Sautéed Green Beans with Lemony Gremolata

I am always looking for ways to change up veggies to make them more fun and interesting. I think most people are as well! Honestly, I am a huge weirdo, and I love eating veggies super plain. I will sauté, boil, or roast, and be completely happy with my life. BUT my husband and son need something a bit more interesting. When I am trying to make food more interesting, of course it is all about adding in more flavor, but it is also about adding in great texture...enter garlicky, lemony, crunchy gremolata!

I love gremolata, because it is a very easy way to make almost any dish more interesting. I love adding it to sautéed green beans, but you can add it onto just about any vegetable. I also love tossing it with shrimp, or pouring it over grilled fish. It is simply browned breadcrumbs, that are tossed with garlic, lemon, parsley, red pepper flakes, and a little bit of parmesan cheese.

Tip for perfect Sautéed Green Beans with Lemony Gremolata

*Don't overcook the green beans!! Sauté them in a pan with some butter and olive oil until they start to soften, but still have a great crunch to them.

*Don't take your eyes off of the breadcrumbs when you are browning them on the stove! Stir consistently until they get golden brown, then pour them into a separate bowl.

*Add in the garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes when the bread crumbs are warm. This allows the flavors to marry together to create a better flavor.

*Allow the mixture to cool before adding in the parmesan cheese and parsley...otherwise the cheese will melt and the herbs will wilt.

Sautéed Green Beans with Lemony Gremolata

Cuisine:

Side Dish

Author:

Maria Provenzano

Ingredients

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 garlic clove; minced
2 teaspoons lemon zest; or about the zest of two lemons
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; optional
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh lemon juice for finishing
1 pound green beans; I like using haricot vert beans, they are the thinner green beans

Instructions

Drizzle about a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a pan over medium heat
Place the breadcrumbs in the pan and continue to stir until they start to become golden
Add in the garlic and stir until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic, only about 15-30 seconds
Remove from heat, and pour into a separate bowl
Stir in the lemon zest and red pepper flakes
Allow to cool
Add in the parsley and cheese and toss together
In a large pan over medium/high heat, drizzle in about a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of butter
Toss the beans into the pan and cook until starting to brown and soften, but still have a good bite to them
Place beans on a serving platter; and top with the gremolata, then squeeze the juice of one of the lemons over the beans and gremolata, add as much lemon juice as you like!