Green Bean Salad with Crispy Bread Crumbs

Double down on flavor with this fresh and delicious green bean side dish. 

By Jenna Helwig

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Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipe Summary

total:
35 mins
hands-on:
25 mins
Servings:
8
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A roster of umami-rich ingredients and perfectly toasted breadcrumbs adorn green beans in this simple salad. It's perfect for picnics, barbecues, or even holiday meals, but easy enough to add to your weeknight rotation. To build layers of flavor, you'll toast fresh breadcrumbs with anchovy fillets, then stir together a garlicky, lemony dressing that's souped up with a dash of Worcestershire. Green beans are best when blanched until tender (but not too tender) perfection, so always taste one a minute before the timer goes off. And conversely, don't be afraid to cook them an extra minute if they need it. P.S. To make fresh breadcrumbs, simply tear up fresh bread to get 1 cup, or pulse day-old bread in a food processor until you have small bits.  

Ingredients

Directions

  • Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until beans are no longer warm, about 30 seconds. Shake off excess water and transfer beans to a large, towel-lined baking sheet. Blot dry.

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  • Place anchovy and 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Cook over medium, stirring and breaking up anchovy into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until anchovy is mostly dissolved and oil is hot and sizzling, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer breadcrumb mixture to a small bowl; stir in lemon zest. Let cool, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add dill and toss to combine.

  • Whisk lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Drizzle in remaining ⅓ cup oil, whisking constantly. Add cooked beans and toss to coat. Transfer beans to a platter; spoon any remaining dressing in bowl over beans. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bread crumb mixture.

Notes

To make this vegetarian, skip the anchovy and Worcestershire sauce (which contains a small amount of fish), and be generous with the flaky sea salt.

Make Ahead

Cover and chill cooked and undressed beans for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before dressing and serving. Store cooled bread crumb mixture in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

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