Tasty (and Easy!) Side Dish: Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Pancetta
This Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Pancetta is an easy and tasty way to mix up side dishes. We love all of the flavor in this recipe!
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One of my many favorite things about summer is eating directly out of the garden. I know it sounds a bit cliche, but I seriously walk out to the garden every afternoon and see whats ripe…and then that becomes dinner for the night. If you’ve never planted an herb/vegetable garden, then try it this year! Start small if you’d like. Many veggies & herbs are container-friendly, so start with just a couple containers on the back porch. Your dinners will be tastier, and your wallet will thank you!
Since Spring is just beginning here, it’ll be a few more months before the garden really begins to produce much. So at this time of the year I resort to whatever is on sale each week at the market. There must have been a bumper green bean crop this year as I keep finding beans on sale! Fine by me…I love green beans. Today’s recipe is one of my go-to favorites for string beans. The small amount of pancetta adds an incredible boost of flavor while the tomatoes add an acidity that really provides a nice balance to this dish. I often finish this with a couple squeezes of fresh lemon juice which adds a nice layer of brightness. I also remove the hard tips of the beans before cooking–just line the beans up and use a sharp knife to remove all the tips at once. I find that a good set of chef’s knives makes all the difference in the kitchen!
This dish is easy and only requires a couple of ingredients…so next time you see green beans on sale at your market, grab a pound and give this recipe a shot. One bite and it’ll become a go-to favorite for you, too!
Tasty (and Easy!) Side Dish: Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Pancetta
Ingredients
- 16 oz. green beans washed and trimmed
- 3 medium tomatoes diced
- 4 oz. pancetta diced (Either pre-sliced or whole will work.)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Fresh lemon juice to finish
Instructions
- Blanche the green beans (place beans in gently boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then immediately transfer beans to bowl of cold water for 4-5 minutes)
- Chop the beans at an angle into 1″ pieces. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, place diced pancetta into a saute pan and cook until crispy (about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness). Discard all but 1 Tbsp of fat from the saute pan.
- Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the saute pan along with the remaining 1 Tbsp of fat.
- Over medium heat, add tomatoes to the pan and cook until slightly tender (3-4 minutes).
- Add chopped beans and continue to cook on medium for another 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the cooked pancetta. Stir until well combined.
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve hot.
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