Toasted crumbs are one of five ways to help liven up green beans for the holidays.
Toasted crumbs are one of five ways to help liven up green beans for the holidays.Matthew Mead/Associated Press

It’s not that green beans aren’t perfectly delightful. It’s just that with so many far more exciting sides on offer at the typical Thanksgiving feast, it’s really hard to get excited about green beans. Usually, we don’t even bother to put them on our plates. So why do so many people serve them? It’s probably some combination of tradition (Aunt Susie always serves them!) and guilt (as if eating three green beans atones for your 1,500-calorie gravy-fueled sins…).

Would it be easier to just leave them off this year’s menu? Yup. Will you? Probably not. So we decided that if you really must clutter up the table with green beans, at least make them truly delicious. Not that you need to work hard to make that happen. In fact, we came up with five delicious and easy ways to dress your green beans. They’re so good we might even eat less mashed potatoes to leave room for them. Or not.

Green Beans Five Ways

Start to finish: 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
½ cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Method:
In a large skillet over medium-high, combine the green beans and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until just tender and bright green. Drain any water that has not evaporated and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Continue the recipe using one of the following variations:
Herbed:
Stir in 2 tablespoons each of chopped fresh thyme, chives and parsley.
Toasted crumbs:
In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, a pinch of salt and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika. Cook until toasted and fragrant, stirring constantly, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the cooked and seasoned green beans.
Spicy garlic honey:
Stir in a hefty pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 to 2 finely minced cloves of garlic and a drizzle of honey.
Cranberry nut:
Finely chop ½ cup dried cranberries and ½ cup toasted sliced almonds. Sprinkle over the top of the cooked and seasoned green beans.
Maple soy:
Leave off the salt and instead drizzle with a little soy sauce and maple syrup.