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Butter smothered green Beans & Cashews

Green beans smothered in butter and fresh herbs then tossed with crunchy cashews. A delicious way to enjoy garden fresh green beans and the perfect side dish for chicken, fish, pork or beef.

A white platter of green beans and cashews smothered in butter

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This year is the first time I have had a garden and my green beans are growing like gangbusters! I have pole beans growing and the plant must be at least 12 ft if I were to have a pole high enough to extend all of shoots up.

I couldn’t be happier about all the green beans we have got this year because I love love love fresh green beans!

This recipe for Butter Smothered Green Beans is the bomb! So simple but absolutely delicious!

Like butter isn’t great on any vegetable I have added some of the fresh garden herbs and tossed in some crunch cashews which are also a buttery tasting nut that adds a great crunch to this recipe.

This recipe has been adapted from a recipe I found in the Silver Palate Cookbook circa 2007.

Close up pic of fresh green beans

ingredients you will need:

Fresh Green Beans: If you are lucky to pluck them from your garden great but if not you can almost always year-round find fresh green beans at the grocery store. I do not recommend frozen for this recipe if you can avoid it because they tend to be a little soft and lost the nice snap fresh green beans offer.

Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter for this recipe and actually most recipes simply because it is easier to add a dash of salt to a recipe as needed versus having salt automatically included as it is in salted butter. You can use salted butter if that is what you have just taste the beans before adding any additional salt so you don’t make them too salty.

Cashews: A soft buttery nut. Again use the unsalted variety.

Parsley: Fresh parsley again if you can find it because it has a better flavour than dried. Dried parsley will work as well just remember the rule of thumb when converting fresh to dried herbs. 1 tbsp of fresh herbs equals 1 tsp of dried.

Salt and Pepper: To taste is the best rule of thumb. But I have included the measurements I prefer. Also, don’t forget that if using salted butter you will want to reduce the amount of additional salt you add.

Green beans, fresh herbs and cashews on a table

How to make smothered green beans & cashews:

Wash and trim the green beans keeping them whole otherwise. Add them to a steamer basket to steam over boiling water for 3-5 minutes to blanch the green beans. Either method works fine to quickly cook them.

In a small pot over medium-low heat melt the butter and then add in the fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Mix and remove from heat.

A pot of butter and fresh herbs on a tea towel

Place the green beans in a large bowl or on a platter and drizzle with the herb butter mixture. Gently toss to evenly coat. Top with cashews and serve warm.

Butter and herbs being poured over a platter for green beans

how To Blanch Green Beans:

Add salt to a large pot of boiling water. Trim the ends of the green beans and remove any tough strings. When water is boiling drop add the green beans and boil for about 2 minutes. The beans will turn a bright shade of green, and be tender but still have a little snap to them.

Remove from hot water and drain. If serving immediately for this butter smothered green bean recipe carry on with the rest of the recipe.

If you are going to use the beans for a recipe you plan to make later or will include an acidic ingredient like lemon or vinegar there is one more recommended step and that is to drain the hot water from the beans and then give them an ice bath in cold water for about 3 minutes to stop the cooking. This ice bath will help the beans retain that bright green colour longer.

Close up of butter smothered green beans and cashews

Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you can but I would only add the cashews just when you are ready to serve. If the cashews sit with the butter or in the fridge they tend to soften up and lose their crunch.

This recipe is best served warm to keep the butter in a liquid state. If you need to warm up this recipe simply put it in the microwave for a minute to minute and a half so you don’t overcook the beans. Then add fresh cashews.

Is this green bean recipe keto?

Yes! Green beans are full of fibre and the butter and cashews provide excellent sources of healthy fats.

Vegan alternatives:

You can easily make this smothered green bean recipe vegan by swapping out the butter for a vegan butter like Earth Balance or using the butter-flavored coconut oil like the one from Nutiva.

A platter of green beans and cashews side dish on a white tile table with a small dish filled with more melted butter

this recipe pairs well with:

A white platter of green beans and cashews smothered in butter

Butter Smothered Green Beans & Cashews

Alisa Infanti
Green beans smothered in butter and fresh herbs then tossed with crunchy cashews. A delicious way to enjoy garden fresh green beans and the perfect side dish for chicken, fish, pork or beef.
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 275 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Pot with Steamer Basket and Lid
  • Small Pot
  • Chopping Knife
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Large Bowl or Platter

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ lb green beans washed and trimmed
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¾ cup cashews

Instructions
 

  • Wash and trim the green beans and remove any strings.
  • Place beans in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and cover with a lid. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, drain water. Place beans in a large bowl or arrange on a large platter.
  • In a small pot over medium-low heat melt the butter. Add the parsley, salt and pepper and mix. Remove from heat and pour over green beans. Toss to coat. Top with cashews and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 217gCalories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 16.5gProtein: 7.4gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 368mgPotassium: 386mgFiber: 4.3gSugar: 3.2gVitamin A: 1216IUVitamin C: 16.7mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 4mg

Notes

This recipe should be served warm but to reheat from cold microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.  Add fresh cashews.
Tip: 
Do not add cashews until ready to consume to help maintain their crunch.
Vegan Option:
Replace butter with vegan butter substitute or butter flavoured coconut oil
Please Note:

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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6 Comments

  1. This is such a lovely summery side. Sounds delicious. And it’s just what I was looking for. I have tons of green beans from my garden. I will definitely give this a try.

  2. 5 stars
    My family and I love this recipe! It’s so delicious and tasty! Can’t wait to make this again!

  3. 5 stars
    I’m always stumped when it comes to side dishes. This looks amazing and can go with just about everything.

5 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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