Creamy lemon green beans

Creamy lemon green beans

Green beans, meet lemon and cream. Ahh, we knew this combo would be perfect together. Pair this workhouse of an almost-keto side with all of your meat and fish faves!

Creamy lemon green beans

Green beans, meet lemon and cream. Ahh, we knew this combo would be perfect together. Pair this workhouse of an almost-keto side with all of your meat and fish faves!
USMetric
4 servingservings

Ingredients

  • 10 oz. 280 g fresh green beans
  • 3 oz. 85 g butter or olive oil
  • ½ tsp ½ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 cup 240 ml heavy whipping cream
  • ½ ½ lemon, the zestlemons, the zest
  • ½ cup (¼ oz.) 120 ml (8 g) fresh parsley (optional)
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Instructions

Instructions are for 4 servings. Please modify as needed.

  1. Trim and rinse the green beans.
  2. Heat butter or oil in a frying pan.
  3. Sauté the beans for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat until they begin to brown. Lower the heat towards the end. Salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Add heavy cream and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Grate the lemon zest finely and sprinkle on top of the green beans before serving. (Or, you can use a knife to cut very thin strips of zest—yellow part only—and add to the dish.)
  5. Add finely chopped parsley before serving.

Tip!

This dish is great with fresh, thin green beans, but you can also use frozen. Just make sure they are properly thawed, or the frying pan will cool down and they will taste more boiled than fried. You can also use yellow beans. Or wax beans. Delicious!

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19 comments

  1. Sandra
    This recipe says "Heat the oil in a frying pan" but the ingredients list only contains butter. Could this please be corrected? Thanks!
    Reply: #6
  2. Jess
    Why is this only 'almost keto' and yellow when it only has 5g net carbs? Could someone explain this traffic light system!
    Reply: #4
  3. Jess
    especially given that the zucchini fries etc have 8g and are supposedly keto?
  4. Josh
    I came to the comments checking for answers but all I found was more confusion.

    This recipe is definitely keto in my books however do note that green beans are a bit sweeter than zucchini.

  5. kristie
    when it says heavy whipping cream do you mean like a redi whip..or the pasteurized heavy cream?
    Reply: #7
  6. kristie
    its states butter or oil.. in ingredients and instructions.
  7. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    when it says heavy whipping cream do you mean like a redi whip..or the pasteurized heavy cream?

    The still liquid heavy cream/heavy whipping cream.

  8. Kayte
    I'm also wondering why this is almost keto?
  9. Michele
    This recipe came out good. Not sure what all the confusion is about. The recipe says olive oil or butter. Heavy whipping cream is whipping cream, not whipped cream or cool whip.
  10. Rebecca S Congdon
    Is the lemon zest alone enough to impart a lemon flavor?
    Reply: #11
  11. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Is the lemon zest alone enough to impart a lemon flavor?

    If you find that it's not enough lemon flavor for your tastes, you can always squeeze from fresh lemon juice from the lemon you just zested.

  12. Jane R
    Please can you explain where the yellow colour comes from in the photograph? It looks as if cheese has been added. When I cooked this it came out nothing like your photo.
    Also, cooking for three or four minutes left the (thin) beans virtually raw. Is this what was intended? I usually love your recipes but a couple of the ‘sides’ (eg butter-roasted cauliflower) have been so undercooked I doubled the cooking time.
    Reply: #13
  13. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Please can you explain where the yellow colour comes from in the photograph? It looks as if cheese has been added. When I cooked this it came out nothing like your photo.
    Also, cooking for three or four minutes left the (thin) beans virtually raw. Is this what was intended? I usually love your recipes but a couple of the ‘sides’ (eg butter-roasted cauliflower) have been so undercooked I doubled the cooking time.

    The yellow comes from the lemon zest.

    In order for a recipe or meal to get the green keto circle, it needs to be very low carb, moderate protein and high fat. This recipe has very little protein, so it's not keto on its own. Add a steak or pork chop and you'll have a well rounded keto meal.

  14. Isobel
    Can I use frozen green beans?
    Reply: #15
  15. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    Can I use frozen green beans?

    Sure!

  16. Katrin
    Made it this weekend. It came out like on the the photo and was really delicious. Will also try it with other veggies...
    Reply: #17
  17. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Made it this weekend. It came out like on the the photo and was really delicious. Will also try it with other veggies...

    I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to let us know.

  18. Reeny
    The cream curdled when I added it despite being on low medium head, disaster it had to all be binned. Horrible.
    Reply: #19
  19. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    The cream curdled when I added it despite being on low medium head, disaster it had to all be binned. Horrible.

    So sorry it didn't work well for you, Reeny! A lower heat should work better if you decide to try again.

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