Gremolata sounds a little exotic, doesn’t it? It’s really pretty basic though. It’s just an herb mixture that features lemon zest, garlic and parsley. And often nuts and Parmesan cheese. It’s one of those magical condiments that just brings food to life. Without a ton of effort. Totally my style! And it goes stunningly well with green beans. French green beans, to be exact, which are the long, slender ones. Very elegant. Also very fast to cook because they are so thin. (Plus, they are particularly tasty, in my opinion!) This is actually an Ina Garten/Barefoot Contessa recipe that I’ve loved for a long time. You can prep everything ahead so that it just needs a couple of minutes to get it ready to serve, which makes it great for entertaining. It’s also a great veggie side dish for the holidays. Particularly with those elegant beans and the fancy sounding name. You’ll look like a star! (You might also like green beans almondine or sesame asparagus, equally easy but impressive sides.) OK, let’s get cooking. Now, I’ve got a few quick notes and tips coming up below. If you’d rather skip to the recipe, simply scroll on down. The recipe card is near the bottom, just above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
Green beans: I use and prefer the long, thin French style green beans. Also, you definitely want fresh green beans, not canned. Lemons: You’ll need the zest only of 2 medium to large lemons. You can refrigerate them to save and use the juice for another recipe. Parmesan: Fresh grated Parmesan cheese is best here. Also, you could swap in a little nutritional yeast if you want to make this vegan-friendly. Walnuts: Feel free to substitute pecans if you prefer. Also, lightly toasting them in a skillet for 2-3 minutes adds to the nutty flavor. Just watch them carefully so they don’t burn.
If you have any leftovers, it’s best to store the gremolata mixture separately from the green beans. That way, you can rewarm the beans in the skillet or microwave and add the gremolata topping. Definitely check this recipe out soon. It’s bound to be on the regular rotation in your house. And you may find that you want to gremolata all the things! Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Green beans: I use and prefer the long, thin French style green beans. Also, you definitely want fresh green beans, not canned. Lemons: You’ll need the zest only of 2 medium to large lemons. You can refrigerate them to save and use the juice for another recipe. Parmesan: Fresh grated Parmesan cheese is best here. Also, you could swap in a little nutritional yeast if you want to make this vegan-friendly. Walnuts: Feel free to substitute pecans if you prefer. Also, lightly toasting them in a skillet for 2-3 minutes adds to the nutty flavor. Just watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Leftovers: If you have any leftovers, it’s best to store the gremolata mixture separately from the green beans. That way, you can rewarm the beans in the skillet or microwave and add the gremolata topping for serving.
