Green Beans with Garlic Yogurt, Sumac Onion and Walnuts

Tangy and creamy alongside green beans

Green beans are mild and juicy, which makes them a great match for bold flavors. In this side dish, thick yogurt provides a cool, creamy base. Garlic gives it a kick, while lemon keeps it fresh. Sumac, a deep red spice powder with a pleasantly tart flavor, makes the thinly sliced red onion sharp and fruity. Walnuts add an earthy flavor and a firm bite. That way, every mouthful has something soft, something fresh and tangy, and something crunchy, without the beans fading into the background.

Briefly blanching the beans and then frying them over high heat is a deliberate combination. They cook quickly and evenly in boiling water while keeping their green color and bite. Draining them well and patting them dry means they can then develop brown spots in a hot pan instead of steaming. Fry them in a single spacious layer if you can; an overcrowded pan will cool down. The beans are ready when they’re cooked through but still offer some resistance when you bite into them.

This dish works as a side all year round, but green beans are especially widely available in the Netherlands during the warmer months. Choose beans that feel firm, not limp or dried out. If they’re very long or thick, cut them in half after trimming so they cook evenly. You’ll often find sumac alongside Middle Eastern spices; it gives a different kind of tartness than lemon, with a fruity, slightly earthy character. It’s best not to use a large amount of lemon juice as a substitute: that will make the onion wetter and sharper.

The combination is flexible without losing its balance of flavors. Greek yogurt can be replaced with another thick, plain yogurt; if your yogurt is thin, you can drain off some liquid in a fine-mesh sieve. No walnuts on hand? Toasted almonds give a different, but equally pleasing, crunch. Add the nuts just before serving so they stay crunchy. Keep the onion separate until plating if you want a milder onion flavor: the longer it sits with the sumac and lemon, the softer and more tangy it becomes.

Serve the beans lukewarm or at room temperature, with the yogurt underneath or alongside. They’re great with grilled meat or fish, but can also round out a spread of flatbread, hummus and other vegetable dishes. Cover any leftovers and store them in the fridge; eat them within two days, although the beans will lose some of their bite. Store the walnuts separately and add them after reheating. Warm the beans gently in a frying pan and keep the yogurt cold, so the contrast between warm and creamy is preserved.