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Home » Sides » Pecan Green Beans with Orange

Pecan Green Beans with Orange

Oct 27, 2024 · by Valentina · 12 Comments

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Are you looking for an original green bean recipe for the holidays? Pecan Green Beans with Orange are the answer! Quick and easy to make, they're subtly sweet and roasted to perfection. As far as Thanksgiving green bean sides go, this dish is far from ordinary.

Green beans with pecan pieces in white serving dish with red maple leaves in background.

These Pecan Green Beans are a proven recipe with delicious results every time. It's quick, easy and it's always a hit. It only takes about 25 minutes -- start to finish! What could be better for a big holiday dinner?

Most people seem to expect some sort of green bean side dish or perhaps buttery roasted burssels sprouts, as a part of a Thanksgiving feast.

I think it’s nice to have a few classic dishes as a part of a holiday spread, and as a professional chef, I always like to put a a creative twist on them.

The Key Ingredients

Raw green beans in an even layer on a baking sheet.
  • green beans - Look for green beans that are firm, with a deep green color and no bruised or yellow areas. You can also use Haricot verts, which are very similar, only more delicate with a thinner and longer shape.
  • pecans - Pecans add a subtle maple flavor and lovely crunch to the green beans. You can roughly chop whole pecans, or buy pecan pieces.
  • orange juice and zest. The sweet orange juice and zest finish the dish with a perfect silky-smooth butter sauce. I like using Naval oranges because they're super juicy and don't usually have seeds. Use any orange you like.
  • cayenne pepper - A pinch of cayenne adds just a touch of heat that's fantastic with the other ingredients. If you don't want the heat, just omit it.

Can you roast frozen green beans?

Absolutely! If you want to use frozen green beans, let them thaw completely at room temperature before you begin. Then proceed according to the same instructions listed below.

How to Make Pecan Green Beans

- Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set it aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans, and boil just until they’re a brighter green and tender, about 4 minutes.

Recipe Tip: If the beans are on the long side (i.e., hard to eat in one bite), cut them into smaller pieces.

- Drain, and immediately plunge them into the ice water. (This is called shocking.) Once they’re cool, drain again, dry them with a kitchen towel, and spread them out on a sheet pan.

Recipe Tip: Shocking the green beans in ice water is very important, as it will stop the cooking process and help them to keep their color.

Bright green cut green beans on a paper towel.

- Drizzle them with the olive oil and then toss with your hands to ensure they’re all well coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread them out evenly, in a single layer.

- Place the sheet pan in a 500°F oven and roast until they begin to blister and become a little bit golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip them about half way through the roasting time. Use a spatula to help you add the roasted beans to a large mixing bowl.

Pro Tip: Roasting the beans at a very high temperature, after they’ve been boiled, adds tremendous additional flavor from the caramelization process, from browning in the oven.

- To make the sauce, while the beans are roasting, add the butter, orange zest, orange juice, pecans and cayenne to a small sauce pan. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top and place it over low heat.

Two pats of butter in a small saute pan with orange juice.

- Once the butter has melted, cook for another minute and then drizzle it over the roasted beans.

- Toss and season to taste with salt and pepper, and then pour the beans into a serving dish. (If your're not sure how to season to taste, this seasoning guide will help.)

Small white and blue plate with Pecan Green Beans.

Variations

  • Vegan version. Use extra virgin olive oil instead of the unsalted butter. While it won't be quite as rich, it will still be delicious.
  • Possible additions. Cooked and crumbled bacon, delicious caramelized mushrooms, various other nuts like pine nuts, slivered almonds or chopped walnuts. These ingredients can be used with the pecans or instead of them.
  • This recipe is also really tasty with lemon, if you want to swap it out for the orange.
  • Pecan Green Beans are also fabulous when made with these warmly spiced pecans. If you try this, roughly chop them and add toss them into the green beans with the sauce.

Serving Suggestions

This is ideal for a Thanksgiving side dish, though it's of course just as delicious any other day. Below are a handful of dishes I like serving with them.

  • Spinach Rolls with Phyllo
  • Smoky Roasted Whole Turkey
  • Sous Vide Rosemarey Pork Chops with
  • Honeynut Squash Stuffed with Onion, Bacon and Cranberries

Making Them Ahead

You can make most of this recipe ahead of time. Below is a good timeline to follow.

  • A day ahead. The day before you want to serve, boil, shock and then refrigerate the green beans.
  • Up to 6 hours ahead. Make the sauce and leave it on the stove covered with foil. (Heat it later to add to the roasted green beans.)
  • 30 minutes ahead. Preheat oven, roast and then assemble.

More Must-Try Holiday Sides

  • Top view of smashed golden brown cauliflower florets in a yellow-rimmed serving dish.
    Crispy Smashed Cauliflower
  • Round terra cotta dish filled with baked, sliced sweet potato slices.
    Baked Sweet Potato Slices with Rosemary
  • Roasted Brown Butter Hazelnut Brussels Sprouts in small red casserole dish.
    Hazelnut Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts
  • Rustic Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes in a square white bowl on a red and white checkered cloth.
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Enjoy, and I hope this turns out to be one of your favorite Thanksgiving green bean sides dishes.

Small white and blue plate with Pecan Green Beans.

Pecan Green Beans Recipe

Valentina K. Wein
Are you looking for an original green bean recipe for the holidays? Pecan Green Beans with Orange are the answer! Quick and easy to make, they're subtly sweet and roasted to perfection. As far as Thanksgiving green bean sides go, this dish is far from ordinary.
5 from 2 votes
Print
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 133 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1¼ pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half
  • 1½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • zest of 1 Navel orange
  • juice of ½ Navel orange
  • pinch of cayenne
  • 3 tablespoons roughly chopped pecans*
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Set the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F, and adjust a rack to the top third.
  • Boil, shock, dry and oil the green beans. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set it aside. Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans, and boil just until they’re a brighter green and tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, and immediately plunge them into the ice water. (This is called shocking.)
    Once they’re cool, drain again, dry them with a kitchen towel, and spread them out on a sheet pan. Drizzle them with the olive oil and then toss with your hands to ensure they’re all well coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread them out evenly, in a single layer.
  • Roast. Place the sheet pan in the 500°F oven and roast until they begin to blister and become a little bit golden, 8 to 10 minutes. (Move them around and flip them about half way through the roasting time.) Use a spatula to help you add the roasted beans to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • Make the sauce and combine with the green beans. While the beans are roasting, add the butter, orange zest, orange juice, pecans and cayenne to a small sauce pan. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top and place it over low heat. Once the butter has melted, cook for another minute and then drizzle it over the roasted beans.
  • Season and serve. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then pour into a serving dish. Serve hot. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)

NOTES

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.
*If you purchase pecan pieces you don't need to chop them.

NUTRITION

Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 794IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords best vegetables to roast, gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes, vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deb|EastofEdenCooking

    November 16, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    All the carbs of Thanksgiving need to step aside! These scrumptious green beans will need room on our plates. Thanks for sharing a veggie recipe for the holiday!

    Reply
    • valentina

      November 16, 2017 at 3:18 pm

      You are so welcome! Thank you. 🙂

      Reply
  2. David

    November 17, 2017 at 1:57 am

    I have never roasted green beans before... definitely want to try this, although I won’t be cooking this holiday. So sad... but it doesn’t mean I can’t make them for a non-holiday meal, right?

    Reply
    • valentina

      November 18, 2017 at 7:01 pm

      Delicious any time! Even though you're not cooking, I wish you and Mark a very happy Thanksgiving. (Hopefully, someone is cooking for YOU!)

      Reply
  3. Rocky Mountain Woman

    November 18, 2017 at 6:23 am

    I love this flavor combo, and it is a great way to turn tradition into something exciting.

    Reply
    • valentina

      November 18, 2017 at 7:02 pm

      Thanks! Hope you love it!

      Reply
  4. sippitysup

    November 20, 2017 at 7:58 am

    I agree, don’t forget to put something green on the plate. Green beans are traditional holiday fare and I'm one of those guys who thinks it’s just not Thanksgiving without green beans. But sadly, this vegetable is usually an oozy-gooey over-baked casserole topped with something crunchy that I can never actually identify. Everything here is deliciously identifiable! GREG

    Reply
    • valentina

      November 20, 2017 at 8:51 pm

      Thank you, Greg. Yes, I like to see my green beans clearly. ;-). I wish you and your family a Happy (and tasty) Thanksgiving! XO

      Reply
  5. jenn

    November 24, 2018 at 9:16 am

    5 stars
    The flavors are out of this world!

    Reply
    • valentina

      November 26, 2018 at 10:29 am

      Yay! Thanks so much, Jenn.

      Reply
  6. Dana

    November 30, 2019 at 8:49 am

    5 stars
    I love green beans, and they're really so much more versatile than people give them credit for. Loved this recipe.

    Reply
    • valentina

      December 01, 2019 at 10:25 am

      Totally agree. Thanks for trying it!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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