Cranberry Green Beans with Brie

Fresh holiday green beans topped with brie cheese and cranberry suace.

Homemade cranberry sauce spiked with orange sits on top of crisp-tender green beans. It's all studded with wedges of brie cheese, providing a wonderful combination of flavors and textures in this easy yet elegant Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings 1-cup servings

Calories 198kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Ingredients

1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons water
1 pound green beans washed and trimmed
1 tablespoon butter
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 ounces brie cheese cut into small wedges or pieces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice and zest, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until it thickens into a sauce. This usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on it to prevent scorching. Use the back of a spoon to smash the cranberries as they cook.
In the meantime, prep the green beans. The best way to cook green beans to prevent them from being soggy is a quick boil. I like to boil them in a skillet since the larger surface area also helps prevent water logging. Add about an inch of water to a large skillet. Bring to a boil, then drop the green beans in the pan. Cook over medium heat to maintain a gentle boil for 2 to 4 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain immediately. You can also boil the green beans in a large pot for 2 to 4 minutes or steam them in a basket (so they're not directly touching water) for 5 to 7 minutes.
Return the green beans to the skillet with the butter, salt, and pepper. The butter should melt from the heat of the beans and the pan. Stir until coated.
Transfer the green beans to a platter. Spoon the cranberry sauce over them. Place wedges of brie cheese on top. Garnish with orange zest.
Serve and enjoy!
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Notes

This recipe is easy to double if you are feeding bigger crowds.
To save prep time (and kitchen space), make the cranberry sauce ahead of time and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To make in advance if you are bringing this dish to a host's home for a holiday meal and/or can't make the dish right before you sit down to eat, make and assemble the dish when you can that day. Cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and keep in the fridge. Before serving, reheat for 10 to 15 minutes in a preheated oven. It's OK if the brie melts a little (it tastes great that way). The dish also tastes good at room temperature, so don't worry about serving it piping hot.
You can sub French green beans (haricots verts), but keep in mind they will need a shorter cooking time. Frozen green beans also work but they will need a longer cooking time (follow package instructions).

Nutrition