Green Beans Almondine
A classic French recipe, green beans almondine, is elevated with sautéed shallots, garlic, freshly grated lemon zest, and lemon juice. An elegant, simple, and delicious side dish that can be prepped ahead and is great for the holidays!
Green Beans Almondine
Meet my new favorite side dish! Green beans almondine. Aka, a fancier way of saying green beans with almonds. Except I didn’t stop there. No, no.
Since we’ve been going full force on the sweets lately, I felt it was high time that I shared a delicious savory recipe with you. I wanted to keep it simple and elegant. But most importantly, I wanted to share a dish that you would turn to in the coming weeks.
When you’re hosting a dinner party or contributing to a potluck, it’s generally pretty straight-forward to pick the main course. It isn’t always easy to come up with vegetable or side dishes to serve alongside it.
On the one hand, you don’t want a side dish to be too simple (or, worse, boring). On the other hand, you don’t want the flavors to distract from the main attraction. Trust me, we’ve all been there.
Green beans almondine is an approachable, yet elevated recipe that pairs well with just about everything. It can even be prepped ahead with a few simple steps. It also happens to be delicious.
My hope is that today’s recipe will be one that you will turn to time and time again! The type of recipe that you learn how to master with your eyes closed, tweak and adapt, and make your own.
While my version isn’t far off from others out there, but I would argue that as far as flavor balance, it is one of the best! It also happens to be more time-friendly, as we’ll be skipping the ice bath (read below on why and when you can avoid this step).
What is Green Beans Almondine?
Green beans almondine is a classic French dish of green beans with almonds. Almondine (or amandine) is a culinary term for an almond garnish.
If there is one thing that I learned while attending a classically French-based culinary school, it is that the French really like their almonds. They add them to many things. You might remember this trout almondine recipe that I shared years and years ago. It happens to be one of my favorites easy main course dinners!
Green beans almondine is simply green beans tossed with toasted sliced almonds (which are usually sautéed in butter) and a variety of other ingredients. My variation includes sautéed shallots, garlic, freshly grated lemon zest, and a touch of lemon juice.
The butter browns in the pan and becomes nutty and fragrant. The toasted almonds contribute texture and a slight touch of bitterness. The sautéed shallots and garlic add natural sweetness. The lemon zest and lemon juice contribute just the right amount of acidity to brighten and balance the dish.
It sort of reminds me of a classier, stove-top version of my favorite roasted broccoli recipe.
Tips For Success:
Green beans almondine isn’t so much about the ingredient list, as it is about the ratio of ingredients and a few simple cooking tips and methods.
Here are my top tips for success:
- read the full recipe twice before starting, as this dish comes together quickly
- use French green beans (haricot vert); they are more tender, slimmer, and have better flavor than standard green beans. They also come pre-trimmed, which reduces prep time. Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Costco regularly sells them.
- sautéing the sliced almonds in the butter, as opposed to dry in the skillet, not only adds flavor, but prevents the almonds from toasting too quickly
- I prefer to finely dice the shallot, as opposed to thinly slicing it. This not only reduces sauté time, but also helps distributes their flavor better in the final dish.
- for this recipe, we’ll be par-cooking the green beans in boiling water. It is very important to heavily salt the cooking water. Do not skip this step. Heavily salting the water ensures that the green beans will be seasoned inside and out, and helps the green beans retain their bright green color.
- cook the green beans in the boiling water until they are crisp-tender and squeak a bit between your teeth. They should be al dente. If you cook them beyond this point, they can break down in the skillet and become over-cooked. Always err on the side of under-cooking them.
Make Ahead Tips & Instructions:
Many green bean almondine recipes call for blanching the green beans in boiling water and shocking them in an ice bath. This stops the cooking immediately and helps them retain their green color.
This step is very important if you wish to prep or make elements of this recipe ahead (you can find my full instructions for this in the ‘tips for success’ box at the bottom of the recipe card below). I’m normally a strong proponent of this method, but choose not to follow it for this particular recipe for a few reasons:
- it isn’t necessary if you’re preparing the dish a la minute (at the last minute), as you can transfer the al dente green beans directly to the skillet along with the other ingredients
- it avoids one additional step: having to clean extra dishes
- if you cook the beans to the proper doneness and heavily salt your boiling water, you will not notice the difference in color or texture
Green Beans Almondine
Ingredients
- 1 lb (16 oz) French green beans haricot verts, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ heaping cup raw sliced almonds
- 2 medium shallots finely diced
- 2 medium garlic cloves finely minced
- zest of one small lemon
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Please see recipe notes below for make-ahead tips and instructions.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water liberally with kosher salt (it should be very salty to taste). Salting the cooking water aggressively accomplishes two tasks: it ensures that the green beans will be seasoned properly inside and out, and also helps them retain their bright green color after cooking. For make ahead tips, please read the notes section at the bottom of this recipe thoroughly.
- Blanch the green beans for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they are crisp-tender and slightly squeaky between your teeth. It is important that the green beans be slightly undercooked as they will be transferred directly to the skillet and will continue cooking during this time.
- Meanwhile in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat until lightly bubbling. Add the sliced almonds and sauté, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are starting to turn golden brown. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped shallots and garlic. Sauté for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly caramelized.
- Using a large slotted spoon, tongs, or kitchen spider, transfer the blanched green beans from the boiling water directly to the skillet. Sauté briefly, gently tossing the green beans with the almond mixture until evenly combined and the green beans are tender. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, toss once again, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.
Video
Tips for Success:
- Make Ahead Tip: If you want to prepare this dish in advance, blanch the green beans as directed (reducing the cook time by an additional minute or so). Transfer the green beans to a large ice bath to shock. Once the beans are cool, drain and transfer them into a thin, even layer on a towel-lined baking sheet to soak up any excess water. Transfer the green beans to an airtight container or large Ziploc bag and refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days. Just before serving, prepare the almond mixture as directed and add the par-boiled green beans. Continue sautéing over low heat until the beans are heated through completely.
- Crockpot or Slow Cooker: While I haven't personally tested this option, I've heard from multiple people over the years that once the green beans are prepared, they can be transferred to a crockpot or slow cooker and kept warm (over the low setting) prior to serving. If you are doing this, be more careful with the cook time for the green beans, as they might be sensitive to becoming over-cooked with this method. In addition, I really only recommend this route if you are using the crockpot to keep them warm for a shorter period, not all day.
138 Comments on “Green Beans Almondine”
Ooops – I forgot to ask, what do you think about using slivered almonds instead of sliced?
I have made these a couple of times and they have been delicious. Great recipe – great instructions! I’m hoping to prepare these next week for a LARGE group dinner, serving them with a peach-glazed pork tenderloin and I’m worried about how the recipe will “scale” to serve 30-40 people. Any advice?
Hi Judy! Very happy to hear that you’ve enjoyed the dish. I don’t think the recipe will have a problem being scaled, it’s more the challenge of being able to reheat them and having enough space on your stovetop (or oven) to do so. You could try rewarming them in a big hotel pan in the oven at a low heat, or you’d need multiple big, big skillets. I would personally have the green beans blanched and par-cooked if you’re serving a big crowd.
You could definitely use slivered toasted almonds instead of slices too! That’s a personal choice. I prefer the texture of thinner almonds and how they can distribute better, but this is totally up to you. Hope this helps!
Just wanted to let you know that we prepared this for 30+ people Friday night. I followed your tips for preparing ahead of time. I blanched, shocked in the ice bath, and bagged up into large ziptop bags the day before. Then I bagged up separate, measured “kits” for each “batch”, meaning I put the butter, the minced shallots, minced garlic, almonds, etc… into separate small ziptop bags and gave them to the person who was going to be doing the actual cooking, along with a print out of the directions on what he should do. It made it easy for him to take a large bag of beans and a small bag of measured ingredients and follow the instructions to prepare the beans just before serving. They were great! Thanks!!
This is amazing!! I’m so glad it worked out and my tips were helpful. Thank you so much for the feedback and so glad they turned out well!
I made this side dish for a family dinner last Sunday. Everyone loved it!
I don’t cook. I really do not cook. Recently retired I have been helping my husband cook.
This was easy and delicious. This will be a staple for a side with our steaks!
Yum!
We cooked these at Thanksgiving and they were so good! I made them again tonight and it will be on my list of fancy side dishes for future meals. Highly recommended!!
This green bean recipe is absolutely delicious! This week will be my fourth time preparing it and, for what ever reason, I have made it with the same dish….Chicken Piccata, Linguine and the Green Bean Almondine. It makes a very pretty (and delicious) plate. Thank You for the recipe!
PS: If I make the beans a day ahead do you think I could make the sauce, toss in the beans and put it in the oven, on a low temp?
I think this could work – you could also just toss it in a sauté pan over low heat until warmed!
Made these for Thanksgiving and they were delicious and a big hit with my guests. Trader Joe’s sells the beans all the time so no need to make this side dish only for the holidays.
Yes! I buy the green beans from there all the time. It’s great! So glad you enjoyed the dish.
Absolutely fabulous and so darn easy. Recipe a keeper.
Superb! Such a nice addition to my Christmas dinner menu.
Can I use this recipe with French sliced green beans?
Yes, you definitely could but they’ll be prone to overcooking very easily, so you’ll need to adapt the cooking instructions and be very mindful of that during prep, but flavor wise they would still be great.
I’m thinking of this as a side to prime rib for Xmas. But, I need to double the recipe to serve 8. My question is, when doubling would you suggest double the shallots and garlic? Just seems a bit much.
Yes! I definitely would. You could hold back slightly on the lemon zest and juice, and add that to taste, but the shallots and garlic add great flavor and are delicate once sautéed.
Was looking for an interesting recipe, with clean ingredients for Thanksgiving green beans. This is a great surprise! I really enjoyed the mix of flavors , nice compliment to our traditional Thanksgiving menu items, without taking over.
My brother and nephew both raved about the really great green bean recipe and both asked for the recipe! The lemon is such a welcome surprise within this recipe!!
Yummy 😋
1. Could you make this entire dish ahead and microwave it before serving?
2. If you can’t do above, could you make the butter/almond/shallot/garlic part ahead and reheat it in the sauté pan?
Hi! I have make-ahead tips in the recipe box. I’ve heard of people who have made this and kept it warm in a crockpot kept over low. I think reheating gently in a skillet is the ideal method for best texture, but a microwave would absolutely work too. Just do it in small increments, stirring frequently, to avoid overdoing it. Also, you should taste it just before serving, as you might need to add a touch more lemon zest or juice to brighten it up again!
I want to take this green beans to a potluck. Is it possible to mix them at home and then reheat them in the oven?
Hi Margaret! Yes – you could prep them and spread them on a baking sheet and place them in a warm oven to reheat. Alternatively, I’ve also heard from others that they’ve transferred and kept them warm in a slow cooker, set to low, with great success but I haven’t personally tested that myself.
I absolutely love shallots and try in almost every possible scenario to use them. I’m going to pair this side dish with a cherry wood smoked medium rare boneless lamb leg seasoned with a garlic, rosemary, lemon zest profile. This recipe sounds perfect and the almonds should give it a wholesome feel
I made this recipe for a large family dinner, triple recipe, they were a HIT!!! Can’t wait to make them again such a simple delicious recipe!
PS Once they were finished I transferred the to a crock pot set to warm for 30 minutes perfect!!
So glad to hear this and great tip regarding the crockpot!
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was super easy and tasty! I forgot to heavily salt the beans when blanching but I think it still worked. Directions were great, thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear this! Thank you for the feedback!
A very good way of making the beans. My husband is in love with these green beans. He says he can eat these daily for the rest of his life . 😀
I made this yesterday, and it was amazinggggggg!!! I also thought it was gonna be lemony but it proved me wrong n and I didn’t have shallots ;( still tasted just as good next time I’ll add it ! Thank you for sharing this recipe!! As my family would say “You can get married now” lmao