Fresh Green Beans Almondine

Fresh Green Beans Almondine is an easy side dish recipe for special occasions or weeknights. This recipe serves 10 people and costs just $5.35 to make. 

Do you need a side dish that is more than just a bag of frozen veggies that will feed a crowd but not cost an arm and a leg? Yes? Ok great, we have the perfect recipe for you. We have been serving this at our family Thanksgiving dinner for years. However, this green bean almondine recipe is the best because you can serve it year-round. If you have a crowd coming over it is an easy way to step up your veggie game and impress everyone with this simple green bean almondine recipe that looks more complicated than it is. 

I love how a recipe or meal can serve as a specific memory for the rest of our lives. For example, whenever I eat cinnamon toast I always think about my Grandma making homemade cinnamon bread and serving me a slice every morning while I was at the family cabin with her. 

When my husband heard we were sharing our fresh green bean almondine recipe he was instantly taken back to his years of playing youth football. At the end of each season, the team would go to The Aqua Turf Club for a banquet. The kids would all sit together and each year they were served, you guessed it, green beans almondine! My husband remembers loving it each year. While eating it he would watch some of the boys on his team fling butter onto the ceiling with a butter knife! What?! He swears he didn’t do that, but I am not sure! Either way, it is a lifelong memory all associated with green bean almondine.  

What recipe or meal is a lifelong memory for you?

Green Beans Almondine Recipe Questions Answered

What is green beans almondine?

Green bean almondine is a classic side dish of green beans with almonds. They are easy to make as you cook the green beans on the stove with some butter and various seasonings. Then add the almonds and you will be enjoying green bean almondine in no time at all!

Can I make green beans almondine ahead of time?

Yes! If you want to make them ahead of time simply add in one extra step of blanching the green beans. This means you will throw them in ice-cold water after boiling the green beans. This process helps stop cooking and will help them keep their green color. 

What does almondine mean?

Almondine is a fancy way of saying that you are adding almonds to the top of the dish. You cook the green beans in butter and seasonings and then sprinkle almonds on top. Sounds much fancier than it is!

How to Make Green Bean Almondine Recipe:

1. First, Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the green beans and ¼ teaspoon of salt and shake the green beans into an even layer. Cook green beans, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Next, reduce the heat to medium, and add the water, and lemon juice, cover, and cook the green beans until they are bright green but still crisp about 3-4 minutes.
3. Then, uncover the pan, add the butter and lemon zest, and increase the heat to high, and continue to cook until the water evaporates and the beans are crisp-tender, about 1-2 minutes longer.
4. Finally, season the beans with salt and pepper, and then serve.

How to get the kids involved with this recipe:

• Ages 2-3: Let them rinse and dry the green beans. My kiddos love playing in water so this is fun for them! 
• Ages 4-5: Let them add-in ingredients such as water, lemon juice, and almonds. Teach them about the markings on the butter wrapper and how much 2 Tablespoons is. Guide them as they cut the butter from the stick. 
• Ages 6-8: Teach them how to trim the edges of the green beans. Have them help you toast the almonds. 
• Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe. 
• Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

Discover why we love getting the kids involved in the kitchen and more tips in our How to Get Kids Involved In Cooking article.

The flavor and Recipe Variations:

• You can add 2 cloves of minced garlic to step 1 for an extra flavor punch.

What to Serve with Green Bean Almondine:

• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• One hour Dinner Rolls
• Instant Pot Turkey Gravy
• French-Bread Stuffing Recipe
• Jenna’s Naughty Mashed Potatoes Recipe
• Cranberry Party Punch

How long is this good for:

• Serve: these will keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours. 
• Store: Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Just note, they won’t be a vibrant green when you reheat them. 
• Freeze: You can freeze them, I just recommend undercooking them slightly so when you reheat them they won’t be mushy or a murky dark green color. 

How much will this Green Bean Almondine:

RECIPE COST: $5.35

COST PER SERVING: $0.54

To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.

• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil – $0.04
• 2 pounds green beans – $3.36
• ¼ teaspoon salt – $0.01
• ½ cup water – $0
• 2 Tablespoons butter – $0.20
• Zest and juice from 1 lemon – $0.48
• ½ cup slivered almonds – $1.25
• Salt and pepper to taste – $0.01

More Side Dish Recipes:

• Easy Garlic Bread
• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Large Batch Chicken Pasta Salad
• Orange Cranberry Sauce

Cook’s Tools:

• cutting board
• paring knife
• large skillet with lid
• zester

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Fresh Green Beans Almondine

Recipe Cost 5.35

Serving Cost 0.54

Author Easy Budget Recipes

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Fresh Green Beans Almondine is an easy side dish recipe for special occasions or weeknights. This recipe serves 10 people and costs just $5.35 to make. 

Servings: 10 people

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Equipment

• cutting board
• paring knife
• large skillet with lid
• zester

Ingredients

 

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• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 pounds green beans rinsed and ends trimmed
• ½ cup water
• 1 lemon zested and juiced about 2 Tablespoons of juice and 1 teaspoon of zest
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• ½ cup slivered almonds toasted
• Salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the green beans and ¼ teaspoon of salt and shake the green beans into an even layer. Cook green beans, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, about 3-4 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, and add the water, and lemon juice, cover, and cook the green beans until they are bright green but still crisp about 3-4 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, add the butter, almonds, and lemon zest, and increase the heat to high, and continue to cook until the water evaporates and the beans are crisp-tender, about 1-2 minutes longer.
• Season the beans with salt and pepper, and then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

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