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These quick and easy blanched green beans are seasoned to perfection with salt, pepper, cheesy Boursin, bright sun-dried tomatoes, and toasted nutty almonds for the perfect every day or holiday side dish!
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Easy Green Beans with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Cheese
Everyone in my family loves green beans. My kids affectionately call them “green fries” and we grow them in our backyard all summer. One of the fastest and easiest ways to cook green beans is by blanching them. Roasting them in the oven gives them more flavor but takes a lot longer and doesn’t preserve their beautiful color.
These silky French style green beans are enhanced with my favorite cheese Boursin. Boursin is a creamy spreadable brand of Gournay cheese that is available with a variety of different spice combinations. Use whichever one suits you best. I also add slivered almonds to these green beans. Almonds and green beans are a classic combination, it is very important to toast the almonds so that you can get that sweet earthy nutty flavor from them. The sun-dried tomatoes really pack a punch, they add a wonderful Mediterranean color and pungent flavor. Make sure you drain them well before adding them so you don’t get overly oily green beans. I often prepare green beans this way for dinner or potlucks and I also always make these for our holiday Thanksgiving and Christmas table. Cheesy sun-dried tomato green beans are always a favorite!
How to Make Cheesy Sun-Dried Tomato Baked Green Beans
First you will need to assemble the following ingredients:
- French green beans (1 lb) – French green beans are more tender than regular green beans and have thinner skin which makes them ideal for cooking without a bunch of prep ahead of time.
- Salted butter (2 tbsp) – some fat in butter helps spread the other ingredients around and adds some richness to the dish.
- Slivered almonds (3 tbsp) – almonds have a wonderful nutty, earthy flavor that I love with green beans. Slivered almonds allow all those flavors to really come out.
- Oil packed sun-dried tomatoes (¼ cup) – drained sun-dried tomatoes have a chewy pungent umami flavor. They add that robust Mediterranean flare to the green beans.
- Sea salt (½ tsp) – some fine grain sea salt is perfect for seasoning the green beans and drawing out all the flavors.
- Black pepper – a little fresh ground pepper helps balance things out with some spice.
- Boursin cheese or grated parmesan (2 oz) – this creamy cheese is a spreadable type of Gournay cheese. There are many varieties of Boursin you can use whichever you like best. You can also use fresh grated parmesan for that extra cheesy flavor.
Once you have assembled the ingredients use this method
Blanch. Heat a pot of water and blanch the green beans for 4-5 minutes until they are brighter in color and bend easily. Remove them in the pan and submerge in ice water to stop more cooking and preserve the bright color.
Toast nuts. Place the pan back on the stove, melt the butter and add the almonds. Next brown the almonds stirring constantly.
Combine. Remove the pan from the heat, add the green beans, sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, and cheese. Toss to coat. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Sun Dried Tomato Cheesy Green Beans
French style. It is very important that you choose French style green beans for this recipe. They have a crispy and bright green color, and the skin is soft which means they don’t need to be prepped like other bean types.
Don’t overcook. It is very important that you don’t overcook the green beans. If you overcook them or don’t put them in ice water, they will become mushy and bland not tender and crisp like we want.
Season to taste. Before you serve the green beans make sure that you taste them and add more salt if necessary.
Beware of time. Remember that thinner green beans will cook faster so be sure to adjust the cooking time based on what your green beans look like. The size will vary based on whether they are in season or not.
Use frozen. In the off season try using defrosted green beans instead of off-season fresh beans.
Serve Immediately. You will get the best texture and taste right away so enjoy them when you make them.
FAQs
Look for green beans that are bright green, firm, and free of blemishes and wrinkles, these will make the best cheesy sun-dried green beans.
You can store leftovers in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator, they will be fresh for up to a week.
Most green beans are stringless but if you are using older varieties or heirloom, they may have strings and it is best to remove the strings but snapping off the ends and pulling along the seam.
Yes! Green beans are low in calories and a good source of vitamins K, C, folate, and manganese.
What to Serve Cheesy Green Beans with
Green beans are a great side dish and I love to pair them with one of the following:
Click here to see all our favorite side dishes!
Cheesy Sun-Dried Tomato Green Beans Recipe
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Cheesy Sun-Dried Tomato Green Bean
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb French green beans
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 3 tbsp slivered almonds
- ¼ cup oil packed sun dried tomatoes drained
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 2 oz Boursin cheese or grated parmesan
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water on the stovetop to a boil.
- Blanch green beans in the hot water for 4-5 minutes till they bend easily but are still bright in color. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately submerge the green beans in a bowl of ice water.
- Return the pan to the stove on medium heat, add the butter and melt.
- Add the almonds to the pot and cook in the butter for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until they are browning.
- Remove from the heat, add the green beans, sun dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, and the cheese, toss to coat.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
