This recipe for green beans almondine is tender green beans cooked with butter and shallots, then topped with crunchy toasted almonds and parsley. A simple yet elegant side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, beef and pork.
You can never go wrong with a green veggie to accompany any meal. Some of my favorite vegetable sides include parmesan roasted broccoli, bacon roasted brussels sprouts, and this easy green beans almondine.
We eat a lot of green beans in my house – they’re inexpensive, available all year round, and totally delicious. This recipe for green beans almondine features fresh green beans with a buttery almond topping – one of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy green beans!
HOW DO YOU PREPARE FRESH GREEN BEANS?
To get your green beans ready for this recipe, all you need to do is give them a good wash, then trim off the stem end. The fastest way to trim off the stem end is to line up a handful of green beans, then cut the stems off all at once. It makes prep time go much faster.
How do you make green beans almondine?
The first step is to toast your almonds in melted butter. I use sliced almonds, but chopped or slivered almonds will also work perfectly. After the almonds are toasted, they come out of the pan and shallots, butter and green beans go in. The green beans cook until tender, then the buttered almonds are added back in along with some chopped parsley and lemon juice.
Tips for green beans almondine
- I prefer to use the smaller, French haricot vert green beans for this dish. They often come pre-packaged in bags in the produce area. If you can’t find haricot vert green beans, regular sized green beans will also do the trick.
- Shallots are a type of onion, and they taste like a cross between onions and garlic. If you don’t have shallots on hand, you can simply use either minced garlic or minced onion instead.
- I typically top this dish with fresh parsley because I always have it on hand. If you don’t have parsley, feel free to use green onions, chives, or even fresh dill or basil.
ARE GREEN BEANS HEALTHY?
Green beans are a very healthy vegetable and are packed with nutrients such as Vitamin A, C and K, potassium, iron, and calcium. Green beans are also low in calories, low sodium, low carb and high in fiber.
Green beans almondine variations
I love this dish as-is, but sometimes I add other ingredients I have on hand to give my green beans even more flavor.
- Bacon: Stir in 1/3 cup cooked, crumbled bacon at the end.
- Mushrooms: Saute sliced mushrooms along with the shallots before you add in the green beans.
- Parmesan: Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top right before serving.
- Breadcrumbs: Add 1/4 cup Italian or panko style breadcrumbs when you toast the almonds.
I love this recipe because it pairs well with so many different foods. I often serve my green beans alongside roasted chicken, seared steak or baked salmon. This recipe can be easily doubled or even tripled if you’re looking to feed a crowd. This is also a perfect side to any holiday meal, skip the green bean casserole and serve green beans almondine for a lighter and fresher option!
More great side dishes
- Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots
- Garlic Butter Mushrooms
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Parmesan Zucchini
- Grilled Asparagus Foil Packets
Green Beans Almondine
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter divided use
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup shallots minced
- 1 pound green beans use the smaller French haricot vert green beans if you can find them
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the almonds to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the almonds from the pan; wipe the pan clean with a paper towel.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender.
- Add the green beans and 1 tablespoon of water to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until green beans are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the reserved almonds over the green beans, along with the parsley. Serve immediately.
Martha says
Recipe sounds great! Since I can’t cook and serve it immediately, I was thinking of blanching the green beans first. How do you think that would work?
Sara says
Yes that wil work just fine!
Andrea Ferrett says
My husband and I both LOVE this recipe. We don’t particularly like green beans – but we are adding this to the regular menu rotation. Thank you!