Sautéed Green Beans with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

This Green Bean Sauté with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts has been a favorite Thanksgiving contribution for years, and I’m excited to share the recipe here. It’s fresh, healthy, flavorful, and simple to prepare — truly one of the best ways to enjoy green beans any time of year.

Unlike heavier green bean casseroles, this sauté highlights bright, whole ingredients: crisp-tender green beans, savory sun-dried tomatoes, fragrant garlic and onion, and toasted pine nuts for a buttery crunch. It’s light enough for weeknight dinners but special enough for holiday tables.

THE BEST WAY TO EAT YOUR GREEN BEANS

This sauté is flavorful without heavy sauces or creams. It’s an easy, no-fuss side that comes together in about 30 minutes — 10 minutes to prep and roughly 20 minutes to cook — making it a reliable option when you want something both quick and impressive.

Green beans are nutritious and versatile: they provide fiber, protein, folate and potassium. Pairing them with ingredients like red onion, garlic, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (a concentrated source of antioxidants) and toasted pine nuts (rich in minerals) creates an appealing balance of textures and tastes.

Serve this dish as your holiday side or as a seasonally appropriate addition to weeknight meals. It scales easily — double the quantities for a larger gathering — and keeps well for leftovers.

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

• Avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Green beans, trimmed
• Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• Garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt
• Pine nuts or sliced almonds, toasted

HOW TO MAKE GREEN BEAN SAUTÉ WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND PINE NUTS

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the sliced red onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent and fragrant.

Add the trimmed green beans, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, minced garlic and sea salt. Toss to combine, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are tender but still slightly crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the green beans to a serving dish and set aside.

Wipe out the skillet and return it to low heat. Add the pine nuts (or sliced almonds) and toast, stirring constantly, until they are just golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the toasted nuts over the green beans and serve warm.

RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS

This is a flexible recipe. Swap haricot verts (French green beans) for standard green beans for a more delicate texture and quicker cooking time. Either avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil works well for sautéing. If you don’t have pine nuts, sliced almonds provide a similar crunch and toasty flavor.

For stronger garlic flavor, add another minced clove or two. To add heat, sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Taste and adjust salt as needed before serving.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARICOT VERTS AND GREEN BEANS?

Haricot verts are thinner and longer than typical green beans and have a slightly more delicate taste. They cook faster, so reduce the cooking time slightly if you use them in this recipe.

WHY ARE MY SAUTÉED GREEN BEANS TOUGH?

If green beans are tough, they are likely undercooked. Sauté until they are tender with a little snap remaining. In this method that usually takes about 10 to 12 minutes; test a bean during cooking to reach your preferred texture.

LOVE THIS RECIPE? HERE ARE MORE HEALTHY, DELICIOUS SIDE DISHES:

Crispy Buttery Broccolini

Potato Gratin (dairy-free)

Cornbread Skillet (gluten-free)

Creamy Buttery Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce

Sourdough Sausage & Mushroom Stuffing