Green beans almondine is a simple and stunning side dish, pairing tender beans with butter, garlic, and toasted almonds.

Here’s a simple way to dress up fresh green beans as a gourmet side: Green Beans Almondine! If you’re like me, you might first think of a somewhat soggy, bland version of this dish served at wedding buffets. But make it at home, and this dish is brilliant! The beans are bright green and perfectly tender, sautéed in butter with garlic and toasted almonds and finished with a little lemon zest. After one bite, we were singing its praises: then finished off the entire platter. It quickly jumped to the top of my favorite green bean dishes (like this salad and this simple side).

Ingredients in green beans almondine

Amandine is a French term for a dish that is prepared with toasted almonds, called “almondine” in English. Green beans almondine features green beans sautéed in butter and served with toasted, sliced almonds. The other ingredients depend on the chef, but often include garlic and lemon. While green beans are the most popular with the almondine preparation, it works with other vegetables like asparagus or broccoli or even fish. Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

• French green beans aka haricot verts
• Salted butter
• Sliced almonds
• Kosher salt
• Garlic cloves
• Lemon

Why to use French green beans, aka haricot verts

Green beans almondine is best with French green beans, aka haricot verts. Haricot verts, which means green beans in French, are thinner and shorter than the standard green beans. The variety of beans you’ll most likely find in the grocery are called Blue Lake beans. French green beans cook faster than French green beans and they’re more tender in texture. Don’t confuse these with French cut green beans or Frenched green beans, which are beans that are thinly sliced.

We always opt for French green beans if given the choice: they’re just that good! You can also use standard green beans in this recipe: you may find you need to blanch them for 1 minute more than French green beans.

How to make green beans almondine: basic method

There are two basic steps to green beans almondine. You might think you could throw them right into a skillet and get to cooking, but you’ll need to blanch the beans first. Here’s what to know:

• Blanch the beans by cooking in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, then plunging in ice water. Blanching is a cooking method that involves boiling vegetables until they’re crisp tender, then plunging them into ice water to stop the cooking process. This makes the beans perfectly tender before sautéing them with the butter and almonds. If they’re cooked in the skillet only, the beans can come out rather crunchy.
• Cook the almonds and beans in butter. Toast the almonds in butter for 30 seconds, then add the beans and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Adding the garlic at the end ensures that it won’t get too browned. Finish with the lemon zest and serve immediately.

Ways to serve this dish

Green beans almondine is endlessly versatile. It’s perfect in summer when you can find beautifully fresh green beans, but it works for anytime. Here are some great ways to pair this dish:

• Salmon like grilled salmon, baked salmon, pesto salmon and more
• Other fish like baked fish, baked tilapia or seared tuna
• Seafood like sauteed shrimp, shrimp scampi, or scallops
• Chicken
• Veggie mains like lasagna, mac and cheese, or stuffed portobello mushrooms

More green bean recipes

Got beans? Here are our top green bean recipes, especially for summer side dishes:

• Try fresh Green Bean Salad
• Go for Pickled Green Beans
• Fire up the oven for Roasted Green Beans
• Grab Sauteed Green Beans or Grilled Green Beans

01

Green Bean Salad

02

Pickled Green Beans

03

Roasted Green Beans

04

10 Fresh Green Bean Recipes

This green beans almondine recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, use olive oil or plant-based butter.

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