Green Beans with Lemon and Feta | with video!
Posted: 03/25/2015
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These green beans with lemon and feta are a refreshing, flavorful side dish but also make a great lunch on their own!
One of the things I look forward to most during the spring and summer months is heading to the farmers market or to local farms to pick up great fresh produce. In Grand Rapids, Michigan where I grew up, there are two amazing (huge!) farmers markets with endless amounts of whatever kinds of fruits and vegetables you could ever want. Breads, cheeses, and local honey also populate the farmers market in Grand Rapids. Where I live now on the other side of the state, I don’t have anything like that nearby. There’s Eastern Market in Detroit, but that’s a hike from where I live. There’s a smaller farmers market in my city but it has very limited hours and very few vendors. Thankfully, there are a few great farms nearby who sell freshly picked produce. One of which we can even walk to from our house!
One of my favorite things to buy from a farmers market is green beans. They just taste better when you buy them fresh from the market (I suppose most things do!). I don’t know what it is about green beans but when you buy them from a farmers market they always have a faint taste of dill. I just love that.
Lightly steamed, roasted or boiled, I don’t really care. The key is just barely cooking them so they’re nice and crisp still. The last thing you want is soggy green beans, especially when they are farm fresh.
These green beans with lemon and feta are honestly an amazing lunch, but they’re a great side dish too. They taste great hot, warm or cold, and are unbelievably easy to prepare.
Green bean fan? Make sure to check out my popular roasted green beans with Parmesan and basil or my green bean casserole!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
as a side dish
These green beans with lemon and feta are a refreshing, flavorful side dish but also make a great lunch on their own!
Ingredients
- 3/4 to 1 pound of fresh green beans (stem end snipped off), washed
- 4 heaping tablespoons feta cheese
- juice of 1/2 of a lemon
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add about 1/2 inch of water to a medium-sized sauté pan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Add beans, cover and continue to cook on medium-high for 4-5 minutes or until fork tender but still crispy.
- Drain and return to pan. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Place green beans on a plate and sprinkle with feta, then lemon juice, then pepper (and salt if desired).
- Serve immediately. (But they are also pretty great cold!)
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1/4 of recipe, Calories: 69kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 109mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Husband’s take: Ben loves these green beans with lemon and feta, and my parents have had the chance to try them as well. Everyone approves.
Changes I would make: None are necessary, but if you have some fresh herbs lying around, I’d highly recommend sprinkling some of those on as well. Try dill or parsley.
Difficulty: So easy!
Looking for more vegetable recipes? Try: Marsala Roasted Mushrooms, Pesto and Cheese Stuffed Zucchini, Roasted Radishes with Lemon and Honey, Roasted Carrots with Thyme and Nutmeg, Sriracha Orange Glazed Green Beans from Simply Recipes, or Garlic Roasted Kale from Jeanette’s Healthy Living.
Annie says
These were divine ! I could have eaten the whole tray by myself. I had friends come to lunch and as life is chaotic at the moment I bought an easy cook kleftico lamb ( Waitrose just bung in oven!) These potatoes were delicious and so easy. I only used three large cloves of garlic. I covered with foil for first 45 minutes and uncovered for the second. Served with green beans and feta . Will definitely repeat the whole meal but especially the potatoes!
Rachel Gurk says
Yay! So glad you liked them! The whole meal sounds amazing!
amanda mcmahon says
Green beans are super healthy and very versatileYea. I like what you did here.
Joanne says
I am ALWAYS looking for new ways to eat green beans! This simple preparation with lemon and feta sounds so good!
Shawn Ann says
I’m not a huge green bean eater, but that looks delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Ashleigh @Being Cheap is Easy says
YUM! I can’t wait to hit up the Fulton St market again. We love green beans too. My little ones always sneak them out of the bag raw while we are grocery shopping. This would be perfect for Easter!
melissa says
oh yum! i happen to have the ingredients in my fridge! i’m making this tonight!!!
Mary says
This looks delish! I love feta cheese!
Malinda @countrysidecravings says
These look great!! I agree that fresh green beans taste better and I too prefer them barely cooked and with a lot of crunch. Great recipe!!