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Green Beans with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette & Parmesan Breadcrumbs

by Mitchell Rosenthal

read reviews (8)

Meyer lemons are less acidic than standard lemons, and their zest and juice have an herbal, even floral, undertone that makes them worth seeking out. You can also substitute regular lemons, but expect a sharper taste. Serves eight to ten.

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breadcrumbs green beans Parmigiano Reggiano more more

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Finely grated zest of one Meyer lemon
1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed

Heat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with 2 Tbs. of the oil, a generous pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool and then transfer to a bowl and mix in the cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice, cream, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup oil.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the green beans in the boiling water until tender, 4 to 6 minutes; drain well. Toss the beans with the vinaigrette. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Transfer the beans to a serving platter and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

Make Ahead Tips

The crumbs can be prepared the morning of the meal and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The vinaigrette can be made a day ahead and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 180; Fat (g): 16; Fat Calories (kcal): 150; Saturated Fat (g): 3.5; Protein (g): 3; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 11; Carbohydrates (g): 9; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 290; Cholesterol (mg): 10; Fiber (g): 3;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 95 , pp. 47

September 1, 2008

user reviews

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by bittersweet, 12/9/2011This was just fabulous and everyone loved it. I blanched the beans the day ahead of Thanksgiving and stored them in the fridge overnight. Rewarmed them in a sauté pan before adding vinaigrette. I did have Meyer lemons and the taste was divine. It was worth seeking them out. Thanks, Mr. Rosenthal for a great recipe.

by 5boys2girls4now, 11/25/2011I was worried that the dish would be too acidic using regular lemons since Meyers were unavailable, but it tasted delicious. I made the vinaigrette and breadcrumb mixture up the day before which made assembling the dish right before mealtime a snap.

by RachieOlovesFood, 11/28/2010I also used regular lemons since I could not find the other lemons the recipe suggested. It still tasted divine. As the other commements have said, I'm not a huge green bean fan and I loved this recipe. I can't wait to go home for Christmas and make it for my family.

by laheen, 11/25/2010These were delicious! I will definitely make this dish again and add it to our regular veggie rotation. I blanched the beans a day ahead, stored them in the fridge overnight, and served them at room temperature, since I had to travel with them to a potluck dinner (I made the breadcrumbs the day of the party and assembled everything at the host's house). They were a hit, even with this slight adaptation!

by rstone15, 11/22/2010I'm not a green-been lover myself, but this simple recipe has me singing a different tune! I used regular lemons and did not think that the taste was too sharp or acidic. It was great timing-wise because I was able to make everything ahead of time except for boiling the beans, which allowed all the food to be served WARM at the same time!