Description
A simple yet elegant side dish featuring crisp-tender green beans tossed with buttery toasted almonds and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and washed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3–4 minutes until bright green and just tender.
- Immediately transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Let sit for 2–3 minutes, then drain well.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the sliced almonds and cook, stirring often, for about 2–3 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the blanched beans and toss gently to coat. Cook for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
- Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Toss again, then add the toasted almonds back into the pan. Add lemon zest if desired.
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately, garnished with extra almonds or a small pat of butter.
Notes
Toast almonds carefully—they burn quickly. Blanching and shocking the beans in ice water keeps them crisp and bright green. You can blanch beans ahead of time and reheat in butter before serving. For a dairy-free version, use olive oil or vegan butter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup per serv
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Keywords: green beans almondine, green beans, side dish, holiday recipe, easy vegetables, French side dish, buttery almonds