Green Beans Almondine

Above view of green bean almondine recipe in a serving bowl

Blanched green beans tossed with butter-toasted almonds, garlic and a squeeze of lemon. Most of it can be done the day before, which makes it a genuinely easy Thanksgiving side.

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword green bean almondine, Green Beans almondine, green beans with almonds

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 122kcal

Author Madeline Tague

Ingredients

1 lb green beans trimmed
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Flakey sea salt and lemon zest, to finish (optional)

Instructions

Mince garlic cloves and trim ends off green beans. Bring a heavily salted pot of water to a boil.
Place green beans in the boiling water to blanch for about 4-5 minutes. You want them to be cooked but not too soft. Remove green beans from the boiling water and immediately transfer to an ice bath.
Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the butter is almost completely melted, pour the sliced almonds into the pan. Toss to make sure the almonds are evenly coated in the butter.
Toast the almonds in butter until golden brown about 5 minutes - tossing frequently. Place minced garlic in the pan and saute for another 3 minutes. Season with nutmeg and salt and toss again.
Drain blanched beans and add to the pan with the almonds along with the lemon juice. Toss to mix all ingredients and serve immediately

Notes

Add the lemon juice off the heat, at the very end. Acid dulls blanched green beans from bright green to olive within an hour or two. This is the single most important note here.
Don’t walk away from the almonds. They go from golden to burnt faster than you’d think, and burnt almonds taste bitter through the whole dish.
The ice bath isn’t optional if you want the beans to stay bright and snappy. Blanching without shocking means they keep cooking in their own heat.
French green beans (haricots verts) are thinner and more elegant here. Blanch them 3 minutes rather than 4 to 5.
Making it ahead: blanch and shock the beans and toast the almond mixture the day before, storing them separately — beans in the fridge, almonds at room temperature. Combine in a hot pan for 3 minutes on the day and add the lemon at the end.
Frozen green beans work in a pinch. Skip the blanching, thaw completely and pat very dry.
Serving size: this feeds 6 as part of a holiday spread with several other sides, or 4 as a regular weeknight side. For a Thanksgiving table of 10 or more, make it one and a half times.

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