Green Beans With Tahini Sbagliato

The story of Samin Nosrat’s Tahini Sbagliato (sbagliato means “mistake” in Italian) is one of frustrated expectations, shifting benchmarks, and learning to be kinder to herself—an apt metaphor for Nosrat’s process over the last eight years. She initially set out to make a lighter version of ranch dressing for her book Good Things, but none of her countless experiments lived up to the vision she had in her head. “I remember just feeling like I was really failing at this thing I had set out to do,” she recalls. But no matter how much she insisted it was a failure, everyone she served it to loved it. The experience proved educational for her. When she finally listened to her tasters, she realized she had succeeded—just not how she had initially imagined. Sometimes “I just have to shift what it is that I’m after,” she laughs. “I have to change the finish line.”

We’ve adapted her recipe slightly and used it as the dressing for this simple summery side dish. The title says green beans, but if you have access to a variety of wax or runner, or even Romano, beans, feel free to swap them in in equal quantity. You will want to use the smallest garlic clove you can find here to prevent its heat from overpowering the herb-flecked sauce.