Switch it up this year for Thanksgiving and try this delicious Green Bean Almondine Recipe. An elegant and straightforward recipe, this will be on your table in just 15 minutes.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Prepared using a popular French technique, this five-ingredient side pairs perfectly with a Thanksgiving turkey, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, and the many other items at your holiday feast.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
- Effortless - This recipe is so easy to prepare that it will become your new favorite side during the holidays and every other day.
- Elegant - Presentation-wise, this is a beautiful side dish to have at any celebration.
- Refreshing - This recipe makes a nice change from the traditional green bean casserole.
- No oven needed - During the holidays, being able to make something that doesn't require the oven is a big perk!
Ingredient notes
- Green beans - French green beans, known as Haricots Verts, are best for this green bean almondine recipe. They're sweeter and milder than regular green beans, which complements the flavors of the other ingredients in this recipe. If you can't find these, pick slightly longer, thinner green beans, as these tend to have a crisper texture and sweeter taste.
- Butter - I like to use Kerrygold Irish Butter for most of my cooking. It is more expensive than regular butter, but due to the higher fat content, a little goes a long way, and the depth of flavor it adds to this recipe is well worth the extra few pennies.
- Seasoning - If I'm using salted butter, I add only black pepper to my beans. But a dash of salt is necessary if the butter is unsalted.
- Lemon - The juice of 1 medium-sized lemon and ½ a teaspoon of zest tastes delicious on green beans almondine.
- Almonds - I use sliced almonds with the skin on. This adds to the green beans' flavor, texture, and presentation.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Shallots - finely chopped and sauteed shallots add a slightly sharp and sweet taste to the beans. These aren't part of a traditional almondine recipe but make for a nice change occasionally.
- Garlic - Minced and sauteed garlic is always a welcome addition to any vegetable.
- Parmesan - Some fresh Parmesan shaved on top of the plated haricots verts gives them a nice Italian flair.
- Herbs - Fresh chopped herbs such as chives, dill, parsley, or basil can be used as a garnish to add to the flavor and presentation.
- Make it vegan - Use a vegan-friendly substitute for butter, like olive, coconut, or avocado oil.
Step-by-step instructions
I like to blanche my green beans first to help preserve their color and par-cook them. This can be done up to 3 days before the beans are actually finished and served.
Boil 8 cups of water with two teaspoons of salt and cook the beans in this for 2-3 minutes. Have a bowl filled with ice water next to the stove, and remove the beans and place them in this water after the time is up.
This stops the cooking process and helps the green beans retain their color. Remove them after 1-2 minutes and place them on a dry, clean towel till you're ready to finish cooking them.
Step 1 - Dry roast the almonds in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. They should be well-toasted but not burnt. You can usually gauge when they're done by the fragrance and color while toasting them.
Step 2 - Melt the butter in a large pan so you can finish cooking the beans. If they were blanched a few days earlier, you can add them directly from the fridge to the pan.
Step 3 - Saute the beans along with the seasoning until the beans are tender yet crisp. Turn the stove off and squeeze the lemon juice on them. Garnish with the lemon zest and almonds just before serving.
Expert Tips
- Don't overcook the beans - Cook the green beans in heavily salted water for no more than 2-3 minutes for haricots verts and 3-4 minutes for regular French beans. They should be al dente as they'll continue to cook more during the saute stage. If in doubt, err on the cautious side and let the beans be underdone rather than overdone.
- Use an ice bath for best results - Placing the beans in an ice bath after parboiling them helps shock them. This stops the cooking process and preserves their beautiful green color.
- Add the lemon juice at the end - The acid in the lemon will react with the chlorophyll in the beans and dull the vibrant green if added too soon.
- Add the almonds at the end so they stay crispy - Adding the almonds too soon can make them soggy. I sprinkle them just before serving the beans.
- I buy and Blanche the beans the same day - Green beans get soggy in the fridge very quickly. Blanching them immediately keeps them green and crisp for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQS
Leftover green beans can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat the beans in a microwave, but expect them to be a little more wilted and not as bright green as they originally were. I don't recommend freezing them as they won't retain their texture once defrosted.
It is possible to cook the beans without blanching them. They will need to be sauteed for longer and may not be as vibrant in color, but the taste will be perfect.
According to thespruceeats.com, almondine refers to an old French cooking technique from the mid-nineteenth century. The original culinary term is Amandine, and both words refer to the use of toasted almonds as a finishing touch on food before serving it.
Other recipes you may like
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Green Bean Almondine Recipe
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans (see notes)
- ¼ cup sliced toasted almonds (see notes)
- ¼ cup salted butter (see notes)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper (see notes)
- 1 lemon (see notes)
For The Blanching
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 16 cups water
- 2 cups ice
Instructions
- Wash the beans and cut the ends off.
- Zest the lemon and set it aside.
- Dry roast the almonds in a nonstick pan until they're medium brown, and then set them aside to use later.
- Boil 8 cups of water with two teaspoons of salt.
- Add the green beans to it and boil for 2-3 minutes. (see notes)
- Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl with 8 cups of water and 2 cups of ice.
- Remove the beans from the hot water, strain them, and place them in the ice bath for 2-3 minutes. (see notes)
- Remove the beans from the ice bath and set them to dry on a clean towel.
- Melt the butter in a skillet.
- Toss the blanched and dried green beans in the butter and black pepper, and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. (see notes)
- Turn the stove off, then squeeze the lemon on the beans. (see notes)
- Garnish with the lemon zest and toasted almonds and serve. (see notes)
Leave a Reply