Brown Sugar Glazed Green Beans
Twin Cities food blogger Taylor from greens & chocolate shares her mouth-watering new green bean side dish:
Green bean casserole is a staple that has been at my family’s Thanksgiving table since I can remember. There’s something so comforting about that creamy and slightly mushy green bean filling combined with the crunchy fried onions on top. While I’m not one to pass up a generous helping of the traditional casserole, I think I have found a new favorite green bean dish for the holidays: Brown Sugar Glazed Green Beans with Caramelized Onions, Cranberries, Goat Cheese and Walnuts. Now THAT is a mouthful!
The dish starts out with fresh, not canned, green beans, cooked in a mixture of butter, brown sugar and Dijon mustard. They are sautéed until cooked through but still a bit crunchy. The only other things you will have to cook are the walnuts and onions, which are preferably done low and slow to get that rich caramelized flavor and color. After that, you simply top the green beans with the caramelized onions, dried cranberries, creamy goat cheese and toasted walnuts.
In addition to being packed with flavor, I would say this green bean dish is a healthier option compared to green bean casserole, as there are no cream-of-mushroom soup cans or fried onions anywhere to be found! It will definitely be making an appearance at my family’s Thanksgiving table this year and I hope at yours too!
Brown Sugar Glazed Green Beans with Caramelized Onions, Cranberries, Walnuts, and Goat Cheese
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 24 oz green beans, cleaned, and ends trimmed
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tbsp water
- ¼ tsp salt (more to taste)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
Directions:
- In small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat.
- Add sliced onion and cook until caramelized, about 45 minutes.
- Stir often, and reduce heat if you notice they are browning too quickly.
- In large skillet, melt additional 2 tbsp butter.
- Add brown sugar and Dijon mustard, stirring to combine.
- Add green beans, coating with sauce.
- Add water to thin out the sauce, if needed, to coat the green beans.
- Cook 10-12 minutes over medium-high heat, until green beans are slightly softened but not overcooked, stirring often.
- Remove from heat.
- Transfer to a serving platter.
- Top with caramelized onions, cranberries, walnuts, and goat cheese.
Serve and enjoy!
