Crispy French Green Beans Almondine
A quick and easy side dish featuring crispy French green beans sautéed with buttery toasted almonds and bright lemon zest, perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450 grams) French green beans (haricots verts), trimmed and washed
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (30 grams) sliced almonds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- Zest from half a lemon
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil (optional, for toasting almonds)
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the French green beans and rinse under cold water.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well after 5 minutes.
- Heat a dry large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced almonds and toast for 2-4 minutes, stirring constantly until golden and fragrant. Remove to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the drained green beans to the skillet with garlic butter. Toss gently and sauté for 3-4 minutes to warm through and lightly crisp the outside. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from heat. Stir in toasted almonds, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra lemon zest or whole toasted almonds if desired.
Notes
Be careful not to overcook the green beans during blanching to keep them crisp. Toast almonds carefully to avoid burning. Toss gently to keep almonds whole. For nut-free option, substitute almonds with toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds. For dairy-free, replace butter with vegan margarine or olive oil.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/2 cup per se
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 7
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Keywords: green beans, almondine, side dish, crispy green beans, French green beans, easy recipe, quick side, lemon zest, toasted almonds