Green Beans with Cilantro Pesto

My good friend and neighbor Jess let me borrow her new favorite cookbook, The Homesick Texan. Jess is from Texas and loves to cook Texas style food. Hubby and I have greatly benefited from this being her neighbor! Jess brought over a bite of these green beans one night after she made them and they were so good I asked to borrow the cookbook soon after to make them for myself. With the crunch of pecans and the flavor of cilantro, this recipe is a deliciously easy way to spruce up your green beans. 

Green Beans with Cilantro Pesto
From The Homesick Texan Cookbook
Printable Version
Ingredients

1 pound fresh or frozen green beans, preferably long and thin
1 ½ cups cilantro leaves
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 serrano chile, seeds and stems removed and roughly chopped (I omitted this)
¼ cup roasted pecans
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Directions
In a blender or food processor mix together the cilantro, olive oil, garlic, chile, pecans, and lemon juice until a paste is formed. Add salt to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Cook until bright green, about five minutes. Drain and run cold water over the green beans to stop them from cooking any longer. Return to beans to the pot and toss with the cilantro pesto. Add salt to taste.