The American term “green beans almondine” is actually known as “green beans amandine” in French, which simply means green beans with almonds. This type of topping is also common for fish, and is sometimes even used for asparagus or potatoes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain ingredients for this green bean almondine recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Fresh Green Beans – Trim the ends before cooking. I sometimes get bagged string beans that are already pre-trimmed, for an easy shortcut. You can also substitute haricots verts (French green beans) if you like, but keep in mind that these cook a bit faster because they are thinner. Olive Oil – For sauteing the green beans. Use an extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor (and that’s what I always saw the restaurants use in France, too), but regular olive oil or avocado oil will also work. Butter – I use unsalted butter to toast the almonds for extra flavor, and highly recommend it. It’s SO good! But, you could just do toast the nuts in a dry pan, and then add a little more olive oil before adding the garlic. Garlic – Fresh garlic tastes the best, but I often use 1 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic for convenience. I’ve also made green beans almondine before using thinly sliced garlic cloves instead of minced, for an extra pop of garlic flavor. If you don’t have any garlic on hand, you can just season the green beans with 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder instead, but fresh tastes much better. Almonds – You can use sliced or slivered almonds. Buy them in whatever final form you want, because slicing or slivering them yourself is a huge pain. Lemon Juice – Brightens up the dish at the end! I recommend fresh lemon juice, plus more lemon wedges for serving. Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Green Beans Almondine
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Recipe Variations
If you want to change it up, consider these add-ins, though they are not traditional:
Bacon – Pan fry the bacon, remove, and crumble. Use the same skillet to make the green beans and almonds, then toss the crumbled bacon back in at the end. Or, if you have a cooked batch on hand from baking bacon, you can just chop and throw it in. Aromatics – Saute some diced shallots or onions along with the garlic for extra flavor. Mushrooms – Saute sliced mushrooms in the skillet before adding the green beans. Lemon Zest – Add a teaspoon of lemon zest in addition to the lemon juice. This is equivalent to the amount you’d get from one lemon. Parmesan – My kids love shredded parmesan cheese on, um, everything, so they sprinkled it on top of their green beans almondine. I tried it and it was actually very delicious!
Storage Tips
Store: Green beans with almonds really taste best fresh, as both components lose their crispness when you store them. But if you have leftovers (and hate throwing away food like me), keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Meal Prep: You can trim the green beans and mince the garlic ahead of time to help this dish come together even faster. Reheat: Warm up leftover green beans almondine in a skillet over medium heat. The microwave works in a pinch, but they get very mushy. Freeze: These really won’t taste the same after thawing, but if you really want to, transfer them to a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Looking for ideas to serve with this 10-minute side dish? Try any of my healthy dinner recipes, or choose one of my favorite pairings:
Beef – Like I said above, this dish is absolutely perfect with filet mignon, but you can also serve it with a classic sirloin steak or a stunning sirloin tip roast. Pork Chops – For a quick and easy weeknight dinner, whip up some air fryer pork chops. You can make green beans almondine in the time it takes for them to cook! Another option I like to do is make pan seared boneless pork chops in the same pan afterward for less cleanup. Fish – My favorite fuss-free fish dinner to go with these green beans is parmesan crusted tilapia. But you can’t go wrong with regular baked tilapia, simple baked flounder, or even nut-crusted baked haddock if you want to get a little fancy. Chicken – The hints of lemon in this green beans almondine recipe pair beautifully with lemon garlic chicken or spinach stuffed chicken breast, but many of my other chicken recipes would also work well. French Starters – Start your meal with some elegant chicken liver pate or tomato bisque soup.
More Easy Elegant Side Dishes
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