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Holiday Green Beans for Thanksgiving and Christmas

If you've been looking for a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish that uses green beans but is healthier, more colorful, and more vibrant than regular green bean casserole, look no further! It's a simple and delicious way to add something green and healthy to your menu for the holidays and for any weeknight dinner!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Keyword christmas green beans, thanksgiving green beans
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 236kcal
Author Julia

Ingredients

Roasted Butternut Squash

Other ingredients

Maple-lemon drizzle

Instructions

How to roast butternut squash

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded) and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to mix.
  • Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until softened.
  • Proceed with the rest of the recipe while the butternut squash is in the oven.

How to cook green beans

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and boil for about 3 minutes if you like them crispy or for 5 minutes if you like them softer and tender. Drain and then immediately rinse under running cold water. Drain again.

How to toast pecans

  • Toast pecan halves for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color. Chop up half of the pecans.
  • Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterword.

Assembly

  • In a large bowl, combine cooked green beans, roasted butternut squash, and cranberries, and mix to combine. Top with toasted pecan halves and chopped pecans.

4 salad dressing options to choose from

  • Option 1. Use 2 or 3 tablespoons of maple syrup plus 2 or 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (not the bottled kind) as a salad dressing.
  • Option 2. Combine 3 or 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.
  • Option 3. Drizzle the salad with balsamic glaze (store-purchased) or homemade. To make a balsamic glaze, combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar + ¼ cup of honey or brown sugar and cook it down until reduced at least by half. Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon but should not be overly thick.
  • Option 4. Your favorite store-bought Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (not the creamy kind).
  • Option 5. Anything pomegranate based would be good - such as pomegranate molasses mixed with a small amount of olive oil. Or store-bought Pomegranate-based salad dressing (not the creamy kind).

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 8437IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg