balsamic green beans with walnuts
These Balsamic Green Beans with Walnuts are one of my favorite vegetable side dishes of all times! Simple, quick, elegant and delicious. {Naturally gluten-free and vegan!}
I originally shared this recipe on August 2 2012. I have updated the images and some of the text today.
A lot of people ask me about tips for picky eaters and how to get kids to eat more healthy foods and particularly their vegetables. These balsamic green beans are the perfect opportunity to talk about that. I call them a gateway vegetable. Read on to find out why!
Let’s start with my mom and how she got my sister and me to eat spicy chili, steamed artichokes with hollandaise and chopped salad with olives and tomatoes like it was no big deal.
She told me that what she served was the only option. She fed us dinner and we ate it. That was the menu. Sure there were moments when we genuinely didn’t like something. She didn’t make us another meal. That was it. That’s the model I’ve adapted too, and it actually has worked for the most part.
Another pivotal discussion that has influenced my attitudes about picky eating was when I had the wonderful fortune to interview Craig Johnston, Assistant Professor Department of pediatrics in Children’s Nutrition research center Baylor College of Medicine. Got all that? He’s a kids’ nutrition guy. I wrote about him here too.
Basically, he said that if parents are trying to get kids to eat more vegetables they can start with a vegetable kids don’t mind so much. Like for my kids that would be green beans. For others it may be peas or carrots. He says those easy veggies are like a “gateway vegetable.” When the kids eat them, make sure to praise the heck out of them. So with little ones, make it fun and rewarding to make healthy choices. Say things like “Oh my goodness you’re the green bean monster!” Or “Look at you, eating your vegetables!”
Johnston said parents can say something like “your taste-buds are growing up” when their kids eat even a little bite. And then you can move on to the next level of vegetable, like zucchini. Start off adding a little zucchini, maybe it’s nine parts green beans and one part zucchini to begin with, Johnston says. And if you see them eat even a tiny bite, praise them.
Johnston says instead of the “stealth health” you ultimately want to get the kids eating the vegetables and tasting the vegetables. I couldn’t agree more. And with green beans tasting this good who wouldn’t want to call themselves a green bean monster?!
This balsamic green beans with walnuts recipe is so simple, but the flavors are complex in the best way. The nutty sweetness of the garlic paired with the meatiness of the walnuts and the bright tanginess of the aged balsamic take green beans to a whole new level.
With just 6 ingredients and 15 minutes you can make these Green Beans with Walnuts and Balsamic your gateway vegetable and everyone will be thrilled!
More fresh green bean recipes:
This make ahead recipe for Orange Ginger Green Beans is a great one for the holidays.
This recipe for roasted green beans with almonds and thyme is like a cross between Green Bean Almondine and roasted green beans.
One of my most popular recipes ever are these simple skillet green beans. Have you tried them yet?
For amazing Asian flavor try these Green beans with fermented black beans.
Serve this one chilled in the summer. So fresh! Green beans and corn
Another cold option for summertime: green beans with basil vinaigrette
Thanks so much for reading. If you make this recipe for Balsamic Green Beans with Walnuts, let me know by leaving a star rating and review.
Happy Cooking!
~Katie
Printbalsamic green beans with walnuts
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Steamed
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Balsamic Green Beans with Walnuts are one of my favorite vegetable side dishes of all times! Simple, quick, elegant and delicious.
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- 2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed (about 8 cups)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring until the garlic is just barely showing signs of turning brown, 30 to 90 seconds. Immediately pour into a large mixing bowl to stop cooking.
- Meanwhile, add 1 to 2 inches of water to a large pot fitted with a steamer attachment, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add green beans to steamer, and cook, covered until the beans are crisp tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the green beans to the bowl. Add walnuts, balsamic and salt and toss to coat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 94 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
Hello – I have a question about the Nutrition Facts for this recipe – I am sure the calories, etc., is not about the whole 8 cups, right? What is the serving size, 1 cup per person? I am assuming , and it’s not my favorite thing to do 🙂 Please let me know as I would love to make these, they look delicious!
Thanks
The nutrition stats are based on a 1 cup serving. Thanks for asking. I updated the recipe card for you too. Hope you enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! I couldn’t stop eating them!
★★★★★
That’s so great! Especially since they’re green beans and not something unhealthy like potato chips. Lol! So psyched you love them too! Cheers!
This was really delicious and different for my family. It was a HUGE hit! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Hi Amy, I am so pumped to hear you tried this one. It is my family’s favorite too. So thanks! (And also thanks for rating! That’s super helpful!)
This was delicious. Brought it to a Thanksgiving dinner and everyone raved. So simple to prepare…it will become a frequent side dish at my house. Thanks.
Would love to try more great recipes like this
Delicious and easy green beans. I didn’t have balsamic so I used a little Worcestershire sauce and they were wonderful.
★★★★★
This was so good! It was easy to make and the flavor was awesome.
★★★★★
I am so happy to hear you liked this recipe. Thanks Beth!