Green Beans Almondine

Green Beans Almondine is a simple recipe made with fresh green beans, a lemon butter sauce, and toasted almonds to elevate green beans into a memorable side dish with minimal effort.

This recipe uses a handful of ingredients to create a healthy and flavorful side dish that is ready in under 20 minutes. It pairs beautifully with Baked Salmon or Chicken Piccata on a busy weeknight, yet is impressive enough in flavor to replace Green Bean Casserole for your holiday spread.

What is Green Beans Almondine?

Green Beans Almondine is a classic French dish that simply means "green beans with almonds."

Unlike most French recipes, this classic dish is uncomplicated and easy to make. It only requires 5 simple, easy-to-find ingredients and is ready in less than 20 minutes, making this recipe the perfect side dish to prepare on busy weeknights.

Between the buttery, bright sauce and the crunch of the almonds, this simple green bean recipe is truly irresistible and wins over the pickiest of eaters.

Key Ingredients

• Green Beans: String beans, fresh green beans, or french green beans, also known as Haricot Vert, work for this recipe. The beans should be cleaned and trimmed. While fresh beans are best, I do have directions for how to dress up frozen steamed beans with this sauce as well.
• Butter: Butter gives the sauce so much richness and is a must in French cuisine. If you are vegan or dairy-free, I suggest using your favorite vegan butter alternative.
• Shallots: Shallots add a mild flavor that is a cross between both onions and garlic, giving this dish the best of both flavors. If you do not have shallots, use garlic in their place.
• Lemons: Fresh lemon juice will make the flavors pop and finishes this dish with a bright acidity that wakes up your taste buds, letting them really enjoy the flavor of the dish. Be sure to only use FRESH lemon juice. Jarred is not equivalent.
• Almonds: Slivered almonds give the dish crunch and a nutty flavor. It is best to toast the almonds yourself for the best flavor. Pro-Tip: I often find slivered almonds or almond slices in the baking aisle next to chocolate chips at the grocery store. 

How To Make Green Bean Almondine

Step One: Blanch Green Beans

While you may be tempted to skip this step, blanching green beans is essential to this dish! It helps to keep the green beans fresh and vibrant, while also letting the beans get tender. Blanching is not a hard process at all, it simply means boiling something lightly and then shocking it in cold water to stop the cooking process.

• Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil.
• Season heavily with salt, about 1 tablespoon.
• Drop the green beans into the boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until just crisp-tender.

• Remove green beans from the pot with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and place them immediately into a large bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and allow the green beans to maintain their bright green color.

Step Two: Toast Almonds

You can purchase toasted sliced almonds, but it is easy to toast almonds at home and will result in the freshest flavor. I take the time to do this step, while the green beans are being chilled in the ice bath.

• Preheat a large skillet over medium-low heat.
• Add in slivered almonds.
• Shake the pan every 30 seconds and only toast for 1-2 minutes, or until your nose begins to smell the almonds and the almonds begin to turn light brown.
• Immediately remove from the skillet and set aside.

Step Three: Saute Green Beans

• Remove green beans from the ice bath and gently pat dry.
• In the same skillet used to toast the almonds, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Once the butter is melted, add in the minced shallot and saute until just softened.

• Add the green beans to the skillet and toss to coat with the butter and shallot mixture.
• Add the fresh lemon juice, along with ½ to 1 teaspoon salt to the green beans and toss coat.
• Saute until the green beans are warmed through, about 3-5 minutes.

Step Four: Serve

• Remove the green beans from the skillet and place them onto a serving platter.
• Top with toasted almonds.

Using Frozen Green Beans

To prepare this dish with frozen green beans, skip the step of blanching green beans.  Simply steam your green beans according to the package directions and pat them dry and proceed with the recipe as stated.

Storage Instructions

Leftover green beans almondine can be stored in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a dry skillet until just warmed through. This will help the almonds stay crispy, as they may become soggy if the leftovers were microwaved.

More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

• Instant Pot Green Beans
• Green Bean Casserole
• Roasted Carrots
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli Salad

Be sure to let me know in the comments how much you enjoyed this recipe for Green Beans Almondine. I love to hear from you!