Green Bean Almondine Recipe
This Green Bean Almondine Recipe uses an old French cooking technique to create an elegant Holiday side with 5 ingredients in just 15 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, British, French
Diet: Vegetarian
Keyword: easy green beans, french green beans, fresh green beans, thanksgiving green beans
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 178kcal
- 1 lb green beans (see notes)
- ¼ cup sliced toasted almonds (see notes)
- ¼ cup salted butter (see notes)
- ⅛ tsp black pepper (see notes)
- 1 lemon (see notes)
For The Blanching
- 2 tsp salt
- 16 cups water
- 2 cups ice
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)
Green beans - For best results, try and source haricots verts, the French version of green beans. You can find long, skinny green beans if these aren't available near you.
Toasted Almonds - Sliced almonds with the skin on add the perfect texture and finish to the beans. Slivered almonds can be used as a substitute. Add the almonds right at the end so they stay crispy.
Salted butter - I used salted butter as that's usually what I have on hand. If you want unsalted, please make sure to add salt to taste.
Black pepper - The ⅛ teaspoon is a suggested amount; feel free to adjust this according to personal taste.
Lemon - I love the taste of lemon, so I use the whole thing. But if you want a milder flavor, use half. On the other hand, the zest adds a nice touch, and I suggest using the entire amount as a garnish. Ensure not to add the lemon until the end, as the acid can turn the beans brown.
Blanching - This is an extra step, but the final results are well worth the trouble. Make sure not to overcook the beans as they cook more during the saute stage.
Sauteeing - The beans should be cooked al dente, slightly tender but crispy.
Serving: 1g | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1143IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg