Give the soggy green bean casserole a break this year and whip up some of these Creamy Lemon Dijon Green Beans instead! This veggie side doesn’t require any oven space, and comes together in 25 minutes or less, making it the perfect addition to your holiday menu. It’s full of light, tangy flavor and topped off with gluten free toasted breadcrumbs for an added crunch factor.
Ahh green beans…the humble veggie that they are! I’ll admit, they aren’t my absolute favorite, but I think they’re delicious when prepared right. No soggy green beans around here please! They are a key component of anything Thanksgiving meal, and I highly recommend you switch it up this year by making some of my Creamy Lemon Dijon Green Beans.
One of the things that I love most about this green bean recipe is that you don’t need to use the oven for it! This all happens over the stove, saving oven space for the turkey, cornbread, etc. And…it’s so quick to make! These creamy lemon dijon green beans come together in under 30 minutes, and you can even blanch the green beans days in advance.
This dish is simple, light and flavorful and an easy way to convince your friends and family to get their veggies in. It’s naturally gluten free, can be made dairy free, and is just so delicious. I hope this makes it to your holiday dinner table, or even just as a side for any weeknight dinner. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love these Creamy Lemon Garlic Green Beans
- They are made on the stove top, so you can save that precious oven space!
- They’re ready in under 30 minutes, and the green beans can even be blanched days in advance.
- They’re light yet flavorful, and a fun switch up from green bean casserole!
- The green beans are topped with gluten free toasted breadcrumbs for the perfect texture.
- This is a great veggie side dish for the holidays!
What You Need to Make these Creamy Lemon Dijon Green Beans
For the Creamy Lemon Dijon Green Beans:
- Green Beans: You will need 1.5 lbs of green beans for this recipe, which yields about 6-8 side dish servings. Be sure to trim off the stem side, or buy them pre-trimmed.
- Olive Oil & Unsalted Butter: A mix of olive oil and butter adds the creamy, richness of butter while preventing it from burning. Feel free to do all olive oil if you prefer.
- Garlic: Fresh minced is best.
- Lemon Zest & Juice: The lemon zest gets sautéed with the garlic to bring out the vibrant, zesty flavor and the juice is added at the end to prevent the creamy sauce from curdling.
- Heavy Cream: The base of this creamy lemon dijon sauce is of course…heavy cream! Feel free to make this dairy free by using a vegan heavy cream alternative, such as Country Crock Plant Cream.
- Dijon Mustard: Kick up the flavor a notch with some tangy dijon mustard. Grey Poupon is my favorite!
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Season the sauce to taste.
For the Toasted Breadcrumbs:
- Unsalted Butter: For toasting the breadcrumbs in.
- Gluten Free Breadcrumbs: Either normal or panko! I used these gluten free ones from Aleia’s but feel free to use normal breadcrumbs if you’re not gluten free.
- Lemon Zest: To add even more lemon flavor.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme adds an herby note and pairs really well with the lemon and dijon.
- Kosher Salt: Season to taste.
How To Make these Creamy Lemon Dijon Green Beans
Blanch the Green Beans:
First, bring a large pot (or high-sided pan) of water to a boil. Once boiling, heavily season it with kosher salt, then add the green beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until just tender but still have some snap to them. Immediately transfer the green beans to a large bowl with ice water to stop the cooking.
Prepare Creamy Lemon Dijon Sauce:
Drain off the water in the pot and return it to medium heat. Add oil and butter. Once melted, add garlic and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Then, add in the heavy cream and dijon mustard. Stir. Reduce heat to low and season with kosher salt & black pepper to taste. Allow it to simmer for 3-4 minutes until warm and thick.
Toss Green Beans in Sauce:
Add green beans back to the pot and increase the heat to medium. Toss the green beans in the creamy lemon dijon sauce and continue cooking for a few more minutes until warmed through. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the amount of kosher salt & black pepper as needed.
Toast Breadcrumbs:
Bring a small pan to medium heat. Then, add butter. Once melted, add the breadcrumbs, thyme, lemon zest & kosher salt. Stir often until golden and toasted, about 3 minutes.
Plate & Enjoy:
Finally, spread out creamy lemon dijon green beans onto your serving platter and sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over top. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I blanch the green beans ahead of time? Yes! You can absolutely complete the first step of this recipe a few days before you plan to serve it. After shocking in ice water, drain off the water, dry thoroughly and transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the fridge, then proceed with the recipe on the day you’re ready to serve!
- Should I use Panko breadcrumbs or normal? This recipe works with either! Use panko if you prefer bigger flakes, but this is just as delicious with normal breadcrumbs.
- Can I make this recipe dairy free? To make this dairy free, simply substitute a vegan butter (or use olive oil instead) and a vegan heavy cream alternative such as Country Crock Plant Cream.
How Should I Store Leftovers?
I recommend allowing the creamy lemon dijon green beans to cool down, then transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for 3-4 days. I also suggest storing the toasted breadcrumbs separately, so they don’t get soggy and absorb all the sauce. To do so, allow them to fully cool, then store in a jar at room temp. Sprinkle them on top after you’ve re-heated the leftover green beans!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Side Dishes?
- Hot Honey Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Crispy Shallots
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Truffle Dip
- Quinoa Lentil Kale Salad
- Roasted Broccoli Salad with Cranberries
Creamy Lemon Dijon Green Beans
Equipment
- microplane zester
- large pot or high-sided pan
- colander
- small-medium pan
- spatula
Ingredients
For the Creamy Lemon Dijon Green Beans:
- 1.5 lbs green beans trimmed
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Toasted Breadcrumbs:
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup gluten free breadcrumbs (or normal)
- ½ tsp fresh chopped thyme
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot (or high-sided pan) of water to a boil. Once boiling, heavily season it with kosher salt, then add the green beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until just tender but still have some snap to them. Immediately transfer the green beans to a large bowl with ice water to stop the cooking.1.5 lbs green beans
- Drain off the water in the pot and return it to medium heat. Add oil and butter. Once melted, add garlic and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Then, add in the heavy cream and dijon mustard. Stir. Reduce heat to low and season with kosher salt & black pepper to taste. Allow it to simmer for 3-4 minutes until warm and thick.½ tbsp olive oil, ½ tbsp unsalted butter, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tsp lemon zest, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, kosher salt & black pepper
- Add green beans back to the pot and increase the heat to medium. Toss the green beans in the creamy lemon dijon sauce and continue cooking for a few more minutes until warmed through. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the amount of kosher salt & black pepper as needed.1 tbsp lemon juice
- Bring a small pan to medium heat. Then, add butter. Once melted, add the breadcrumbs, thyme, lemon zest & kosher salt. Stir often until golden and toasted, about 3 minutes.1 tbsp unsalted butter, ¼ cup gluten free breadcrumbs, ½ tsp fresh chopped thyme, ½ tsp lemon zest, kosher salt
- Spread out creamy lemon dijon green beans onto your serving platter and sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over top. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.