Spanish Green Beans with Orange and Almonds

(Note: this post was originally published on April 19, 2020. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)

Spanish Green Beans: A Fresh Twist on a Classic

If you feel like the classic "green beans with orange" dish needs a refresh, then you've come to the right place. In this easy, non-traditional Thanksgiving recipe, the humble green bean gets a big makeover with vibrant flavors from Southern Spain. We're saying goodbye to soggy beans and heavy sauces. These beans are bright green and snappy. They're complemented by fragrant orange, bitter radicchio, sweet raisins, and crunchy almonds.

Although these Spanish green beans are a great healthy, vegan Thanksgiving dish, they work beautifully all year long. Thanks to the bright colors and vibrant flavors, this dish is just as fitting for a summer party as it is for Thanksgiving. If you like bold flavors, you're going to love this riff on green beans with orange.

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Flavors from Southern Spain

This healthy, vegan green bean dish celebrates the flavors of southern Spain. My husband and I spent some time in Granada in 2019 and absolutely fell in love with it. It's an incredible, vibrant city, and we had the most glorious week wandering the winding streets and hiking in the adjacent hills. Granada was also the inspiration behind my Vegan Patatas Bravas recipe, so clearly the food there really made an impression.

These green beans are an homage to the flavors and ingredients we explored in southern Spain. Orange trees grow all over Granada, so these beans are tossed in orange zest and finished with orange segments. North African ingredients are common there, so these Spanish green beans also feature raisins and za'atar. You'll top them with gorgeous Spanish marcona almonds, which are rich and buttery.

Although this vibrant flavor profile isn't necessarily typical for the holidays, this healthy Thanksgiving side dish will be a wonderful addition to your table. Many holiday dishes tend to be on the heavier side. These vegan green beans will provide a welcome pop of color and freshness to your menu that everyone will enjoy. The Spanish-inspired flavors will really shine amidst the comfort food classics.

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How to Make Spanish Green Beans with Orange

These Spanish-style green beans are easy to make and take only 15 minutes and one skillet. First, you'll blister the beans in a dash of oil at high heat. Next, you'll add a flavorful mixture of orange zest, raisins, tangerine juice, and za'atar, cooking everything down for a few minutes until the juice has reduced to create a flavorful sauce. Finally, you'll toss the beans with bitter radicchio and top them with crunchy marcona almonds.

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Make-Ahead Tips

These Spanish green beans are best when served fresh out of the skillet. Because they cook quickly, they're easy to make at the last minute, even for a complicated meal like Thanksgiving.

That said, if you need to prepare them ahead of time, you can. Cook the beans as directed (including adding and cooking down the orange zest, raisins, tangerine juice, and za'atar), but don't add the radicchio or any of the garnishes. Before serving, toss the beans in a hot skillet to rewarm them, then add the radicchio. Transfer the beans and radicchio to a serving platter and add the garnishes.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Here's what you'll need for these Mediterranean green beans with orange, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

• Green beans. These Spanish green beans work especially well with haricots verts, which are long and thin. You'll likely be able to find them at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, especially around Thanksgiving time.
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Navel orange. You'll use the zest while you cook the beans and the segments to garnish the final dish.
• Raisins
• Tangerine juice. Use freshly-squeezed if possible. Regular orange juice will work too, but it's not as flavorful.
• Za'atar. This is a Middle Eastern spice blend that typically features sesame seeds, dried oregano, and sumac, although the ingredients can vary geographically.
• Radicchio
• Marcona almonds. If you can't find marcona almonds, regular almonds will work in their place, although the texture isn't as buttery. If possible, use blanched almonds with the skin removed to more closely mimic marconas. The almonds are important because they provide some richness and decadence to this vegan Thanksgiving recipe.

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Closing Thoughts

I hope I've convinced you to say goodbye to green beans that are overcooked and smothered in heavy sauces. Unlike classic versions, these Spanish green beans are light, bright, vegan, and full of colorful vegetables. The flavors will transport you to the orange trees and spice markets of Granada in southern Spain.

How will you enjoy these Mediterranean-inspired green beans with orange? Will you serve them as a healthy Thanksgiving side? How about at a summer party? They even work great as an appetizer or a happy hour snack alongside cocktails. Thanks to the balance of sweet and bitter flavors, as well as the balance of juicy and crunchy textures, this is a recipe you can come back to again and again.

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Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

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Suggested Pairings

Cranberry Orange Ginger Rum Punch

Savory Pumpkin Hummus

Vegan Wild Rice, Macadamia, and Fall Fruit Stuffing

Raw Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Vegan Wild Rice Stuffed Delicata Squash‍