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Prep time
10 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 10 minutes
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Serves
6
Author Notes
Sweet potatoes and green beans are often two must-haves on the Thanksgiving table. Sauteed, roasted, mashed, casserole-d, marshmallow-topped—the possibilities are endless for these two ingredients. So, when I set out to create a $30 Thanksgiving Menu for six people, I knew I couldn’t skip either. Why not combine them? Think of it like a two-for-one. Garlicky-lemony green beans ($3.50) and charred-tender sweet potatoes ($2), hanging out on a bed of thick, creamy tahini ($1), just might be your new favorite holiday side dish. Not in the least because you only have to make one, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. —Rebecca Firkser
Test Kitchen Notes
$30 Thanksgiving Menu
Tender Chicken Legs With Schmaltzy Croutons
Blistered Green Beans & Sweet Potatoes With Tahini
Apple-Cranberry Cornbread Biscuit Cobbler
Nickel & Dine is a budget column by Rebecca Firkser, assigning editor at Food52. Rebecca usually shares an easy, flavor-packed recipe that feeds four for $10 or less—this is a special edition: a $30 Thanksgiving for six. —The Editors
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Ingredients
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1 pound
(about 3 medium) sweet potatoes, scrubbed
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1/4 cup
tahini
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1
large lemon
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Kosher salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
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3 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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1 pound
green beans, trimmed
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2
garlic cloves, grated
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Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)
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Mild chile flake, such as Aleppo pepper or gochugaru, for serving (optional)
Directions
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Heat the oven to 425ºF. Poke the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork and place on a sheet pan. Roast the potatoes until fork-tender, 35 to 45 minutes. (Alternatively, set up a steamer basket in a medium saucepan filled with a few inches of water. Bring to a simmer, then place in the potatoes. Adjust the heat to medium, cover, and steam until fork-tender, about 35 minutes.) Set aside to cool. (The sweet potatoes can be roasted or steamed up to 48 hours ahead of serving: Let cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container, then char up to an hour before serving.)
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Zest the lemon into a small bowl, then whisk in the tahini and 3 to 5 tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time (the exact amount depends on your brand and temperature of tahini), until the mixture becomes smooth and thick, almost like Greek yogurt, and lightens in color. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Halve the lemon and set aside.
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In a large bowl, toss the green beans with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high and add the beans. Cook, tossing every few minutes, until charred, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer back to the bowl, and toss in the grated garlic. Juice the lemon over the beans, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. (The green bean can be charred up to 24 hours ahead of serving: Let cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container, then let come to room temperature and toss with garlic and lemon up to an hour before assembling the dish.)
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Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high. Slice or tear the sweet potatoes into irregular 2-inch pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned all over, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
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When ready to serve, smear the tahini mixture onto a large serving plate. Scrape the beans onto the plate and arrange the sweet potatoes on top. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and chile flake if using.
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