The French know their way around food, and this green beans almondine recipe is no exception.
Cooking the beans in garlic-infused butter and then topping them with toasted almonds transforms them from a mere vegetable into a delicacy!
I make green beans often. But there’s something about green beans almondine. The combination of just-tender beans, garlicky butter, and toasted almonds is sublime. It’s a wonderful fiesta of colors, flavors, and textures.
Table Of Contents
Ingredients
You’ll only need six simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
- Kosher salt: Quite a bit for the cooking water plus more for seasoning the beans.
- Green beans: I like to use haricot verts in this recipe – thin French green beans.
- Sliced almonds: I buy them raw and dry-toast them in a skillet.
- Butter
- Garlic: It’s important to use freshly minced garlic cloves in this recipe.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground tastes best.
Variations
- You can use olive oil instead of butter. However, I feel that butter is better in this particular recipe. It adds more flavor to the dish.
- I sometimes add ¼ cup of minced shallots. I cook them in butter until golden and then add the garlic.
- Try adding a pinch of dried thyme when you add the salt and pepper. I like the flavor it adds.
Green Beans Almondine Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of the steps:
Your first step is to cook the haricot verts in salted boiling water.
Next, drain and transfer them to a bowl filled with ice water for 1-2 minutes. Drain well and set aside on a plate.
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Set aside.
In the same skillet, cook the garlic in butter. Add the haricot verts along with salt and pepper and cook briefly, just to reheat the beans and coat them in the garlicky butter.
Transfer the beans to a serving plate, top with the toasted almonds, and serve.
Expert Tip
The method of boiling and then blanching in ice water produces optimal results because it helps preserve the beans’ bright green color and ensures that they are not overcooked.
Having said that, I realize it’s quite tedious to use a pot for boiling the beans, a colander for draining them, a bowl for the ice water, and the skillet needed for cooking them in garlic and butter. That’s quite a few steps and quite a few dishes to wash!
So, if you’d like, you can skip these extra steps and go directly to the step of cooking the garlic in butter and then adding the raw green beans. You’ll need to cook them over medium heat for around 3 minutes if they’re thin and 4-5 minutes if they’re thick.
Recipe FAQs
What are haricot verts?
Haricot verts are thin French green beans. Their name literally translates into “green beans.” If you can’t find them, it’s OK to use regular green beans and cook them for a bit longer.
Can I use frozen haricot verts?
No, I don’t recommend that. For the best flavor, texture, and visual appearance, please use fresh green beans.
Should I trim and cut the beans?
That’s entirely up to you. I like to leave them whole because I feel it makes for a prettier presentation, and I trust the diners’ ability to use their silverware to cut them into bite-size pieces.
But if you want, you can trim their ends and cut them in half or into three parts.
Should the sliced almonds be blanched?
No, there’s no need for them to be blanched, although if that’s what you have on hand, you can use them. I use sliced almonds with their skin on.
Why do you put the beans in ice water?
This method is called blanching. It ensures the beans are not overcooked and helps preserve their bright green color.
If I had to choose the most important thing in this recipe, it would be to avoid overcooking the beans. You want them bright green and al-dente, not brown and mushy.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave.
If possible, it’s best to keep the toasted almonds separately – you can keep them at room temperature in a small airtight container.
Green Beans Almondine
Cooking the beans in garlic-infused butter and then topping them with toasted almonds transforms them from a mere vegetable into a delicacy!
Ingredients
- 3 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 pound fresh haricot verts (thin French green beans)
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Fill a large pot with cold water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Add a tablespoon (three teaspoons) of kosher salt. Drop the haricot verts into the salted boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil (this should take about 2 minutes). Boil the green beans for 2 minutes if using haricot verts or 4 minutes if using American green beans.
Drain and transfer the beans to a bowl filled with ice water for 1-2 minutes. Drain well and set aside on a plate.
Heat a large 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast them, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Wipe the skillet with a paper towel. Add the butter. When the butter starts to foam, add the garlic. Cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the haricot verts, ½ teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt), and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Toss for 1-2 minutes to reheat the beans, coat them in the butter, and combine them with the garlic.
Transfer the skillet contents to a serving plate. Top the beans with the toasted almonds and serve.
Notes
Nutrition info: The nutrition info for sodium is a rough estimate. I assumed half of the salt added to the cooking water gets absorbed into the beans.
Shortcut: The method of boiling and then blanching in ice water produces optimal results because it helps preserve the beans' bright green color and also helps ensure that they are not overcooked.
Having said that, I realize it's quite tedious to use a pot for boiling the beans, a colander for draining them, and a bowl for the ice water, plus the skillet needed for cooking them in garlic and butter. That's quite a few steps and quite a few dishes to wash!
So, if you'd like, you can skip these extra steps and skip to the step of cooking the garlic in butter and then adding the beans. You'll need to cook them over medium heat for around 3 minutes if they're thin and 4-5 minutes if they're thick.
Leftovers: You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave. It's best to keep the toasted almonds separately if possible - you can keep them at room temperature in a small airtight container.
