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Green Beans and onions and pomegranate are gently sweetened with pomegranate molasses (find it here). This dish is at home at summer cookouts as it is on the holiday buffet.
For how tiny the country of Lebanon is (a little smaller than Connecticut), the diaspora of the Lebanese outside of Lebanon seems to be absolutely ginormous.
I was talking with a new friend up north recently, and when Lebanese cuisine came up (is it any surprise that most roads lead there in my conversations?), she said HEY!, my husband’s Lebanese! She proceeded to send me recipes from his MOTHER. These are what I consider treasure trove, the stuff of legacy-joy, more shiny even than every solid gold charm on the bracelet Aunt Hilda gave me before she died.
Included among the recipes was one for flat bread. Which this not-Lebanese friend was already baking and no doubt mastering. I won’t go there right now other than to say, I’m on fire for the bread and you WILL hear mor from me on this. So much you’ll ask me to stop.
A simple green bean recipe flashed glittery before my eyes too. Pomegranate molasses, lemon, and garlic marinate onions, and the onions flavor the vinaigrette as they marinate. Then all of it is tossed with crisp-cooked green beans. We’ve eaten the bean dish as a lunchtime main, and also alongside barbeque. Winner!
Another friend in on the recipe swap made the bean recipe using mulberry syrup and snap peas. Sweeter, fabulous. Don’t you love how flexible a dish like this can be?
I have a great tip here for cooking your green beans (or snap peas or any green vegetable). This way is especially helpful when you have many things going on at once in your kitchen.
Bring your salted water to a boil. Add your beans/snaps/etc. Remove the pot from the heat. The beans will cook very slowly, so you have more time to check them and they are less likely to overcook. I relate this method to Ina Garten’s low-and-slow method for roasting a whole tenderloin. At 325 degrees, the tenderloin will cook to perfection (which for us is just a tich longer than medium rare) and is not likely to overcook because the heat is not so strong, and the slow way gives you leeway. I’ve never overcooked a tenderloin since doing it this way. Never overcooked a bean or green veg cooking them off the heat, either….
Green Beans with Onions and Pomegranate
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the beans
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- Few grinds black pepper
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic until well combined. Add the sliced onion and stir to coat entirely with the vinaigrette. Cover and marinate for 1hour.
- In a medium saucepan, bring plenty of water with a tablespoon or so of salt to a boil. Add the beans and remove the pan from the heat. Allow the beans to cook in the hot water until they are bright and crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain.
- In a serving dish, toss the beans with the onions and vinaigrette. Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve immediately.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m sorry- I didn’t read under the title!
Thank you!
Hi Maureen! This is delicious and will be repeat!
Can this be made ahead?
Thank you!
Yes!! Great!!
Maureen, boiling the beans renders a different flavor and texture; I recommend the beans cook in the onion and oil and spices then add remaining ingredients and sauté for 5 minutes!
Ohhh I love that idea! Thank you!!
Do I need to use a tablespoon of salt to cook the beans? I try to go easy on it! Looks yummy ~ thanks so much for all your delicious recipes and great tips.
The salted cooking water adds a lot of flavor all the way through any veg cooked this way, but certainly fine to leave the salt out of the cooking water if you are avoiding salt!
Genius. Thank you
So delicious! Thank you!
Hi Maureen—After you add the beans and remove from the heat, do you cover or leave uncovered for 10 minutes?
Hi Rose–great question. I leave the lid off but if you want to speed up the cooking you could leave the lid on!