Easiest Green Beans Almondine

A silver serving fork tucked into green beans almondine in a tan serving bowl; a striped linen napkin is tucked to the side of the bowl.

5 from 1 vote

For the perfect blend of ease and elegance, reach for Green Beans Almondine. Ready in 25 minutes, this simple side dish is incredibly flavorful and perfect for family meals like Sunday suppers and Thanksgiving dinner. Watch the green beans carefully and taste for texture at the 4 minute mark - they should have a nice firm bite with a slight crunch; they'll get perfectly tender in the skillet.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine French

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 249kcal

Author Danielle Esposti

Equipment

10" Skillet

Ingredients

1 pound haricot verts ends trimmed, see Note 1
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
3 tablespoons unsalted butter see Note 2
½ cup sliced almonds
2 medium shallots thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a 6-quart pot; season with the kosher salt. Add the green beans and blanch (see Note 3) for 4-5 minutes or until bite tender but still very bright green in color.
While the water is coming to a boil, heat the butter in a 10” skillet over medium heat until it melts then foams. Add the almonds, toss to coat in the fat, and saute for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the shallots and toss with the butter and almonds. Saute, stirring occasionally, 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, shake to release as much moisture as possible, then immediately transfer to the skillet. Saute, tossing frequently, until the green beans are tender, 2-3 minutes more. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and additional salt and black pepper to taste. Serve warm, right away. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note 1. Haricot verts are a french variety of green beans, sometimes labeled "french green beans"; they're harvested earlier and are slimmer, sweeter, and cook more quickly. If you cannot find them, substitute with one pound of traditional fresh green beans, but add 1 minute to the blanching time.
Note 2. The flavor of the butter really comes through in this recipe, so we recommend using a European-style butter like Kerrygold. European butters have a high percentage of butterfat and richer flavor.
Note 3. "Blanching" means to quickly cook a vegetable in boiling water for a short period of time, often followed by an ice bath to stop the cooking process. For this recipe, blanching the green beans serves two purposes - it partially cooks the green beans, while preserving their color, texture, and flavor.
If doubling the recipe, use a 12" skillet.

Nutrition