Green Beans Almondine

Classy and a classic? Yes please! It’s not often you find a side fit for both the most discerning palate and the pickiest eater, but Green Beans Almondine passes the test. Bright, fresh green beans are lightly sautéed with shallots, garlic, and sliced almonds, for a simple – yet stunning – family-style dish.

Meet Your New Favorite Simple Side Dish

I’m a very particular food snob. I’m not going to fight you on what should go in grandma’s sauce or mom’s stuffing. I don’t care what you glaze a ham with or what kind of cheese you melt in your macaroni, but so help me, the second you add things to basic, simple recipes, my temperature rises.

Green beans almondine is one of the easiest, most satisfying sides on earth. It is both fresh and bright while also being decadent (don’t ask, I don’t make the rules).

But what it is not, is a base for a casserole. Casserole-style green bean recipes are fine. They’re delicious, even! But they are not quick and simple, which is at the heart of this easy side dish.

I’m here to confirm that you can absolutely skip the cream of mushroom soup, canned fried onions, and hour or more of cook and prep time and still serve up a mouth-watering green beans recipe this holiday season.

For a condensed post, click through to view the web story for this easy green bean recipe with almonds!

Green Beans Almondine, Quicker!

Let’s all say it together now – no ice baths on Thanksgiving! Slightly undercook the green beans while blanching, then transfer them directly into the skillet for one of the easiest but most indulgent side dishes you’ll make this holiday season.

What Is “Almondine” Anyway?

Anglicized from the fancier French “amandine,” almondine simply indicates a dish cooked and/or garnished with almonds.

Love green beans? Us too!! Learn how to cook green beans using one of these five classic methods.

Need more Thanksgiving ideas? Here’s 25+ ways to shake up your holiday menu.

Ingredients

• Haricot Verts: haricot vert is a french variety of green beans. They’re sometimes labeled “french green beans”. They’re slimmer, sweeter, and just slightly more tender than traditional American green beans because they’re typically harvested sooner. They cook quickly and because of their delicate flavor pair best with simple, straightforward flavors that allow their natural sweeteness to shine. AKA – they’re perfect for serving simply with almonds, butter, and shallots! If you can’t find haricot verts, feel free to use regular, fresh green beans, just add a minute to the blanching cook time.
• Butter: reach for good quality butter – because the ingredient list is short, quality matters just a bit more. We like using European-style butter (like Kerrygold) in recipes where the butter itself makes a difference in flavor.
• Sliced Almonds: or slivered almonds. Avoid whole or chopped almonds.
• Shallots: shallots are milder than onions with a slight garlicky flavor. Slice them thin.
• Garlic: garlic and green beans are BFFs. Opt for fresh minced garlic.
• Lemon Juice: a squeeze of citrus enhances almost all cooked vegetables, and green beans are no exception.
• Salt and Pepper: season the blanching water thoroughly (it should taste like the sea!) to add flavor from the inside out. Season the cooked green beans to taste. All our recipes are tested using kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

What if I Don’t Have Shallots?

In an absolute pinch, you can substitute for yellow onion (avoid sweet) in green beans almondine, just remember to slice it wafer thin. Because shallots have a subtle garlicky flavor, you may also want to add just a touch more garlic to the initial sauté.

Watch: Green Beans Almondine Recipe Video

How to Make Green Beans Almondine

Green Beans Almondine should not only make your holiday side dish short list, it’s also an easy, flavorful year-round crowd pleaser! Saute almonds, shallots and garlic, then toss in blanched French green beans for a few more minutes to achieve veggie side dish perfection. Season with salt, pepper and just a touch of lemon to taste.

1. Blanch the green beans until crisp-tender but not cooked through. Use a large pot so they have room to move, and thoroughly salt the water.
2. Sauté almonds in butter over medium head. Get them started for a few minutes ahead of the shallots.
3. Add the shallots. Saute with the almonds until the shallots are soft, the almonds are golden, and the butter has turned into browned butter.
4. Add the blanched green beans. Strain well, then toss with the almonds and shallots until just cooked through. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and additional salt and pepper to taste.

Chef’s Tips!

• Use fresh haricot vert, aka French green beans. They’re generally available bagged and pre-trimmed in the produce section. Inspect the trimmed ends and give them an extra trim if needed.
• Blanch the green beans separately. I’m not a fan of dirtying 2 pots or pans when one can get the job done, but it’s necessary for this particular recipe. I tried to make it work in one pan, but it’s a no-go (If you’re looking for one-pan wonders, though, check out my recipes for bacon green beans or garlic green beans).
• Blanch in salted water that tastes like the sea. Use one tablespoon kosher salt in the water, which will preserve their bright green color and season the green beans from the inside out.
• Don’t overcook when blanching! The green beans should still be bright in color with a nice bite when you add them to the skillet, where they’ll finish cooking. Err on the side of undercooking.
• Allow the butter to brown, but not burn. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning for perfectly nutty, toasted almonds.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Green Beans?

Yeah. Yeah you do. Making this recipe with frozen or canned beans is not going to result in a quality dish. You need the firm structure of a fresh green bean to hold up to the blanch and then the saute.

Can I Make this Recipe Ahead of Time?

Partially. You can definitely blanch the green beans ahead of time, but you will have to prepare an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Blanch the green beans no more than 24 hours in advance.

Is This Recipe Keto or Low Carb?

Healthy green beans almondine are absolutely keto – one serving comes in around 2g net carbs and green beans are super high in fiber! Paired with almonds and brown butter, this is that unicorn holiday side dish that requires zero alterations to fit into the keto diet. Win/win!

More Simple But Elevated Holiday Sides

• Honey Roasted Carrots
• Roasted Acorn Squash with Browned Butter
• Maple Roasted Root Vegetables
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Bacon
• Maple Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Green Beans with Bacon and Garlic
• Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Pistachios

Did you make this recipe for green beans with almonds? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.

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Recipe

Green Beans Almondine

Author: Danielle Esposti

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Green Beans Almondine should not only make your holiday side dish short list, it's also an easy, flavorful year-round crowd pleaser! Saute almonds, shallots and garlic, then toss in blanched French green beans for a few more minutes to achieve veggie side dish perfection. Season with salt, pepper and just a touch of lemon to taste.

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Servings : 4

Calories: 228

Recommended Equipment

• 10" Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 lb haricot vert (french green beans), stem ends trimmed
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 3 tbsp butter, we like Kerrygold
• ½ c sliced almonds
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot; season with the kosher salt. Add the green beans and blanch 4-5 minutes or until bite tender but still very bright green in color. Do not overcook – the green beans should still have a decent bite and crispness.
  
• While the water is coming to a boil, heat 2 tbsp butter in a 12” skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter and heat until it melts then foams. Add the almonds, toss to coat in the fat, and saute 2 minutes.
  
• Add the shallots, toss in the butter and almonds, and saute until the almonds are golden brown and the shallots are lightly caramelized, 8-9 minutes. Add the garlic and saute, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.
  
• Drain the green beans, then immediately transfer to the hot skillet. Saute, tossing frequently, until the green beans are tender, 2-3 minutes more. Season with lemon juice, ground pepper, and additional salt to taste.
  

Notes

• If doubling this recipe, be sure to use a large skillet (at least 12″).
• Regular green beans can be substituted with excellent results; add 1 minute to blanching time. Be sure to trim the stem ends. 

To Make Ahead of Time (Partially)

1. Blanch the green beans as directed.
2. Prepare an ice bath. Drain the green beans and immediately transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. The green beans should be bright green and crisp tender. Pat dry, then store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
3. Prepare as directed from Step 2 when you’re ready to cook and serve.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 228kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 10g (3%), Protein: 6g (12%), Fat: 18g (28%), Saturated Fat: 6g (30%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 23mg (8%), Sodium: 823mg (34%), Potassium: 378mg (11%), Fiber: 8g (32%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 73% (73%), Vitamin C: 2% (2%), Calcium: 10% (10%), Iron: 5% (5%)

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