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Bright Pistachio Pesto French Beans with Crème Fraîche

This vibrant Pistachio Pesto French Beans recipe features crisp-tender green beans tossed in a nutty, herbaceous pistachio basil pesto and served over a smooth layer of crème fraîche. Quick to prepare, visually appealing, and full of fresh, seasonal flavors, it makes a perfect vegetarian side dish for weeknights or elegant dinners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
resting 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pesto & Bean Ingredients
  • 125 g French beans fresh, uniformly sized
  • 50 g pistachios toasted and roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • large pack basil leaves
  • 25 g Parmesan cheese grated or shaved
  • 75 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 200 ml crème fraîche
  • to taste salt and black pepper

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Toast the pistachios in a dry pan for 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Add basil leaves, garlic, toasted pistachios, and Parmesan to a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.
  3. Slowly stream in olive oil while pulsing to form a chunky pesto. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon if desired.
  4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch French beans for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender.
  5. Immediately transfer beans to ice water to stop cooking and preserve color, then drain well.
  6. Toss beans with a few spoonfuls of pesto to coat lightly.
  7. Spread crème fraîche evenly on a serving plate, place beans on top, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle reserved pistachios and extra Parmesan, and finish with black pepper and basil leaves.

Notes

  • Use uniformly sized beans for even cooking.
  • Pesto can be made ahead and stored for up to 2 days in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil.
  • Blanched beans are best served immediately to maintain crisp texture and bright color.