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Overhead view of plate of charred green beans on a red table.
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Charred Green Beans with Herby Lemon Salsa

Prep Time22 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6 as a side
Calories: 179kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

Salsa

  • 1 large shallot, diced
  • 1 Fresno pepper, diced (see Note 1)
  • 1 tablespoon sumac (see Note 2)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar (can substitute red wine vinegar or white vinegar)
  • 8 ounces (230g) best-quality cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon minced preserved lemon peel (can sub with 1 tablespoon lemon zest)
  • 1 cup (16g) basil leaves (or flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems)
  • 1 ½ to 2 ½ tablespoons good-quality extra virgin olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt and black pepper

Green Beans

  • 1 heaping tablespoon high-heat oil, such as avocado oil
  • 12 to 24 ounces (340g to 680g) green beans (see Note 3)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup (48g) pine nuts, toasted (or roasted almonds or pistachios, chopped) (see Note 4)

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix together the shallots and Fresno pepper with the sumac, vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
    Stir very well to combine. If the aromatics aren't covered, add another splash of vinegar. Rest for at least 15 minutes, or while you prep everything else, stirring once or twice.
  • Add the cherry tomatoes to a food processor and pulse several times until chopped but not pureed. Pour the tomatoes over a strainer, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and massage the salt into the tomatoes with your hands. Allow the tomatoes to rest and drain while prep everything else.
  • While you wait, do all the other prep. Toast the pine nuts. Mince the preserved lemon peel. Trim the ends of the green beans (if any beans are very large, cut in half). Finely chop the garlic. Finely chop the basil (or parsley).
    To toast pine nuts, heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the pine nuts and stir or shake the pan from time to time, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until toasty and golden brown.
  • In a bowl, combine the strained tomatoes, macerated shallot mixture, preserved lemon peel, basil (or parsley), and olive oil. Taste, adding more olive oil as needed to balance the acidity.
    Season with flaky sea salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine.
  • Make the green beans. Heat a wok or large, sturdy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat (see Note 5). Once you start to see wisps of smoke, then add the high-heat oil. Then add the green beans with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Spread out in a single layer as much as possible and cook undisturbed for 1 minute, or until some beans start to blister.
    Cook for a total of 4 to 5 minutes, tossing only every 1 minute to allow charring.
    When the beans are almost done, add the garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Take off the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl.
  • Spoon the salsa over the beans and scatter on the pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes

  1. If you can't find Fresno peppers, use a jalapeño (they're not as fruity but work fine and have a similar heat level). For mild heat, remove the membranes and seeds first. 
  2. If you don’t have sumac, omit it. When it’s time to serve, sprinkle some lemon juice on top to taste. 
  3. You'll have enough herby lemon salsa for more than 12 ounces (340g) of green beans, but that's the amount that can fit in a large frying pan or wok without overcrowding. Feel free to cook up to 24 ounces (680g) green beans to stretch out this meal further, but the beans in 2 batches to avoid steaming. 
  4. If allergic to nuts, you can use toasted/roasted sunflower seeds or pepitas. 
  5. If using a wok, wait to add the oil until you wisps of smoke (that prevents sticking). If you don’t have a wok, use your largest sturdy sauté pan.