Green Beans Almondine
Green Beans Almondine is the fresh, sophisticated, approachable answer to green bean casserole – but with plenty of pizzazz. It’s ideal for the holidays, company, or anytime you need an easy side dish that goes with practically everything. This swoon worthy Green Bean Almondine recipe is made with crisp-tender green beans sautéed in nutty, browning butter, combined with shallots, garlic, freshly grated lemon juice and zest, all tossed with crunchy toasted almonds and crispy, meaty bacon. Serve it alongside holiday dishes like Roast Turkey Breast, Brown Sugar Glazed Ham and Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin or everyday favorites like Creamy Tuscan Chicken, Oven Fried Chicken and Weeknight Spaghetti.
Servings 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb (16 oz) French green beans (haricot verts), trimmed
- 1 tablespoon salt, for cooking water
- 5 strips thick cut bacon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup raw sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup diced shallots
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp EACH salt, dried thyme (or more to taste)
- 1/8 tsp EACH pepper, nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of one small lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Prepare a large bowl of ice water (ice bath). Blanch French green beans for 3-4 minutes (4-5 minutes for regular green beans). Use a strainer or tongs to transfer the green beans to the ice bath; set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat until crispy. Remove bacon to paper towels and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.
- Melt butter in the remaining bacon grease over medium-low heat. Add the almonds and sauté until lightly golden brown, about 3 minutes (they will continue to toast in the next step).
- Add the shallots, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and nutmeg (don't remove almonds). Sauté an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the shallots are softened.
- Drain the green beans and add them to the skillet (no need to dry). Mix all of the ingredients together until evenly combined. Sauté until the green beans reach desired crisp-tenderness.
- Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Transfer to a serving platter and top with crumbled bacon. Season to taste. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
make ahead options
Green Beans Almondine is best freshly made because both the bacon and almonds soften while sitting. Still, the dish can be prepared ahead of time and kept warm in the crockpot or even reheated, just know the almonds won’t be quite as crunchy, but still plenty tasty.- Option 1: Blanch the green beans. Blanch the green beans only for 3 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath. Dry the cool beans thoroughly (it’s helpful to line then in a single layer on towels/paper towels). Transfer the dried green beans to an airtight container or large Ziploc bag lined with paper towels and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Option 2: Combine and reheat. You may wish to skip the bacon (use butter instead of bacon drippings) and make the bacon fresh before serving so its supremely crispy. Follow the recipe as directed, but don't sauté the green beans (still blanch). Instead, combine them in the pan, then immediately transfer to a container to cool. When ready to serve, melt a pat of butter in a skillet, then sauté over medium-low heat until the beans are heated through completely. You may wish to add a splash of fresh lemon juice because it can mellow in the fridge (taste first!) and some additional butter if the beans seem dry.
- Option 3: Keep warm in the crockpot. Transfer the prepared recipe (hold the bacon) to a greased slow cooker and keep warm. Take extra care not to overcook the green beans, and only keep warm for a few hours, not all day. Add the bacon just before serving so it stays crispy.