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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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
Cook’s Tools:
- cutting board
- paring knife
- large skillet with lid
- zester
Fresh Green Beans Almondine
Equipment
- cutting board
- paring knife
- large skillet with lid
- zester
Ingredients
- 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
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.
Adriana says
This is such a classic side dish and your version looks so good. The green color of the beans is very appetizing truly cooked to perfection.
Jess Jankowski says
Oh thank you! Thanks for stopping by.
Dannii says
Such a simple and delicious side dish. Yummy!
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you! Thanks for stopping by…hope you were able to check out some of our other recipes too.
Emma says
Green beans and almonds are two of my favourite ingredients. What a fabulously simple side.
Jess Jankowski says
It is crazy how simple it is for how delicious it is!
Claudia says
Thank you! I never buy green beans because I don’t know how to cook them… until now! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Jess Jankowski says
So happy to have helped you!
Matt Ivan says
Wow the colors are so vibrant and love the recommendations to get this kids involved.
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you!!
Pam Greer says
This recipe is proof that simple is better! This has become the only way my granddaughter will eat green beans!
Jess Jankowski says
Less is more, right?!
Vicky says
This is the perfect green bean dish to serve for Thanksgiving! I think it would be a side that my whole family would love. I adore how you have the cost at the top of each of your recipes. That is such a big help for someone on a budget.
Jess Jankowski says
So happy to hear that it is helpful for you! Thank you!
Ashley says
A winning classic recipe!! The green color is so vibrant and the toasty almonds make this dish! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Jess Jankowski says
You are so welcome!
Toni says
I loved it! So easy to make and so good!
Jess Jankowski says
So glad you loved it!
Renee Goerger says
I could eat an entire bowl of these all by myself. Love them!!
Jess Jankowski says
I could too!!
Nellie Tracy says
This really makes the best side to any meal. Love it!
Jess Jankowski says
Totally agree! Can’t go wrong!
Calvin says
Crunchy, I like the texture of this dish, good idea.
Jess Jankowski says
Nothing beats fresh veggies!
Al Brock says
where and where are almonds added to recipe – we’ve read the recipe several times but no mention of almonds other than on the list of ingredients.
Jillian says
Calvin, our apologies. I just updated the recipe.