This classic Green Beans Almondine recipe is secretly easy to make (in under 20 minutes!) and has so much flavor! Simply boil and blanch fresh green beans, toss in a lemon and garlic sauce, and serve with slivered almonds. This quick yet impressive-looking side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving, holidays and busy weeknights alike!
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Do you get tired of making the same side dish recipes over and over again?
Well I am happy to report that there is a new side dish in town that you’ll definitely want to add to your weekly recipe rotation… these Green Beans Almondine!
Not only are they FULL of flavor, but they are super quick and simple to make. I’m talking six ingredients and less than 20 minutes kind of simple!
Ingredients
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- Green Beans. Fresh, and not canned or frozen, will taste best. You can buy them in bulk with the ends still on, or purchase a bag of trimmed beans.
- Butter. Feel free to substitute with a vegan “butter” or use olive oil instead if dairy-free.
- Lemons. Once again, fresh lemon juice and zest will take this dish over the top. If you must, you can use the pre-squeezed lemon juice.
- Almonds. Both slivered or sliced almonds will work in this recipe, but sliced will give you more per bite. They’ll be toasted in a skillet to bring out the most flavor in this dish. Learn more about how to toast almonds.
How to Make Green Beans Almondine
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Trim the beans. You can skip this step if you purchased the rinsed and trimmed green beans found in plastic bags in the produce section. One at a time, use your fingers to snap off the ends of each green bean. Or, line up a few at a time and use a knife to cut off the ends.
- Boil the green beans. Cook for 4-5 minutes until they are bright green and crisp tender. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the veggies. Add the green beans to the boiling water.
- Blanch after boiling. Place the cooked veggies in an ice water bath immediately after cooking. When you dunk the boiled beans in a large bowl of ice water, it halts the cooking process and keeps your green beans that bright green color you see in the pictures! If you don’t blanch the beans they will continue cooking and turn a darker, less vibrant green and no longer have that delightfully crisp texture.
- Drain and dry. Once cooled, pour the green beans and water into a colander to drain.
- Toast the almonds. Combine the butter or olive oil, garlic, and almonds in the same large pot or in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Stir for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is browned slightly.
- Mix in the green beans. Add the drained veggies to the almond garnish along with salt and lemon juice. Toss and warm up the green beans for 2-3 minutes.
Meal Prep and Storage
- Prep-Ahead: Boil and blanch the green beans and then keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. Toss with the butter and garlic sauce and toast the almonds on the day of serving.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Seal in a freezer-safe container for up to 3-4 months. Note that they may lose some of the crisp texture.
- Reheating: Warm them up in a skillet with a bit of oil or butter. Cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, or until heated through.
FAQs
Amandine and almondine are the same, the latter is just the Anglicized version. Both terms refer to the French word for almond garnish.
Typically, these terms are interchangeable. Historically, string beans got their name from the silky string attached to the plant.
Yes, you can definitely cook this veggie too long. Be sure to watch the timer when you boil them, then blanch them in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
What to Serve with Green Beans Almondine
This green bean recipe is so good with simple or fancy dinners, try one of these dishes alongside it:
- Spatchcock Chicken
- Air Fryer Meatloaf
- Air Fryer Shrimp
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Olive Garden Chicken Marsala
- Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Chicken Piccata
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast
Other Easy Side Dishes
Round out any meal with these other tasty recipes:
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Green Beans Almondine Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans fresh, ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- ¼ cup sliced almonds or slivered almonds
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Lemon zest optional
Instructions
- Boil and Blanch Green Beans: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook green beans for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked to your desired tenderness. Once done cooking, immediately blanch green beans in an ice water bath. Drain once beans have cooled to room temperature.1 pound green beans
- Toast Garlic and Almonds: While green beans are blanching, combine butter or olive oil, garlic, and almonds in the large pot over medium heat. Stir for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is browned slightly.2 tablespoons butter, 1 clove garlic, ¼ cup sliced almonds
- Mix and Serve: Add drained green beans, salt, and lemon juice to the pot. Toss and warm up green beans for 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately with additional toasted almonds and lemon zest, if desired.½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, Lemon zest
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Notes
- Green beans: Choose fresh green beans for this recipe.
- Nuts: Sub in another variety if you’re allergic to almonds.
- Prep-Ahead: Boil and blanch the green beans and then keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. Toss with the butter and garlic sauce and toast the almonds on the day of serving.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Seal in a freezer-safe container for up to 3-4 months. Note that they may lose some of the crisp texture.
- Reheating: Warm them up in a skillet with a bit of oil or butter. Cook over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, or until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These look lovely! Any advice about how to bring them as a side to a Thanksgiving dinner so that they are warm but don’t get mushy? It’s for a large crowd, so I don’t want to add chaos to the host’s kitchen by reheating them on site. FWIW, the drive from my house to the host’s house is 15 minutes. Would the reheating and the storing for transport make them mushy?
I’m so sorry I didn’t get to this earlier! It takes a long time for them to turn mushy, so it shouldn’t have a problem in the future. Make sure to wrap whatever dish you have in towels, and cover the top with foil to keep the heat in. You can always pop them in the microwave when you get there!
Nice write up about GREEN BEANS . beautiful blog by the way.
Thanks so much, Davido!!
This recipe looks so easy to make!
It totally is, Kirby!