Bring a unique Japanese flair to your holiday or party spread with these Green Beans with Yuzu Vinaigrette. It’s refreshingly good and complements beautifully all the classic oven-roasted dishes.
Green beans are the classic side to grace the holiday table, but if you’re looking for a lighter, fresher version to balance out all the rich food, this Green Beans with Yuzu Vinaigrette (インゲンの柚子和え) is the one you’ll need to try.
I put a simple Japanese spin on the dish to give it a bright contrast to the heavier Thanksgiving stalwarts. Here, the green beans are cooked quickly, so they still taste fresh and perfectly tender with a light crunch. Then I toss them in the yuzu vinaigrette to give everything a lovely citrusy zing.
Not only it’s healthy, but this green bean side dish also lives up to the task of a special holiday meal.
Why You’ll Love Green Beans with Yuzu Vinaigrette
- Super easy and fast to make.
- Refreshing among all the heavy foods.
- Easily make it ahead (even a few days before!).
- Quick cooking helps to retain the nutrients and vitamins of the green beans.
- A simple touch of Japanese flavor makes the side dish shines.
5 Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
- Green beans (I use French green beans or Haricot Verts)
- Yuzu juice and zest (or any citrus of your choice)
- Dijon mustard
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
This dish is so simple! Blanch green beans and toss with yuzu vinaigrette. To make the vinaigrette, simply combine yuzu juice and zest with olive oil, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. It is so simple and appetizing and goes well with all sorts of blanched vegetables or green salads.
What’s Yuzu?
Yuzu is one of the Japanese beloved citrus fruit that looks very similar to lemons. It has a tart but incredibly amazing aroma. Some say it has a hybrid taste of lime, lemon, grapefruit, and sour mandarin. That means if you’re a fan of citrus fruits, you’re going to be blown away by the exceptional flavors of yuzu.
I love using yuzu because of its one-of-a-kind fragrance and it makes a delightful flavoring in all sorts of sweet and savory dishes. Yuzu is in season during the winter, so it is perfect for holiday dishes like these green beans.
If you can also buy a bottle of yuzu extract at a Japanese grocery store or Amazon.
Substitution for Yuzu
If you can’t find yuzu, you can use whatever citrus fruits you may have in the kitchen to create a unique mix of juice base.
- Lemon (I actually make this dish with lemon all year round)
- A mix of lemon and lime
- Meyer lemon (my second favorite citrus after yuzu)
- Orange
- Grapefruit
For this recipe, I used a combination of yuzu extract from the bottle and lemon zest.
3 Important Tips to Remember
Keep your stress low this holiday season with this inventive yet simple green bean side! Here are the quick tips:
- Blanch the green beans until tender-crisp. This is how you preserve all its healthy goodness, so don’t overcook it!
- Once they are cooked, quickly shock the green beans in ice water to preserve the bright color.
- Mix the vinaigrette vigorously for 30 seconds in a bowl with a wire whisk or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
If you’re looking for healthy side dishes this Thanksgiving, give this green bean recipe a try. You’ll love it!
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Green Beans with Yuzu Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 lb French green beans (haricot vert) (trimmed)
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for blanching)
For the Yuzu Vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp yuzu juice (extract) (use the citrus of your choice: lemon, orange, Meyer lemon, grapefruit, or a mix)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp yuzu zest (or zest from the citrus you juiced; here, I use the zest from about ½ lemon, for flavor and garnish)
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. If your green beans are not trimmed, snap the tip of one end of the bean with your fingers and draw it down the length of one side of the bean to remove any possible string. Do the same thing with the other end, pulling it down the other side of the bean.
To Prepare the Green Beans
- Have ready a large bowl of ice water. Bring a large pot of water (3 QT) to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water is at a rolling boil, add 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, then 1 lb French green beans (haricot vert).
- Cook until the beans are just tender: 3 minutes for French green beans and 4 to 5 minutes for regular green beans. Test for doneness. They are done when they are just cooked through but still have the slightest crunch of texture. Drain the green beans immediately.
- Transfer the green beans to the ice-water bath to make them greener and fresher. Drain again and set aside, or, if making in advance, dry them thoroughly with a clean dry towel and refrigerate in an airtight container for a day or two.
To Make the Yuzu Vinaigrette
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp yuzu zest, 2 Tbsp yuzu juice (extract), 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
To Assemble
- Toss the green beans with the yuzu vinaigrette.
To Serve and Store
- Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with more zest, and serve immediately. You can keep the leftover in an airtight container for 3 days.
Hi Nami, I made this dish as a side for Thanksgiving, and everyone loved it. I used lemons, as I couldn’t find any yuzu fruit. The dish is very easy to prepare, and delicious. Thanks for always having such good and flavorful recipes to share.
Hi Gail! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback.
Nami and JOC team are so happy to hear everyone loved this dish!🥰