Green Beans with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Walnuts
Kick up your dinner sides with these green beans with bacon, blue cheese and walnuts. This combo of great flavors is a great addition to your dinner.
I’m always looking for ways to change up what side dishes we have for dinner. Sometimes some plan ole steamed or baked veggies alone just don’t cut it for me. I just want something a little more.
I do admit I do like foods with a stronger flavor. I’ll add hot sauce to just about anything. I want my taste buds to come alive when I eat. So that’s why I like adding different flavors together to give my mouth a treat.
Can I substitute an item in the recipe?
The simple answer is yes. Maybe you aren’t a fan of walnuts or just don’t have them on hand. Pecans would be a great substitute here. You could even use some shaved or chopped almonds.
Or maybe blue cheese is too strong for you. Think of a great crumble cheese such as feta.
Maybe you want to go the vegetarian route and totally omit the bacon. The recipe still tastes great without using bacon.
Making the green beans
First start with a bowl of fresh washed green beans (Photo 1) and add olive oil to them (Photo 2)
Next add the balsamic vinegar (Photo 3) and then the honey (Photo 4) and mix together well.
Pour the green bean mixture on a baking sheet (Photo 5) and spread them out evenly and pop those in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Making the topping
After the green beans are half way done cooking start with adding the sesame seed oil to a pan over medium heat (Photo 1). Once to temperature add the walnuts to the pan (Photo 2) and mix around for about 3 minutes (Photo 3).
Next add your bacon pieces to the pan (Photo 4) and mix around for another 3 minutes (Photo 5) then turn off the burner.
Last step is to add the blue cheese to the mix (Photo 6) and stir around (Photo 7).
Tips for this recipes
So blue cheese does melt fast believe it or not. So you want to add this last and I even suggest adding only half to get melted and then the other half right before serving. Totally up to you.
If your making individual plates put a serving of green beans on each plate and top with the topping mix so it can keep that beautiful display.
If you have the extra time you can cook up some fresh bacon and chop it up, but if you want to make things easier buy some bacon crumbles.
Other recipes you might like
Green Beans with Almonds
Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Best Steak Marinade
Quinoa Brown Rice Asparagus Salad
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Green Beans with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh green beans
- 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 3/4 TBSP Honey
Topping
- 1/2 cup bacon
- 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 TBSP sesame seed oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Mix together green beans, balsamic vinegar, honey and olive oil and lay out on a baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes
- Half way through the green beans cooking add sesame seed oil to a pan over medium heat
- Once at temperature add walnuts and cook for 3 minutes stirring the whole time.
- Next add bacon and cook for another 3 minutes stirring the whole time.
- Turn off burner and add blue cheese. I suggest only adding half and then add the other half once off the burner.
- Take green beans out of the oven, plate and then top with the topping mixture
