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Green Beans Almondine sounds fancy, but it’s one of the easiest vegetable side dishes you can make. Crisp-tender green beans are tossed with buttery toasted almonds, shallots, garlic and plenty of fresh lemon for a side dish that feels steakhouse-worthy without being the least bit fussy.
I make this one for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but this Green Bean Almondine recipe is just as good with a simple roast chicken or weeknight dinner. It comes together in about 20 minutes, and you can even blanch the beans ahead so the final sauté only takes a few minutes.
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These have such amazing flavor! Love the crunch from the almonds!
–
Taylor
Kellie’s Note
Green Goodness
Side dishes reign supreme during the holidays at my house. It doesn’t matter what the main course is, or what holiday exactly, we always have the most amazing vegetables, casseroles and salads. It’s just a given that we need a ton of choices but one of the BEST side dishes I’ve made by far is also the simplest.
This Green Beans Almondine recipe is super simple to make and is packed with tons of flavor even though it’s made with just a few ingredients. It’s one of our favorite Thanksgiving side dish recipes but you’ll also find this green bean recipe for other occasions, too.
I’m on a steakhouse side dish kick lately it seems but they all are great holiday side dishes so we’re going to keep going with that. No worries, I’ll hit the desserts, too!
Why You’ll Love This Green Bean Almondine Recipe
- Versatile: Fancy enough for Thanksgiving or Christmas but easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
- Quick and easy: It’s ready in about 20 minutes with just a handful of ingredients.
- Crisp-tender, never mushy: Blanching the beans first gives you control over the final texture.
- Big flavor: Butter, shallots, garlic, lemon and toasted almonds make simple green beans anything but boring.
- Make-ahead friendly: Blanch the green beans in advance and finish them in the skillet right before serving.
What is Green Beans Almondine?
Green Beans Almondine is easy to make and is a classic French dish of green beans with almonds. Almondine (or amandine) is a culinary term for an almond garnish.
It’s simply blanched fresh green beans that are then sauteed in butter, garlic and shallots. To brighten up the flavor, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are added to the mix.
The almonds are toasted in a skillet and then piled high on top of the green beans for a tasty looking presentation that ensures everyone gets a bit of everything with each serving.
Ingredients for Green Beans Almondine
- Fresh green beans: Haricots verts are my favorite because they’re thinner and more tender, but regular fresh green beans work well, too.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the almonds turn golden and toasty.
- Sliced almonds: Sliced or slivered almonds both work. Raw almonds are best because you can toast them right in the skillet.
- Shallots: Sweeter and a little more delicate than regular onion.
- Garlic: Just enough to give the beans a savory kick without overpowering them.
- Lemon: Both the juice and zest brighten the buttery beans and almonds.
- Fresh parsley: Adds a fresh finish and a little extra color.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Season to taste.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Green beans: Regular fresh green beans are a great substitute for haricots verts. I recommend sticking with fresh beans for the best crisp-tender texture.
- Butter: Dairy-free butter can be used if needed. Olive oil also works, although you’ll lose some of the classic buttery flavor.
- Almonds: Use sliced or slivered almonds. Almonds are what make the dish almondine, so I prefer to keep them rather than swapping in another nut.
- Shallots: A small amount of finely chopped sweet or yellow onion works in a pinch.
How to Cook Green Beans for Almondine
Blanching is the secret to green beans that are bright green and crisp-tender instead of soft or mushy. Cook the beans briefly in well-salted boiling water until they’re bright green and still slightly underdone, then transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking.
Drain them well before they hit the skillet, they’ll finish cooking in the butter with the shallots and garlic.
How to Make Green Beans Almondine
- Blanch the green beans. Cook the beans in generously salted boiling water until bright green and crisp-tender but still slightly undercooked.
- Cool the beans. Transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking, then drain well.
- Toast the almonds. Melt part of the butter in a skillet and cook the almonds until golden. Transfer them to a plate.
- Sauté the aromatics. Melt the remaining butter and cook the shallots and garlic until softened and fragrant.
- Finish the beans. Add the green beans and cook until tender. Toss with the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper, then top with the toasted almonds and parsley.
Easy Variations
- The classic version is hard to beat, but there are a few easy ways to change it up.
- Sprinkle buttery cracker crumbs over the top for extra crunch.
- Add crispy bacon for a smoky, salty finish.
- Toss in sautéed mushrooms for an extra savory version—one of my favorites.
- Finish with grated parmesan or pecorino cheese.
Tips for the Best Green Beans Almondine
- Use haricots verts when you can. They’re thinner and more tender than standard green beans, although either variety works.
- Drain the beans well. Excess water can dilute the butter and prevent the beans from sautéing nicely.
- Have everything ready. This recipe moves quickly once the beans hit the skillet.
- Salt the blanching water generously. It’s your best opportunity to season the beans themselves.
- Watch the doneness. The beans should be bright green and crisp-tender but still slightly underdone after blanching because they’ll continue cooking in the skillet.
- Don’t walk away from the almonds. They can go from golden to burnt quickly.
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- Make Ahead: Trim and blanch the green beans up to 24 hours in advance. Cool them completely in the ice bath, drain well and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Finish the recipe in the skillet just before serving.
- Storage: Store leftover Green Beans Almondine in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that the almonds will soften as they sit.
- Reheating: For the best texture, warm the beans gently in a skillet over medium-low heat just until heated through. For a larger batch, reheat them covered in the oven, then add a little fresh lemon and extra toasted almonds before serving.
What to Serve With Green Beans Almondine
Green Beans Almondine is one of those side dishes that works with just about everything. Serve it with Crock Pot Ham or Prime Rib for Christmas, alongside roast turkey for Thanksgiving, or pair it with Oven Baked Chicken Breast or roast chicken for an easy Sunday dinner.
It has enough flavor to feel special but won’t compete with the main course, which is exactly what I want from a good side dish.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
- Green Bean Casserole
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Creamed Spinach Recipe
- French Lyonnaise Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Baked Asparagus
- Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
Green Beans Almondine Recipe
Equipment
- skillet
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, divided
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup shallots minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed and washed
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- juice and zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat.
- Season the water, liberally, with kosher salt and then add the green beans.
- Blanch the green beans for 1-2 minutes or until they are crisp tender. (They need to be slightly undercooked since they'll finish cooking in the skillet.)
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans to an ice bath (a bowl of cold water with ice) to stop the cooking process. (You can do this step in advance and store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.)
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the almonds to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, tossing occasionally to prevent burning.
- Remove the almonds from the pan and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel.
- Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the green beans and toss with the shallots. Cook the green beans, stirring occasionally, for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the almonds over the green beans and garnish with parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Make Ahead: Trim and blanch the green beans up to 24 hours in advance. Transfer them to an ice bath, drain well and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to finish the recipe.
- Green Beans: Haricots verts are my favorite because they’re thinner and more tender, but regular fresh green beans work well, too.
- Don’t Overcook: Blanch the beans just until bright green and crisp-tender. They should still be slightly undercooked since they’ll finish cooking in the skillet.
- Almonds: Sliced or slivered almonds both work. Keep a close eye on them while toasting because they can brown quickly.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The almonds will soften as they sit, so add a few freshly toasted almonds before serving leftovers for extra crunch.
- Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat just until warmed through. Avoid overcooking or the green beans can become soft.
- For a Crowd: The recipe can be doubled, but use a large skillet or finish the beans in batches so they sauté instead of steam.
- Variations: Add crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, grated parmesan or pecorino, or buttery cracker crumbs for an easy twist.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Always looking for new ways to cook green beans and this recipe is definitely a keeper! Trimmed and blanched the beans the night before, which was a time saver. I did use less butter than called for (visually seemed like that much wasn’t needed), and added grated and shaved Parmesan cheese. The lemon zest and juice really gave it a pop of flavor. Almonds gave it a nice crunch. Very, very good!
Yum! I love green beans and the almonds give a great texture. This is definitely going to be a new favorite.
Growing up I wasn’t a big green beans fan, but now I love them. This recipe looks fantastic! 🙂 The almonds add the perfect contrast to the soft beans. Awesome!
Thank you so much! They’re definitely on repeat here.
Oh my goodness, how tasty is this side dish! A new favorite of mine for sure! Will be making it over the holidays!
These have such amazing flavor! Love the crunch from the almonds!