These Italian green beans with sun-dried tomatoes come together for an easy side dish that's ready in just 10 minutes! Fresh green beans are tossed together with bright, chewy sun-dried tomatoes and a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This is a great recipe to bring to a gathering or simply keep in the fridge for a delicious and nutritious meal prep option.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick + easy. This side dish comes together in just 10 minutes so it's perfect to make when you don't have too much time but want something healthy and delicious.
- Elevated side. The flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and sliced almonds take this otherwise ordinary side dish to the next level.
- Light + nutritious. Forget green bean casserole - fresh green beans are where it's at! This side dish is fresh and bright. Forget those dense, heavy casseroles that you're so familiar with during the holiday season.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Green beans. Fresh green beans are boiled for just a few minutes in this recipe - helping you keep them crisp instead of mushy!
- Sun-dried tomatoes. I just love using these in my recipes because of their sweet flavor and chewy texture.
- Extra virgin olive oil. If you're using sun-dried tomatoes that come in extra virgin olive oil, go ahead and use this same olive oil for a burst of flavor! Otherwise, use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Balsamic vinegar. Key to bring an sweet, yet, acidic taste to this side dish.
- Salt and pepper. Always to taste but especially in this recipe since you'll have to balance acidity and sweetness from the rest of the ingredients.
- Sliced almonds. Optional but these are great as a garnish in this recipe that also adds a subtle crunch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Boil the green beans. Boil the green beans in a large pot of salted water for 3-4 minutes. Make sure to monitor every minute or so to make sure the beans are not overcooking. You'll want to keep them crisp!
- Drain + ice bath. While the green beans are boiling, fill a large bowl with ice and water. Once the green beans are done boiling, drain and submerge them in the bowl with ice for 3 minutes. The ice bath will help stop the cooking process immediately, which will further help preserve the texture of the fresh green beans.
- Drain again + combine + serve. Drain the green beans from the ice water. Toss the green beans with the sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Once ready to serve, top with the optional sliced almonds for a tasty crunch and enjoy!
What to Serve with Italian Green Beans
- Chicken cutlets. A good protein is a great choice alongside fresh veggies like this side dish. Try these delicious chicken cutlets for an easy dinner or lunch.
- Meatballs. Either on a sub or hoagie, served alongside pasta or just on their own, my turkey meatballs are a great served alongside these green beans.
- Pasta. Lighten a comforting pasta dinner with this green bean side dish for a balanced meal anytime!
Substitutions
- Green beans. Fresh green beans are best in this recipe because you can monitor the cook time thus ensuring these don't get mushy. If you don't have fresh, I'd recommend frozen green beans and just thaw in fridge overnight or in the microwave gently in 30 second increments. The key is to keep the green beans as crispy as possible.
- Sun-dried tomatoes. While you can swap the sun-dried tomatoes for regular tomatoes in this recipe, I don't recommend it because the sun-dried kind are extra sweet and jammy. However, if you must substitute these, swap for the smallest cherry or grape tomatoes you can find.
- Extra virgin olive oil. I love the taste of the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes in this recipe. However, if your sun-dried tomatoes do not come in oil, feel free to use regular extra virgin olive oil.
- Sliced almonds. Swap these for shelled pistachios or walnuts!
Equipment
- Pot. Not too large but big enough to boil the green beans.
- Colander. You'll use its to drain the green beans once boiled and once they're ready tot come out of the ice bath.
- Bowls. Useful for the green bean ice bath and also to toss/serve the final dish.
Storing Italian Green Beans
Store these Italian green beans in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can absolutely make this side dish ahead of time so feel free to do so! As for freezing, I don't recommend it for this recipe since the green beans may be watery once thawed.
This side dish is meant to be enjoyed at room temperature or even chilled. However, if you'd like to reheat these green beans, do so gently on medium heat on the stovetop or in short bursts in the microwave until warmed to your liking.
Top tip
Don't overcook the green beans! This recipe is meant to be crisp and fresh so make sure you keep an eye on your green beans while they boil and only boil for a few minutes. The ice bath is a crucial next step since it stops the cooking process immediately.
FAQ
You can but just make sure you don't boil or cook these to the point that they're mushy! You can also thaw these overnight in the fridge but drain the excess water.
Yes but keep I'd recommend to microwave them gently in 30-second increments. Again, you want to make sure that the beans are not mushy and limp.
Tips and Tricks
- Keep an eye on the green beans as they cook. The last thing you want are soggy green beans in this (or any!) recipe. Make sure you test the green beans often to make sure they're crisp and still have a bite to them.
- Don't skip on the ice bath! Shocking the green beans in ice water, or an ice bath, is key to stopping them from continuing to cook. This will also help prevent them from getting mushy.
Did you try out this recipe? I'd love to know how it went! Leave me a comment and rating below or tag me on Instagram at @AFabulousBite!
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Italian Green Beans with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Quick + Easy!)
Ingredients
- 24 ounces fresh green beans
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes cut in strips or julienned
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil if your sun-dried tomatoes come in oil, use this oil instead
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons sliced or slivered almonds to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the green beans to a large pot with boiling, generously salted water. Boil for 3-4 minutes, checking for doneness every minute or so to make ensure green beans are still crisp.
- Prepare large bowl of ice with water (ice bath) while the green beans are boiling. Once the green beans are ready to remove from the boiling water, drain and submerge these in the ice bath for 3 minutes - this will stop the cooking process and help keep the green beans from getting mushy.
- Drain the ice water and place the green beans in a bowl. Add in the sun-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Taste and season accordingly. Once ready to serve, garnish with sliced almonds, if you wish, for a delicate crunch.
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