Green Bean Almondine is a classic side dish that isn’t much more difficult to make than regular green beans, and well worth the few extra minutes!
Crisp-tender beans are tossed with golden toasted slivered almonds fried with garlic and shallots, and finished with a bright touch of lemon.
This Classic Side Will Never Go out of Style!
I made this retro-inspired recipe for green bean almondine for my family last weekend, and everyone begged me for the recipe, so here it is!
For many years, this tasty green bean side dish was all the rage in fine dining restaurants across the US, and a staple in mid-century homes ever since Julia Child shared the recipe and technique in her famous French cookbook. In France, this would be called haricot verts amandine, and it has its roots in the culinary traditions of Provence.
Like most French cooking, this is a simple way to elevate humble green beans to a level worthy of company. Buttery green beans with almonds are also a wonderful, light alternative to the traditional green bean casserole for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Green Beans: I’m using standard fresh green beans here, but you could also use the smaller, thinner, haricot verts (French green beans) if you have access to them. Trim off the ends of each bean, but otherwise leave them whole.
- Ice Water: I consider this a tool rather than an ingredient, but after we’ve blanched/boiled the green beans, we need to use a large bowl of ice water to cool them down quickly. This is how the beans keep their vibrant, bright color.
- Butter: To saute the green bean topping. I think butter is so delicious in this recipe, but for a vegan option, use olive oil instead. I like to use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the dish. We’ll add salt and pepper to taste at the end.
- Garlic and Shallots: Finely mince both of these so that they cook quickly and get evenly dispersed among the beans and almonds.
- Almonds: Use thinly sliced almonds (with the skin on), or blanched, slivered almonds. I can usually find both types near the baking supplies in my larger supermarket. Unless you are very, very adept with a knife, I don’t recommend trying to slice your own almonds; it’s not the safest thing, as they roll around too much on the board.
- Lemon: The brightness of fresh lemon juice and lemon zest perfectly balances the richness of the butter and the savory flavor of the aromatics and almonds.
More Holiday Worthy Side Dish Recipes
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Getting excited for the holidays? Be sure to check out all of my Thanksgiving recipes, complete with tips for roasting the perfect turkey and my delicious classic Pumpkin Pie recipe.
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Green Bean Almondine
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Large pot
- Bowl for ice bath
- Colander
- Large skillet
- Wooden Spoon or spatula
- Tongs
- Measuring spoons
- microplane or fine grater
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) green beans trimmed
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) kosher salt for blanching water, plus more to taste
- ½ cup (50 g) sliced almonds or slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- (15 ml) Juice of ½ lemon about 1 tablespoon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the green beans and blanch for 4 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Transfer the beans to an ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain well.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the drained green beans and toss to coat, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste, toss once more, and serve.
Notes:
- Avoid overcooking the green beans. I find that four minutes in boiling water is perfect! Shock the beans in ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Use medium heat, and adjust as needed so that the almonds are browned, but not burned.
- Make ahead: Blanch, shock, and drain the beans up to 1 day ahead. Pat dry, then finish the sauté just before serving.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Variations: A pinch of red pepper flakes or a teaspoon of capers can be added with the shallot for a twist.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Recipe Tips
- The key to perfectly cooked green beans is blanching them properly. To blanch green beans, add them to boiling water and cook for only 4 minutes. Then transfer them immediately to ice water and drain. If you follow all of these steps, your beans will stay bright green and somewhat crisp!
- To keep the almonds from burning in the butter, watch your heat. Medium heat works well for me, but on your stove, you may need to be a notch lower or higher. Once the slivered almonds are partially browned, be ready to add the shallot and garlic, then the blanched beans to the pan to slow down the process.
- Season to taste. Add salt and pepper just before serving. Taste a green bean, and add more if needed.
- The beans should be perfectly buttery, but if anything seems dry, stir in just a bit more butter or olive oil to coat the beans fully.
- Serving options: In some of my images, I pulled the beans out of the pan and arranged them on a platter, then topped them with the almond mixture. This is really pretty for a special occasion, but not entirely necessary. It takes extra time, which you may or may not have! You can also add lemon wheels or wedges to the platter as a functional garnish, or finish the dish with chopped parsley.
Can I make green beans almondine with frozen green beans?
You absolutely can! Trader Joe’s usually has “French green beans” in their freezer section, or look for “fancy green beans” or “whole green beans” at other stores.
Blanch the frozen beans in the same way that you would fresh beans. Keep in mind that processed frozen veggies have already been blanched, so all we’re doing is heating them up. You might only need 2 or 3 minutes in the water.
Shock and then drain the beans, and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
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