Easy Green Beans Almondine Recipe

In this easy green beans almondine recipe, fresh green beans are steamed and then tossed with garlic, shallots, lemon juice, and topped with toasted almonds. It’s simple, fresh, delicious, and very quick! Ready in just 15 minutes on the stove, it’s an elegant side dish that people will request year after year!

I grew up on green bean casserole, and I have to say that I still have a major soft spot for that dish. But as I get older, my waistline doesn’t love it as much as my taste buds do.

Plus, as I’ve moved my family to more fresh (and fewer processed) foods over the years, I find myself craving fresh, light dishes. Especially at the holidays, when the menus seem to be filled with heavier recipes and lots of sweets, this delicious side dish is perfect.

Humble green beans have never, ever been this delicious! Say hello to green beans almondine – which is really just a fancier way of saying “green beans with almonds,” ha! And just for reference, I’ve also seen them called green beans amandine.

I tried it a couple of years ago for Thanksgiving, and I’m never going to stop making them for the holidays!

This simple sauteed green beans dish has so much going for it:

• Ready in about 15 minutes
• Uses minimal, fresh ingredients
• A classic French side dish that’s a simple and elevated recipe perfect for everyday and holidays too
• Easy to keep warm if you need to make it ahead of time
• Stove-top recipe that’s perfect even for beginners to make
• Tastes amazing!

This classic French side dish is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, or any holiday meal – especially when oven space is limited (like at my house!). And we love this green bean recipe so much that I make it several times throughout the year for dinner.

Recipe Ingredients

To make this green beans almondine recipe, gather together these basic ingredients:

• Fresh green beans – French haricot verts are the best for the this recipe.
• Sliced almonds – Their nutty flavor and crunchy texture is the ideal contrast for the tender green beans.
• Extra-virgin olive oil – Its rich flavor brings together the entire dish.
• Shallot and garlic cloves – These add great flavor depth.
• Fresh lemon juice – Its light and bright acidic flavor adds perfect balance and just the right amount of zing.
• Salt and black pepper – Enhance all the flavors to make this dish yummy to your tummy.

​NOTE: For more recipe details, including ingredient amounts, please check out the handy printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How To Make Green Beans Almondine

This classic French dish of green beans comes together quickly and easily! Just follow these step-by-step instructions.

• Blanch green beans – Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the green beans to the already-boiling water and blanch for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Toast the almonds – Toast the almonds in a dry, hot skillet over medium heat until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the almonds from the pan and set aside.
• Sauté shallot and beans – Add the oil to the skillet (turn down the heat down, if needed). Add shallot and salt – sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add green beans – Using a large slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the blanched green beans from the boiling water to the skillet. Sauté briefly (about 2-4 minutes), gently tossing the green beans until they are hot and tender.
• Toss, season, serve – Remove the pan from the heat, toss in garlic and lemon juice and put the beans in a serving dish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with almonds and serve this easy side dish immediately.

Green Beans Almondine Recipe Expert Tips

• How to trim the green beans – I usually snap or cut off a little bit of both ends of the fresh beans. 
• Toast almonds in butter – sautéing the sliced almonds in unsalted butter adds rich and delicious flavor.
• I recommend finely dicing the shallot. That small step reduces sauté time, and helps distribute the flavor throughout the final dish. 
• Cook the green beans in the boiling water until they are al dente. You’ll know they are just right when they are crisp-tender and squeak a little between your teeth.

How To Prepare Green Beans Almondine Ahead Of Time

If possible, I prefer to serve these green beans with almonds immediately or within a couple of hours. If you need to make them ahead of time, use these tips to make sure they are just as amazing if they were served immediately.

Make day of and keep warm – I’ve never tried this myself, but I’ve heard several times that after the green beans are made, they can be kept warm in a slow cooker (on the low setting) until ready to serve.

I only recommend this method if you are using the slow cooker to keep them warm for a short(-ish) period. Think: a couple of hours instead of all day. 

Make the day before – Blanch the green beans. but reduce the cooking time by about a minute. Transfer the green beans to an ice bath to stop cooking and cool. Once the beans cool, drain them and transfer them to a paper towel to soak up any excess water. Put the green beans in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

When you’re ready to serve, prepare the almond and shallot mixture as directed. Add the cold, blanched green beans and sauté over medium heat until the beans are heated through completely.

NOTE: The almonds will probably soften some and lose some crunch over time as they sit in the fridge or the crock pot. However, that doesn’t seem to have any negative impact on how amazing these green almondine taste!

Variations To Try

• Green bean varieties to use – I recommend using French haricots verts or French green beans because they are thinner and more tender than other types of green beans. In a pinch, I’ve used regular green beans, and it was still delicious (the beans did need more cooking time). 

• Almonds – I usually use sliced almonds but have also used slivered almonds with success.

• Lemon zest – in addition to a squeeze of lemon juice, you could add some lemon zest on top of the final dish for serving.

• Make it nut-free – If you have a nut allergy, you can use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.

• Make it dairy-free – to make this simple dish dairy-free, either toast the almonds dry (without butter) or use a dairy-free butter.

How To Serve This Green Bean Almondine Recipe

This green beans with almonds dish is one of those recipes that is so versatile, I think it goes well with pretty much everything!

Main dishes – You can definitely serve this recipe with almost any protein. It works equally well with chicken, pork, and beef. It’s “fancy” enough to make a great vegetable side for a holiday dinner and serving guests. Here are some examples:

• Thanksgiving turkey
• Pan-Fried Cajun Blackened Catfish
• Roast
• Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
• Bang Bang Salmon
• Crock Pot Hamburger Helper
• Honey Garlic & Pineapple Shrimp Skewers

Side dishes – Green beans almondine pair just as easily with other vegetable dishes as they do with main dishes! Here are some ideas that may be good with these green beans and almonds:

• Broccoli Salad Recipe
• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
• Loaded Cowboy Pasta Salad (Cowboy Caviar Recipe)

Storage Info And Tips

Leftovers – Store cooked green beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

How to serve leftovers – Reheat in a large skillet over medium heat until the nuts are re-toasted. If you need to save time, you can reheat in the microwave (but expect almonds to be soft).

Alternatively, enjoy these green beans almondine cold, straight from the fridge with a squeeze of lemon.

Freezing instructions – Although you could freeze these green beans with almonds, I don’t recommend it because the beans will lose their crisp, fresh texture.

More Easy Veggie Side Dishes

If you love this green beans almondine recipe, try one of these easy veggie side dishes next:

• Air Fryer Carrot Fries
• Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad With Bacon
• Baked Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
• Homemade Sweet Potato Hummus

Pin For Later!