Description
A vibrant, crunchy, and bright side dish featuring tender-crisp green beans tossed in a glossy lemon butter sauce with toasted slivered almonds. Ready in just 15 minutes, this elegant yet simple recipe is perfect for weeknights or holiday tables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 pounds fresh green beans
- 4 cups water (for blanching)
- 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Trim the ends of the green beans. Mince the garlic, zest the lemon, and squeeze the juice. Measure out the almonds and butter.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3-4 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add slivered almonds in a single layer and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove almonds from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter to the same skillet and let it melt and foam. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant but not brown.
- Add the blanched green beans to the skillet and toss to coat in the butter mixture. Pour in lemon juice and sprinkle with lemon zest. Toss again.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or lemon if needed. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with toasted almonds and parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcook the beans; they should remain tender-crisp. Toast almonds separately in a dry pan before adding butter to prevent burning. Use fresh lemon zest for the best flavor. If using frozen green beans, thaw completely and pat very dry before cooking.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 3
Keywords: green beans, almondine, lemon butter, side dish, easy recipe, weeknight dinner, vegetarian, gluten-free, healthy vegetables