Green Beans and Mint with Crispy Browned Butter Panko and Tahini Maple Dressing

Once in a while, there's a veggie dish that makes me forget about everything else on my plate. This is that dish. There's really no point of me making anything to go with these; as long as it's in sight it's the only thing I'll ever want to eat. Overboard, you might think, but just wait till you try it.
The still slightly crisp beans are coated in a sweet, creamy, and nutty (but nut-free!) dressing. Panko, tossed in brown butter adds even more nutty flavor and just the right amount of crunch, and the sumac gives this dish a slight citrus note.
My absolute favorite part of these beans is the mint. There's not much in here but just enough that you're left for a minute wondering what the heck that awesome taste is. It manages to stand out and compliment the beans all at the same time.
Have you ever cooked with sumac before? Sumac is a spice common in Middle Eastern cooking. It comes as a dried reddish-purple powder and has citrusy flavor. Some well-stocked grocery stores will carry it as well as most Middle Eastern markets.

Green Beans and Mint with Crispy Browned Butter Panko and Tahini Maple Dressing
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans, washed and trimmed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup panko, gluten-free if needed
- ¼ cup mint, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sumac
The Dressing
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar, sub sea salt to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the beans on the baking sheet and toss them with the oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until they have just started to soften.1 lb green beans, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- While the beans are roasting, prepare the panko. Heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until it is very frothy. Once the froth begins to settle down remove the pan from the heat and, using a spoon, remove the froth and discard it. Place the pan back on the heat until the bits in the bottom are nicely browned. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the panko.1 tablespoon butter, ¼ cup panko
- In a large bowl mix, the dressing ingredients. When the beans are slightly tender but still have a bit of crunch remove them from the oven and put them in the bowl with the dressing. Add the panko, mint, and sumac and toss everything together well.¼ cup mint, 2 tablespoons tahini, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water, 1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon sumac
- Serve immediately with a little extra sumac sprinkled over top.
Make-Ahead
- You can prepare the dressing and panko up to a day ahead. The beans can be laid out on a baking sheet with the oil and kept on your counter, covered, for up to 8 hours. Put them in the oven to cook 10 minutes before you want to serve them.
These beans are amazing! Love the crispy panko on top!
Why is there an asterisk after the tahini and plum vinegar??? There isn’t an explanation
It was supposed to reference the note in brackets about where to buy those ingredients. Thanks for the heads up that it is not clear!
This sounds wonderful. I love green beans and have never tried sumac. In #3 of the instructions, do you add the Panko after you remove the pan from the heat?
That’s right!
I could barely get through reading the title of this post before the cravings set in — this sounds insanely good, and I have all the ingredients in my kitchen, amazing! I love the tangy flavor of sumac and I’m always looking for new ways to use it, thanks!
I love it when I see something I want to make AND have all the ingredients. Hope you love it as much as I do!!