Green Beans Almondine
Get ready to transform those humble green beans into a crowd-pleasing gourmet feast! Green Beans Almondine is a classic, French-inspired recipe that’s actually very simple to make. When you want a green bean side dish that’s lighter than a casserole and more exciting than simply roasting or blanching, this is a great one to turn to.
Ingredients
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 cloves garlic, minced and/or 1 medium chopped shallot
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
Blanch the Green Beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes until they are bright green and crisp-tender. Quickly remove them from the pot and use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
Toast the Almonds: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they can burn quickly. Add garlic and/or shallots to the skillet and cook for an additional 30 seconds until aromatic.
Combine Beans and Almonds: Add the blanched green beans to the skillet with the toasted almonds and garlic/shallots.Stir until the green beans are warmed through and evenly coated with the buttery almond mixture. Add lemon zest and juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together until well combined.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with additional toasted almonds.
