Green Beans Almondine is buttery, garlicky, and nutty. This classic French side dish is quick and easy to make, loaded with flavor, and has the perfect combination of textures between green beans and almonds. You will be reaching for this recipe any time you’ve got green beans on hand.
Made with a handful of simple ingredients including a few other minor pantry staples, these green beans are big on flavor and comes together quickly, making it especially helpful for when you need a tasty side in a hurry.
Why You'll Love This Green Beans Almondine
- They’re a great side for formal and informal occasions. These green beans with almonds are easy to whip up but look pretty fancy among a dinner spread, making them the perfect choice no matter the occasion.
- They come together quickly. Green beans almondine is a fairly fast side — it’s ready to eat in only 20 minutes! If you choose a main dish that’s got a similarly low cook time, you could have a full dinner done in under an hour.
- Made with a handful of ingredients. This green beans side dish is made up of simple ingredients like toasted almonds, sautéed garlic, blanched green beans, butter, and a few other minor pantry staples. It’s got big flavor.
- They’re tasty and healthy. These humble green beans are packed with flavor, plus the toasted almonds add the perfect amount of crunch. They’re healthy and delicious. Your whole family will love this preparation of a typically boring vegetable!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious and easy Green Beans Almondine, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- green beans - fresh green beans work best, but you can also use frozen French cut green beans. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time and cook them through to make sure the centers aren’t cold.
- butter - olive oil or other neutral oil with a high smoke point would also work.
- sliced almonds - store-bought sliced almonds make this recipe a little faster and less labor intensive, but if you’ve got whole almonds and no time (or patience) to slice them yourself, a rough chop will do.
- onions
- garlic - freshly chopped garlic always adds the most flavor, but you can also use pre-minced garlic if you’ve got some on hand.
- lemon juice - If you’re out of fresh lemons, concentrated lemon juice is fine to use, too.
- salt - you can use the usual finely ground table salt for these French green beans or try a course or flake salt to add a bit more crunch and delightful bursts of saltiness.
- black pepper
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet.
How to Make the Best Green Beans Almondine
- Blanch green beans. Add green beans in a large pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain under cold running water for a minute and set aside.
- Sauté almonds. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Add almonds and sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Add aromatics. Add onion and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add in green beans. Stir in the blanched green beans and cook until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add seasoning. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss well to coat. Serve immediately.
How to Serve
Green Beans Almondine is a delicious side dish that you could eat all on it's own, but it pairs really well with almost any entree. Some of our favorite main course dishes to pair these green beans with are:
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Stuffed Eggplant
- Garlic Butter Salmon
- Seared Scallops
Storage and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover cooked green beans in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to four days.
How to Freeze
Place leftover green beans almondine in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Prep your own green beans for optimal freshness. Stores will sell French cut green beans several ways, from fresh and entirely whole, to already-trimmed, to fully prepared canned or frozen green beans. Trimming your own is a little time consuming, but if you have extra hands it goes by quickly (and this is a simple task that kids ages 6+ will love helping with!). You can easily snap off the ends of fresh green beans with your hands, so a sharp knife is optional.
- Avoid overcooking. It’s important to watch the pot while the beans are blanching in the boiling water. Overboiling them will cause them to go mushy and fall apart. You want them to have the same texture as al dente pasta: tender, but still firm enough to hold shape and bite through.
More Green Bean Recipes
- 15 Best Green Bean Recipes
- Pesto Green Beans
- Sautéed Garlic Green Beans
- Green Bean Casserole
- Green Bean Fries
- Roasted Garlic Green Beans
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Recipe
Green Beans Almondine
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Green Beans Almondine is buttery, garlicky, and nutty. This classic French side dish is quick and easy to make, and loaded with flavor and texture.
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Add green beans in a large pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain under cold running water for a minute and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Add almonds and sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the blanched green beans and cook until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss well to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
Avoid overcooking: It’s important to watch the pot while the beans are blanching in the boiling water. Overboiling them will cause them to go mushy and fall apart. You want them to have the same texture as al dente pasta: tender, but still firm enough to hold shape and bite through.
How to store: Store leftover cooked green beans in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to four days.
How to freeze: Place leftover green beans almondine in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
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Jvwa says
This was really good! A couple of things to change: unless you like green beans that squeak on your teeth, blanch them for more like six minutes. Also, cut the onions in half and cook for more like 4-5 minutes instead of one.