Julie Clark
Updated:
Christmas Green Beans
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Serve our Christmas Green Beans recipe at your next holiday dinner. With caramelized pecans, pimentos and a hint of honey, these green beans are a delicious side dish for the holiday season or any weeknight dinner.
If you’re seeking that one side dish to make your holiday table shine, our Christmas Green Beans are here to steal the show. This isn’t just any green bean recipe. It turns that common vegetable into a star with a handful of ingredients.
This healthy side dish is the perfect balance of savory and sweet thanks to the pimentos, butter, honey, pecans and garlic. It takes just 25 minutes from start to finish. Move over green bean casserole, there’s a new holiday side dish in town!
About this Christmas Green Beans Recipe:
There are two things I love about this green beans Christmas recipe.
- The Color. Tender-crisp green beans with red pimentos peppered throughout. This really wants to be on your Christmas dinner table this year.
- Toasted Pecans. The chopped pecans are actually so much more than toasted. They’re sautéed in a buttery, garlic & honey mixture which makes them have a caramelized flavor. So perfectly savory.
Are frozen green beans as good as fresh?
If you have fresh green beans from your garden, perfect! Use them. But what if your only choice is frozen green beans?
Studies have shown that frozen vegetables have just as many nutrients as fresh. Vegetables are frozen at their peak, preserving all of those good vitamins and nutrients for you.
I like using frozen fine green beans in all of my green bean side dishes, whether they’re simply steamed or dressed up. They’re so good that guests always mistake them as fresh green beans. They’re delicious!
Recipe Ingredients
- Pimentos are sometimes hard to find in your local grocery store, but look near the olives and pickles. They come in a small 4 ounce jar.
- Don’t love pimentos but still want a pop of red color? Try diced red pepper.
✨ For complete ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card below. ✨
How to Make Christmas Green Beans
This easy side dish takes just 4 steps.
- In a large skillet, melt butter, honey, and garlic over medium-high heat. This sweet mixture is going to make your house smell amazing.
- Once the butter is melted, add the pecans to the pan. Cook and stir for two minutes until pecans are golden brown. Remove the pecans and set them aside in a small bowl.
- In the same skillet, stir in the thawed green beans. Cook, covered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-10 minutes or until green beans are tender.
- Stir in the pimentos and toasted pecans. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir well.
These green beans will be slightly crispy. If you’d like, you can steam the green beans first which will result in a softer green bean.
Recipe Variations
- Use this roasted green beans recipe with other veggies such as broccoli or brussels sprouts.
- Add other nuts such as toasted almonds.
- Add bacon! This is an excellent alternative to green bean casserole, especially with adding bacon.
Serving Suggestions
The sautéed green beans are perfect for a holiday meal and one of my favorite ways to serve fresh beans. You can take a peek at our Thanksgiving menu and holiday menu, but they also go great with a family dinner such as:
- Traditional Roasts: Serve alongside roast turkey, baked ham, pork roast or roast beef for a classic holiday meal.
- Seafood Delights: Pair with baked or grilled salmon or shrimp for a lighter alternative yet still flavorful.
- Poultry Pairings: These beans perfectly complement roast chicken, adding a pop of color and taste.
- Quiches and Frittatas: Serve alongside egg-based dishes such as a frittata for a delightful brunch or lunch combination.
- Pasta Perfection: Complement a pasta dish, like creamy Alfredo or marinara spaghetti, with these beans for a balanced dinner. You may also like our Italian green beans with parmesan cheese.
- Vegetarian: Serve the garlicky green beans alongside baked sweet potatoes, a Caesar salad or butternut squash for a vegetarian meal.
Other Recipes to Love
Christmas Green Beans with Toasted Pecans
Christmas green beans are dressed up with pimentos and chopped pecans that are caramelized in butter and honey. A simple, healthy side dish to complete your family dinner.
Servings 7 people
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 16 ounces frozen fine green beans thawed
- 1/4 cup diced pimentos (canned pimentos, drained)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt butter, honey, and garlic over medium-high heat. This sweet mixture is going to make your house smell amazing. 3 tablespoons salted butter, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- Once the butter is melted, add the pecans. Cook and stir for two minutes until pecans are golden brown. Remove the pecans and set them aside in a small bowl. ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- In the same skillet, stir in the green beans. Cook, covered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-10 minutes or until green beans are tender. 16 ounces frozen fine green beans
- Stir in the pimentos and toasted pecans. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir well and serve. ¼ cup diced pimentos, salt and black pepper
Video
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 7, with 1 serving being 1/7 of the green beans. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 782IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
I loathe the taste of pimento. Would red pepper flakes be an acceptable substitute? Or would they be too spicy?
My husband doesn’t like pecans—could I sub almonds?
Do you thaw the green beans before putting in skillet?
Can this recipe be made a day ahead of time?
Love this recipe 😁 Can’t wait to put it on the Christmas table. More Christmas recipies. Please
Have you ever used fresh green beans?
Can you substitut olive oil to butter?
What type of honey? & do we use canned pimentos?
This good meal looks so healthy! I love beans and vegie. This could be our side dishes for our dinner later. I never try to add in the pecans with the beans before. Quite good idea you had. Excited to try later
I like how the color was coordinated with Christmas. Love green beans, love pecans.