Green Beans in Cream Sauce

Green beans in white creamy sauce, served with boiled potatoes and an egg.

Enjoy this simple vegetarian meal made with green beans in a silky sweet and sour creamy sauce. It's perfect for a light dinner!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Vegetable Recipes

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 226kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

1 pound green beans frozen (or fresh)
1 small onion peeled and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable stock taken during the blanching of beans
1 cup whole milk
⅓ cup heavy cream
2 allspice
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1-2 teaspoons salt

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Blanch green beans:

Let 1 pound green beans thaw at room temperature (if using frozen beans). Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, similar to the amount you would use for cooking pasta. Carefully place the beans in the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Then, remove a cup of the vegetable stock from the pot and set it aside, draining off the rest. Immediately cool the beans in ice water to stop the cooking process and help them retain their beautiful fresh color.

Make white sauce:

In a deep skillet or large pan, heat 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter over medium-high heat and fry 1 small onion in it. Stir until the onions are translucent, which takes about 3-5 minutes.
Turn down the heat and add 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour. Stir for a minute. Then remove the pot from the heat. Gradually pour in 1 cup vegetable stock and stir diligently to dissolve the lumps. Note: This step requires a bit of patience, but it's worth it. Gradually pour in the warm stock a little at a time, stirring continuously to create a thick, lump-free mash where only the fried onion is visible. Then, gradually add the milk and whisk until smooth.
Return the pot to the stove. Increase the heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Add 1 bay leaf and 2 allspice, and stir in 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Add 1 cup whole milk. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and let it simmer for 15 minutes on very low heat. The roux will cook through nicely, soften, bind the sauce together, and lose the mealy taste.
Finally, take the pot off the stove and stir in ⅓ cup heavy cream. If the sauce is too thick, add a little milk and whisk. Add 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and, if necessary, season with 1-2 teaspoons salt or vinegar to your liking. Remove the spices—bay leaves and allspice.
If the green beans are long, cut them into pieces about 1 ½ inch in size. Put them in the sauce and let them warm up for a while. Avoid overcooking the sauce, as the cream might curdle, mainly if you use light cream with reduced fat.

Notes

The basic recipe makes 4 portions.
SERVING: Creamed green beans pair best with boiled potatoes that you have topped with butter and sprinkled with finely chopped chives. Another option is to serve them with bread dumplings. Also, add a halved hard-boiled egg.
TIP: Try adding a spoonful of chopped delicate dill leaves to the bean sauce just before finishing. These are great to spice up the taste!
STORAGE: Store the cooled sauce the fridge, where it will keep for up to five days.
The sauce will thicken the next day. Add a tablespoon or two of water while reheating, and acidify or season with salt and sugar if necessary.
EXTRA TIP: These cream beans in white sauce are a vegetarian dish. For meat lovers, add fried crispy bacon bits.

Nutrition