Green beans almondine (also called green beans amandine) is a classic French-style side dish of crisp-tender green beans tossed in butter with toasted almonds. I've added garlic to this recipe for even more flavour.
This recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes, so it's easy enough for a weeknight dinner yet elegant enough for a holiday table.
Recipe Highlights
- Servings: 4 servings
- Time Commitment: Less than 20 minutes
- Effort Required: Easy. Briefly boil the beans, then finish them in a skillet.
- Special Equipment: A large pot, a colander, and a large skillet.
- Dietary Notes: Vegetarian. Contains dairy (butter) and nuts (almonds).
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Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe uses just a handful of ingredients that you can find at any grocery store.
- Green beans: Look for evenly green, firm beans that snap easily when bent. Avoid beans that look shrivelled or dry. Wash the beans and trim off the stem end before cooking. Thinner green beans, such as haricot verts, will cook a bit faster than standard green beans.
- Salt: I know it looks like there is a LOT of salt in this recipe, but the tablespoon goes into the boiling water, most of which you'll discard. We use a lot of salt because the beans only spend a few minutes in the pot, so they don't have much time to absorb the seasoning.
- Salted butter: It coats the almonds and beans and browns slightly, adding a nice nutty flavour.
- Garlic: Traditional recipes don't include garlic, but I love the flavour it adds. Mince the garlic with a knife or grate it on a Microplane to get a fine texture that melts into the butter. Omit the garlic, if desired.
- Sliced Almonds: These almonds are so thin that you don't need to toast them ahead of time. They toast right in the skillet and pick up the flavour from the browned butter. Watch them carefully, though, as they can burn quickly. If you don't like sliced almonds, or find that they burn too quickly, try slivered almonds instead. They take longer to toast, but they're also crunchier.
This recipe has not been tested with all possible substitutions or variations. Making changes may alter the taste, texture, or overall outcome. If you try a different ingredient, please share in the comments!
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.
Variations
- Make it dairy-free: Use olive oil or a plant-based butter instead of regular butter. You won't get the same nutty brown butter flavour, but the almonds will still toast nicely.
- Add lemon: Finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavours.
Why I Make This Recipe
I first made this dish in one of my culinary arts classes at George brown College. I saw chefs on TV make it, and they always plunged the beans into a bowl of ice water after boiling.
My instructor explained that you don't need an ice bath when you move the beans straight into another pan to keep cooking. You only need to do that step if you're cooking the beans ahead of time and storing them in the refrigerator for later.
This recipe has become one of my go-to weeknight side dishes because it's so simple. The school recipe didn't include garlic and had very minimal instructions. I love garlic butter, so I added a clove of garlic, scaled the recipe to feed four people, and broke the method down into easy steps to help you make this dish successfully.
If you love green beans, you may also like my Niçoise salad with green beans and tuna!
How to Make Green Beans Almondine
This recipe uses one large pot to boil the beans and one large skillet to finish the dish. To save time, start heating the water in the pot before you wash and trim your beans.
Tip: Add the salt once the water boils. Adding salt to a cold pot of water can cause pitting in stainless steel pots.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and stir to dissolve. Place the green beans into the boiling water and cook, uncovered, for about 3 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander, then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter, then add the garlic and stir. Scatter the almonds over the melted butter and stir to coat.
- Add the green beans and toss to coat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the almonds are toasted and the butter smells nutty.
- Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and serve warm.
Tips for Success
- Salt the boiling water generously. This seasons the beans quickly.
- Boil the beans without a lid. Covering the pot can dull their bright green colour.
- Pat the drained beans dry so they don't sputter in the pan.
- Be careful not to burn the almonds; they cook quickly!
- Don't freeze the boiled green beans or the finished dish, as the beans will become soft.
Serve With
Green beans almondine is an easy side dish for a variety of main courses, and pairs particularly well with roast chicken or baked fish.
If you're serving this dish as part of your Thanksgiving menu, it pairs well with roasted turkey, mashed parsnips and chestnut stuffing.
For more holiday menu ideas, from appetizers to desserts, browse these easy Thanksgiving recipes.
Common Questions
No. Since the beans go straight into a hot skillet, there's no need to stop the cooking with ice water. However, if you want to boil the beans ahead of time, an ice bath will help preserve their crisp texture and bright colour. Just store the beans in the refrigerator until you're ready to finish the recipe and serve the dish.
You can partially prepare this dish ahead of time. Boil the beans, then shock them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep the colour bright. Drain well and cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Finish the recipe in the skillet when you're ready to serve.
I have not tested this recipe with frozen green beans. They could work, but would likely have a softer texture and be more likely to sputter in your pan than fresh green beans.
More Vegetable Recipes You'll Love
Recipe Card
Green Beans Almondine
Ingredients
For Boiling the Beans:
- 1 tablespoon salt, for the water
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
For Making the Green Beans Almondine:
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or adjust to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Large pot (stockpot or saucepan), at least 4 quarts (4 litres)
- Colander, to drain the green beans
- Large Skillet
Instructions
Boiling the Beans:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and stir to dissolve.
- Place the green beans into the boiling water and cook, uncovered, for about 3 minutes, until bright green and still crisp. Drain in a colander, then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Making the Green Beans Almondine:
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter, then add the garlic and stir. Scatter the almonds over the melted butter and stir to coat.
- Add green beans and toss to coat them in the butter. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the almonds are toasted and the butter smells nutty. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and serve warm.
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Notes
Please read the full blog post for all of my tips, variations, and recommendations for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate provided as a courtesy and will vary based on the specific ingredients used. For exact values, use your preferred nutritional calculator with the products you're using.
Private Notes
Have you made this recipe?
Let us know how it turned out in the comments!About Shareba
Shareba Abdul is a recipe developer and food photographer with a Culinary Arts certificate from George Brown College and 15+ years of experience creating and testing recipes for home cooks. She is also a member of the International Association for Culinary Professionals and tests every recipe on this website in her own kitchen. Learn more →
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