light brown and tender, stirring once. Mix the parsley, hazelnuts, and lemon zest in a bowl and sprinkle over the top, tossing to mix. Serve immediately.