Recipes » Side Dishes » Vegetables

Green Beans with Almonds

Yumna Jawad

Updated Sep 13, 2025

5 from 138 votes

Green beans with almonds, a quick green bean almondine with crisp-tender beans, toasted almonds, shallot, garlic, and lemon. An easy 15-minute side.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Comments

19

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When I want a simple vegetable side, I usually cook something on the stovetop, and these green beans with almonds are one I make a lot. They’re similar to green beans almondine, which is just fun to say. I just give the beans a quick boil in salted water, then sauté them with shallots and garlic. I still want a little bite to them, especially with the almonds in there.

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I’ve cooked the green beans straight in the pan, and they started browning and going a little limp while I waited for them to cook through. So I give them a quick boil first. They’re mostly cooked by the time they go into the skillet, and I’m just getting the shallot and garlic flavor into them.

The almonds go from golden to burnt so fast. I toast them separately over medium heat, and once they smell nutty and look golden, I get them out of the pan.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Green Beans with Almonds Ingredients

• Green beans: Use fresh beans that are similar in thickness so they cook at the same rate. Trim the stem ends first to get rid of the tough, stringy stems, and trim them evenly so they’re all about the same length.. Thin French green beans work, but check them earlier during both cooking steps. You can also use frozen green beans. If you use frozen beans, don’t thaw them first; just blanch them in the boiling water for an additional minute.
• Almonds: I use sliced almonds rather than whole almonds because they’re easy to sprinkle over the green beans. Try slivered almonds for an extra crunch! Green beans and almonds are a classic pairing, but you can also use walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or any other nut you’d like.
• Aromatics and seasoning: Shallot and garlic cook in olive oil. Thinly slice the shallot and mince the garlic. I like using a shallot because it’s not as overpowering as white or yellow onion, but you can substitute ¼ cup thinly sliced yellow onion if that’s what you have. It may take a little longer to soften, so cook it in the olive oil first, then add the garlic for the last minute or two before adding the green beans.
• Seasonings: Just salt and black pepper to season the green beans with almonds.
• Lemon: Here’s a quick tutorial on how to juice a lemon. Squeeze the juice over the green beans after transferring them to the platter. Catch any seeds in your hand or use a small strainer.

How to Make Green Beans with Almonds

These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make Green Beans with Almonds (also called Green Bean Almondine). For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Green Beans with Almonds recipe below

1. Add to boiling water

Start with a large pot of salted water at a rolling boil, then add the trimmed beans.

2. Lift out the beans

Cook the beans until they’re bright green, but still firm. Lift them out with a slotted spoon or strainer, letting the excess water drain away.

3. Soften the shallot and garlic

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then stir in the aromatics. Cook until fragrant and softened without turning golden.

4. Add the greens beans and season

Transfer the drained beans to the skillet and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Toss to distribute the shallot and garlic.

5. Finish cooking the beans

Continue cooking until you can pierce a bean with a fork, but it still has some bite. Transfer to a serving platter and squeeze the lemon juice over the top.

6. Toast the almonds

With the beans out of the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced almonds. Stir often until golden brown, then remove from the heat and sprinkle over the beans.

Full Green Beans with Almonds Recipe

Green Beans with Almonds

Author: Yumna Jawad

5 from 138 votes

Green bean almondine with toasted almonds, shallot, garlic, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. It's an easy side dish!

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Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Servings6 servings

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound green beans ends trimmed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt plus more for salting the water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 shallot thinly sliced
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ ¼ cup sliced almonds
• ▢ ½ lemon juiced

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the green beans and cook until bright green but still firm, about 3–4 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant but not golden, about 2 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the green beans from the pot of water to the skillet with shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until the green beans are fork-tender but still crisp, about 3–4 minutes.
• Transfer the green beans to a large serving platter and squeeze the lemon juice on top.
• In the same skillet used to cook the green beans, add the sliced almonds over medium heat and toast them until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle on top of the green beans.

Equipment

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Citrus Juicer
• Garlic Press
• Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set

Notes

My Top Tip: Leave some cooking for the skillet. The boiling step gives the beans a head start. If they’re already completely tender when you drain them, they’ll soften too much during the second cooking step.

Storage: Store leftover green beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a small splash of water, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Stop once the beans are hot so they don’t get too soft. Serve with fresh toasted almonds.

Freezing: This recipe tastes best when it’s fresh, but you can freeze the green beans in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat in a skillet.

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 102mg, Potassium: 221mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 524IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

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Recipe Variations

• Lemon zest. For extra citrus flavor, zest the lemon before juicing it, then sprinkle the lemon zest over the green beans. You can also try using a Meyer lemon. When they’re in season, typically winter and early spring, they add a less tangy, more aromatic flavor to the dish!
• Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan over the green beans while they’re still hot so it melts onto them, then add the toasted almonds.
• Panko topping. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium heat, then add ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs and the ¼ cup sliced almonds. Cook, stirring often, until both are golden brown, about 3–5 minutes. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, then sprinkle over the green beans just before serving.

Recipe Tips

1. Blanch and shock the green beans. This way, they’ll come out tender yet crisp and keep their bright green color. Cook the beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, then place them in iced water. The beans should spend the same amount of time in the cold water as in the hot water.
2. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook the beans in batches if needed. Overcrowding can cause them to steam instead of sauté, which changes the texture and flavor.
3. Drain before transferring. Let the water drip off the beans before adding them to the oil. Too much water can leave liquid collecting in the skillet and on the serving platter.

Serving Ideas

• Mains: I like serving this green bean almondine alongside Thanksgiving turkey, prime rib, or spatchcock chicken.
• Lentils: For a meatless meal, I’d serve these green beans with my lentil shepherd’s pie or mujadara hamra. The green beans and almonds add a nice crunch with the softer lentils!
• Sides: Green beans are a classic Thanksgiving side dish! I love adding them to the table alongside classic Thanksgiving stuffing, Hasselback sweet potatoes, and roasted garlic mashed potatoes.

Troubleshooting

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