Green Beans with Tahini-Cashew Dressing and Crispy Fried Shallots
Traditional green bean casserole (ya, the one you have at Thanksgiving—not sure what other green bean casseroles exist and frankly, I’m too afraid to ask) is one of those dishes where the sum is truly greater than its parts. Canned green beans, canned cream of mushroom soup, and shelf-stable fried onions aren’t exactly appetizing. Combine them, though, and you somehow end up with magic. But this year, as I thought about what I wanted to make for Thanksgiving, I knew I wanted to do 100% plant-based dishes that focus on whole, fresh foods. I KNOW, I KNOW, HOW DARE I RUIN THANKSGIVING. But, hear me out, because Green Beans with Tahini-Cashew Dressing is yummy. It also whips up nice and fast and looks fancier than it is. So, not only is it delicious, it’ll also impress your guests. And that, my friends, is the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
Serves: 4-6 as a side
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes
Ingredients
¼ cup tahini paste
¼ cup cashews*
1 cup water
3 cloves of garlic
¼ tsp onion powder
Juice from one lemon
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 lbs green beans, washed and ends trimmed
1 shallot, sliced thinly**
½-1 cup of peanut oil**
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°. Leaving the skins on, slice the tops off three cloves of garlic (about 1/8-1/4 inch). Drizzle with olive oil and place in a small baking dish and cover with tinfoil. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until garlic is golden brown and easy to puncture with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool.
While the garlic is roasting, prepare the crispy fried shallots. Heat 1/2-1 cup (enough to cover all of the shallots) of peanut oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. When the surface of the oil starts to shimmer, add the shallots and stir continuously until golden brown but not burned. Remove using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil. Reserve the peanut oil for another use.
Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, gently squeeze the clove to remove the skins. Add ¼ cup tahini paste, ¼ cup cashews, 1 cup water, ¼ tsp onion powder, juice from one lemon, ½ tsp salt, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, and the garlic to a blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
In a medium sauce pan, bring 4 cups of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 1-3 minutes, until bright green. Don’t overcook them or they will lose their fresh crisp. Drain them by pouring through a strainer.
Serve by piling the green beans on a platter, drizzle with the tahini dressing and top with crispy fried shallots. Enjoy!
*If you’re not using a high powered blender, soak your cashews overnight in cold water in the refrigerator. In the morning, drain them and they’re ready to use. This will help them become nice and soft and break down easily in your blender.
**Ok, ok, you can totally skip making the crispy fried shallots and just use French’s Fried Onions. No one is watching you.
