071 / 75 · Cook What the Market Offers
Green Bean, Potato and Pesto Skillet
2 vegetable main-course portions · Active 20 min · Total 1 hr 10 min
Print recipe · PDFPotatoes, thoroughly boiled green beans and pesto make a substantial vegetable skillet. The fresh beans need at least 30 minutes at a full boil before the skillet finish. Add the thin potato slices during the last part of that boil so one saucepan can handle both vegetables, then drain and move to the skillet for golden edges. Allow the full stated time for the boiling stage and skillet finish when planning this market-vegetable meal.
Beans start first, potatoes join later
Start timing the green beans only after their water returns to a full boil. They need at least 30 minutes of boiling under the precaution used here. Slice waxy potatoes about a quarter-inch thick and add them after the beans have boiled 18 minutes. Return to the boil and cook for another 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the beans have received at least 30 minutes of actual boiling in total. Do not add a new handful of raw beans at the end. Drain both vegetables well before browning; a knife should enter the potatoes easily, because frying will not repair a hard center.
Pesto is the finish, not frying oil
Jarred pesto is convenient in a small fridge, but check its storage instructions once opened. Spoon out only what you need with a clean utensil. Add it after the pan leaves the heat, loosening it with a spoonful of warm water so it reaches every potato. A small scattering of white beans turns the plate into a fuller meal without another cooking step. If you prefer this alongside grilled fish or chicken, serve smaller portions and leave the beans in: their soft texture contrasts with the crisp potato edges.
Ingredients
- 14 oz waxy potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4 inch thick (400 g)
- About 6 1/4 cups drinking-quality water (1.5 liters) for boiling, plus more if needed to keep vegetables submerged; 1 tablespoon fresh warm drinking-quality water (15 ml) separately for the pesto finish
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 oz green beans, trimmed and halved (170 g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed (170 g)
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto (30 g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan (12 g)
Set out
At least 3-liter (3.2-quart) saucepan for boiling vegetables, 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet, Thin spatula, Colander secured for draining, Small cup for mixing pesto, Heatproof gloves
Allergens
Milk, Tree nuts (check pesto). Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Bring the cooking water to a full boil in the saucepan. Add trimmed fresh green beans, return to a full boil and boil for 18 minutes. Keep them submerged and the pot attended; add more drinking-quality water if necessary and return to the boil.
- Add the potato slices and salt. Return to a full boil and boil for another 12–15 minutes, until the potato slices are tender and the green beans have had at least 30 minutes of full boiling in total. Do not count a cooling interval after adding potatoes as part of the required full-boil time. Drain carefully and thoroughly in the secured colander.
- Move the skillet onto the freed burner and heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the drained vegetables and cook for 5–6 minutes, turning the potatoes gently once or twice, until some edges are golden. Stir in the canned white beans and warm for 2 minutes until hot.
- Remove from the heat. Mix pesto, lemon juice and the separately measured 1 tablespoon fresh warm water in the cup. Fold through the vegetables with black pepper. Divide between two plates and top with shaved Parmesan.
A small jar that earns its space
Plan another use for the remaining pesto before buying it. A clean spoon and the jar’s refrigeration guidance matter more than treating an open jar as a cupboard ingredient.
Timing
Plan about 70 minutes for heating the water, the staged full boil, draining and the skillet finish on one burner. Potato tenderness and water heat-up can extend that time. The fresh-broccoli variation is shorter because it does not include raw green beans.
A useful detail
Waxy potatoes hold their shape best. The green beans must complete their full 30-minute boil before the skillet finish; a quick steam or tender-crisp test is not a substitute. Use only boiling and frying pans that sit securely on your appliance.
Another way
- For 6 oz fresh broccoli florets (170 g) instead of the green beans, omit the 30-minute bean stage. Boil the potato slices for 8 minutes, then add broccoli and boil for another 4–6 minutes until both are tender. Drain and finish in the skillet as above. This fresh-broccoli version has a shorter cooking time.
- Replace pesto with 2 tablespoons olive tapenade (30 g) and finish with chopped parsley instead of Parmesan; check the tapenade for anchovies if needed.
Keep it well
Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C. The green beans are already fully soft before storage; do not use storage or later reheating to make up for an incomplete original boil. Follow the pesto jar’s shorter opened-storage instructions.