Green Beans Almondine

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Green beans almondine is an elegant Thanksgiving side that’s also ideal for Sunday dinner. Crisp tender green beans are topped with a nutty, savory garnish. Everyone will ask for seconds. Make this easy dish in 20 minutes.

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🍽 What is Green Beans Almondine?

Green beans almondine is a classic French recipe that’s the perfect side for family dinners, entertaining and special occasions.

Long, slender green beans are briefly blanched, then sautéed until crisp-tender. They’re drizzled with lemon juice, then sprinkled with flaky salt, freshly-ground pepper, and lemon zest.

The finishing touch is a lavishly-tasty almond garnish (almondine): a savory mixture of shallots, garlic and almonds with a pinch of salt.

🛒 Ingredients

• Virgin Olive Oil: We use it to sauté the almonds, shallots and garlic.
• Sliced Almonds: The star ingredient of our nutty, crunchy topping.
• Shallots: Contribute a light onion flavor that’s so delicious. Make sure to sautè them slowly so they stay savory and sweet. Overcooked shallots have a bitter taste.
• Garlic Cloves: Their flavor pairs well with shallots and green beans. They add an earthy, rustic taste and aroma.
• Butter: Adds delicious richness and moisture. We use it to sauté the green beans.
• French Green Beans: These are also called Haricot Verts. They’re longer and more slender than regular green beans, and when cooked they’re more tender and flavorful.
• Flaky Sea Salt: This delicious finishing salt adds texture while balancing the flavor of the other ingredients. I use Maldon sea salt flakes.
• Freshly-Ground Black Pepper: Adds a rustic taste with a bit of heat.
• Lemon: For the juice and zest. It contributes acidity and freshness.

📖 Recipe Steps

⏲ Blanch the Green Beans

Blanching is a technique that does several important things. It tenderizes the veggies while helping to prevent the loss of vitamins. It preserves the texture and flavor of the veggies, and protects and brightens their color. Here’s how to blanch green beans, step by step.

1. Rinse the green beans. Bring a large pot of heavily-salted water to a boil. The water should taste like the ocean.
2. Add green beans to the boiling water. Blanch the beans for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp (al dente). Do not over-cook.
3. Immediately transfer green beans to a bowl of ice water. This will shock them and stop the cooking process.
4. After the beans have cooled, drain off the water. Dry them between paper towels or with a lint-free kitchen towel.

🥣 KITCHEN TIP: Some cooks trim their green beans prior to blanching. I wait to trim the beans just before I sautée them, so the cuts are even fresher. It’s just a personal preference.

🔪 Prep the Almondine Garnish

Follow these easy step-by-step instructions for making classic almondine.

1. To refresh the green beans, slice off a bit of the bottom. Mine already came packaged and trimmed, but if yours still has the hard knobby ends, trim those off. For elegant aesthetics, I like to keep the skinny tapered tips on my green beans intact. But if you’d like to trim those off too, that’s fine.
2. Mince the shallot. Press or mince the garlic.
3. Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced almonds. Sautée until lightly golden blonde.
4.  Add minced shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt to the skillet. Sautée the mixture for about 40 seconds. Remove pan from heat. Continue sautéing in residual heat until shallots and garlic are fragrant and tender. If needed, add a bit more olive oil. Transfer the almondine to a small bowl.

KITCHEN TIP: To trim the tails of green beans quickly, line them up evenly on your work surface. Hold the group of beans down firmly with one hand. With a large chef’s knife, cut off the knobby ends all at once.

🥘 Sauté the String Beans

1. Add butter to the skillet over medium-low heat. Let it melt, but not brown.
2. Add green beans to the skillet. Raise heat to medium. Sautée for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing the beans frequently with a pair of tongs. Once the beans become tender-crisp, with a few lightly-charred brown spots, remove pan from heat.
3. Season with flaky sea salt and pepper. Lightly toss the beans to distribute the spices.
4. Squeeze lemon juice over the beans, as desired. This will brighten the dish and cut through the butter. Sprinkle the top with lemon zest. 

🧑🏼‍🍳 Assemble Green Beans Almondine

It’s time to put the finishing touch on this delightful French classic! Spoon a generous amount of almondine over the green beans, straight down the center of the skillet or serving dish.

If desired, toss the almondine and green beans together. This nutty fragrant mixture is like the frosting on a cake. It’s so good. Serve and enjoy your tasty green beans almondine.

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQ

These are the most commonly-asked questions about green beans almondine, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.

🍽 More Delicious Sides

For the holidays, serve this stuffed turkey breast with gravy or brown sugar glazed ham, and pair it with 3 or more of these delicious Thanksgiving sides.

• Cheesy Green Bean Casserole
• Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
• Air fryer Corn on the Cob
• Sautéed Mushrooms
• Apple Sausage Stuffing
• Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flavor testers said this is the best Green Beans Almondine recipe. They gave high marks for the crisp tender veggies, the nutty savory garnish, and the elegant presentation. They said it can rival any restaurant vegetable side.

If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.

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