Christmas cooking can be overwhelming. A few years ago, I came up with balsamic roasted green beans!
Truth be told, my mom’s stovetop was completely full… and none would be available any time soon to get this dish on the table in time for dinner.
I decided to work with what I had available to me. So I tossed the green beans with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and spice and hoped for the best. I mean, how bad could it really turn out? I’m sure I’m not the first person to ever do this.
Turns out that my educated guess is pretty darn tasty!
Since then, it’s become a fun variation to batch cook them rather than steaming or boiling.
Sometimes I’ll buy a two-pound bag of green beans that are pre-washed and trimmed. That way, I can easily mix them up and pop them into the oven as other things on the stove top cook.
If you decide to add this to your holiday menu, you can roast the green beans the day before. Refrigerate the beans in a bowl and then toss them with the pomegranate seeds and goat cheese before serving.
In fact, this side dish is good both warm and cold!
Balsamic Roasted Green Beans with Pomegranate Seeds & Goat Cheese
A bonus tip would be to try using a flavored balsamic (like lemon or even pomegranate) in this recipe! It can add a delightful twist that turns a good side dish into something memorable.
And yes… there are flavored balsamic vinegars out there! My favorite company to get them from is The Olive Press. They ship… so you don’t have to go out to Sonoma, CA in order to get their oils.
If you’re looking to round this dish out with some other favorites from the blog, check these out:
Slow Cooked Balsamic Shredded Beef
Slow Cooked Italian Pork Roast
And don’t forget about this if you’re looking for some yummy Christmas-inspired desserts:
80 Gluten Free Desserts For The Holidays
Balsamic Roasted Green Beans With Pomegranate & Goat Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb Green Beans rinsed and trimmed. Cut long beans in half.
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/8 cup crumbled goat cheese optional
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the beans, olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until the beans are well-coated.
- Lay beans out in a single layer so that they can evenly roast. It's very important that you do not cram all of them on one sheet. They will not evenly cook.
- Roast for 15-17 minutes. (Even roasting for 12 minutes is fine, but they will be crisper.)
- When beans are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
- Adjust seasonings if needed and then toss with pomegranate seeds and crumbled goat cheese (or feta).