Nutty, buttery, and bright, this perfectly seasoned dish can be partially prepped in advance. Easy enough for a weeknight dinner but 100% worthy of a holiday meal. Truly so much more than the sum of its parts!
Somehow, I managed to graduate college before ever tasting the traditional green bean casserole. The classic holiday side dish was never in my mother or grandmother’s holiday repertoire, and I never happened upon it at a friend’s house.
My earlier exposure was to green beans almondine. It was a dish that ultimately won my heart and always made eating vegetables a pleasure.
The classic French recipe stipulates a lemon-infused butter sauce instead of the casserole’s cream of mushroom soup. For the crunchy element, toasted almonds are called for in place of French fried onions.
To elevate the dish, I include slivers of shallot and garlic, which soften and mellow when sautéed in the butter. To me, they are hidden gems amidst the tender beans. Feel free to go heavy if you are a particular fan of these ingredients. (I tend to go heavy on the shallots.)
Judicious use of lemon juice brightens the flavor without being sour, and it balances the butter, just as vinegar does to olive oil in a vinaigrette. I also include the zest of the lemon, which increases the lemony flavor without added tartness.
And perhaps the most pressing question…
You see it both ways, so I Googled: Is it green bean almondine or amandine?
As is often the case, both are acceptable: Almondine (also known as amandine) is a culinary term meaning a garnish of almonds.
No matter what you call it (or how you spell it), this colorful side dish offers a crowd-pleasing option for both casual and elegant dining.
Briefly boiling the green beans ensures the perfect level of doneness and means that the final dish comes together very quickly. Plus, you can do this step a day in advance.
After sautéing the shallot and garlic and adding the lemon zest, the crisp-tender green beans are ready to stir in.
After adding the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, the toasted almonds are stirred in. For added convenience and flavor, I toast them in the dry skillet before I sauté the garlic and shallot and then remove to a plate. This step could also be done several days in advance. Simply cool completely and then store in an airtight container.
The elements of this dish are so simple, but the final outcome is truly a treat!
The crunch of buttery almonds, ringlets of sautéed shallot, and the essence or lemon take basic green beans to new heights.
Green Beans AlmondinePrep Time: 5 minutesCook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Yield: 4-6 servings
Simple yet special and bursting with vibrant color and flavor, this easy side dish takes green beans to new heights. Truly a vegetable to get excited about!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
- ½ cup (43g) sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (may use more if you enjoy them!)
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice plus the zest of one lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
InstructionsPrepare an ice bath so it’s ready when the green beans are cooked. (Ice bath how and why: To prepare your ice bath, add ice and cold water to a large bowl, leaving room to add the beans. The ice bath will stop the cooking and preserve the bright green color of the beans. You may skip this step. Simply account for some carryover cooking and a slightly less vibrant hue.) Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, give or take a minute depending on thickness of beans, or until crisp-tender or cooked to your preferred level of doneness. (Taste one to be sure.)
Drain the green beans and immediately place into the prepared ice bath. Once chilled, drain the beans very well and pat dry. (Prep-ahead tip: At this point, you may transfer the beans to a covered bowl or zip-top bag and refrigerate up to overnight.)
Meanwhile, preheat a large (12-inch works well) skillet over medium-low heat. Add the slivered almonds and cook, shaking the pan every 30 seconds or so, until the almonds are fragrant and lightly golden. As soon as they reach this point, transfer them to a plate.
In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. While these are sauteing, I zest the lemon into the pan so it infuses the butter sauce.
Add the green beans, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to incorporate, and then cook a few minutes more to warm through. Add the toasted almonds. Gently toss so that they become coated with the sauce, too.
Transfer the mixture to a serving platter. Some of the almonds will likely settle to the bottom of the pan, so scrape those over the beans. You’ll want to eat every last one!
NotesGreen bean options:
• Longer, thinner haricot verts will work well in this recipe, too. They won’t take as long to blanch, so check for doneness after a minute or two.
• You could also use French-cut beans—this is just a fancy name for julienned or thinly sliced green beans. There are two ways to do this: Either trim the ends and then slice the beans in half lengthwise. Or use a food processer with the slicer (not shredder) blade, stack the beans horizontally (not sticking upright), and then press them through. The latter method will result in less uniform bean cuts but will be quicker. Note that French-cut beans will cook more quickly, too.
Storage: Leftover green beans may be refrigerated in a covered bowl or airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in an ungreased skillet until just warmed through. A microwave may be used, although the almonds may not be as crisp.
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- 1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
- ½ cup (43g) sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons (28g) butter
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (may use more if you enjoy them!)
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice plus the zest of one lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Prepare an ice bath so it’s ready when the green beans are cooked. (Ice bath how and why: To prepare your ice bath, add ice and cold water to a large bowl, leaving room to add the beans. The ice bath will stop the cooking and preserve the bright green color of the beans. You may skip this step. Simply account for some carryover cooking and a slightly less vibrant hue.) Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, give or take a minute depending on thickness of beans, or until crisp-tender or cooked to your preferred level of doneness. (Taste one to be sure.)
Drain the green beans and immediately place into the prepared ice bath. Once chilled, drain the beans very well and pat dry. (Prep-ahead tip: At this point, you may transfer the beans to a covered bowl or zip-top bag and refrigerate up to overnight.)
Meanwhile, preheat a large (12-inch works well) skillet over medium-low heat. Add the slivered almonds and cook, shaking the pan every 30 seconds or so, until the almonds are fragrant and lightly golden. As soon as they reach this point, transfer them to a plate.
In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. While these are sauteing, I zest the lemon into the pan so it infuses the butter sauce.
Add the green beans, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss to incorporate, and then cook a few minutes more to warm through. Add the toasted almonds. Gently toss so that they become coated with the sauce, too.
Transfer the mixture to a serving platter. Some of the almonds will likely settle to the bottom of the pan, so scrape those over the beans. You’ll want to eat every last one!
Green bean options:
• Longer, thinner haricot verts will work well in this recipe, too. They won’t take as long to blanch, so check for doneness after a minute or two.
• You could also use French-cut beans—this is just a fancy name for julienned or thinly sliced green beans. There are two ways to do this: Either trim the ends and then slice the beans in half lengthwise. Or use a food processer with the slicer (not shredder) blade, stack the beans horizontally (not sticking upright), and then press them through. The latter method will result in less uniform bean cuts but will be quicker. Note that French-cut beans will cook more quickly, too.
Storage: Leftover green beans may be refrigerated in a covered bowl or airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in an ungreased skillet until just warmed through. A microwave may be used, although the almonds may not be as crisp.
A fun nutrition fact from our dietitian Emily:
Canned green beans are often used in casseroles for ease and convenience, and because they are picked at peak, actually do measure up similarly to the nutritional value of fresh green beans. Canned vegetables in general do contain added sodium, but can be rinsed thoroughly before using. When fresh green beans are readily available, the extra work is worth a try for the more appealing in color and crisper bite!
For those who are curious…
The reason we don’t list nutritional breakdowns next to each recipe is because the numbers can change significantly depending on brands people buy and how exact the measuring is. In saying that, if you email me separately, I can provide you with my best estimations on the nutrients you would like to know more about in this recipe. I’m happy to help!