Green Beans with Almonds and Lemon

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Green beans with almonds is an easy, yet elegant side recipe perfect for any occasion!
green beans with almonds in a bowl

This green beans and almonds recipe is a twist on the classic green beans almondine. It’s made with fresh green beans, tossed in a lemony butter sauce with toasted slivered almonds, and bread crumbs for a little extra crunch. It’s a simple yet elegant side dish that everyone will love.

Green beans in a serving bowl topped with bread crumbs and almonds

This green bean recipe is the perfect combination of flavors and texture; the crispy almonds and bread crumbs add subtle flavor and just the right amount of crunch.

Why you will love Green Beans with Almonds and Lemon

  • It’s a simple recipe with simple ingredients that takes minutes to make.
  • It’s a healthy side dish that is perfect for busy weeknights or a holiday meal.
the ingredients: Green beans, almonds, bread crumbs, garlic, and lemon in little bowls

This is a brief summary of the ingredients needed to make Green Beans with Almonds and Lemonand a convenient shopping list from my Instacart affiliate link. For a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card section.

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Ingredients

  • Fresh green beans
  • Unsalted butter
  • Raw almonds
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Garlic

🥄Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Steamer basket (optional)
  • Large skillet
  • Paring knife
  • Skillet
  • Steamer basket

How to make green beans with almonds and lemon

Prepare: Rinse and trim the green beans, and chop the garlic, and cut the almonds if you are not using pre-sliced almnds. Measure the butter and bread crumbs.

a picture of green beans in a steamer basket in a pan

Step 1. Add a small amount of water to a saucepan, and place a steamer basket over the water. Add the green beans to the steamer basket, cover the pan and cook the green beans over high heat until they are tender and bright green. Once they are cooked, rinse them under ice cold water, pat them dry with a paper towel and set the green beans aside.

Step 2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the almonds and bread crumbs and cook for just a few minutes until they start to turn golden. Remove them from the heat and set aside.

almonds and bread crumbs toasted in a skillet

Butter melting in pan on stovetop over medium hear. Butter sauce contains garlic and lemon juice.

Step 3. In the same skillet melt the butter and garlic over medium heat. Cook until the garlic begins to soften, and add the lemon juice. Toss the green beans in the butter sauce and stir in the toasted almonds and bread crumbs.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Green beans – Even though any variety of green bean will work in this recipe, French green beans also known as haricot vert are skinnier green beans, and are more tender are the best.

Butter – Unsalted butter is my first choice for cooking so you can salt and flavor the dish yourself. Butter can be replaced with an equal amount of olive oil for a vegan version.

Almonds – If you have pre-sliced almond slices they work the best. If you buy whole almonds, instead of trying to slice them, you can roughly chop them.

Panko – Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese style breadcrumbs. They have a more course texture than regular breadcrumbs and add a nice crunch to these green beans. You can replace panko with regular breadcrumbs or leave them out for a gluten-free version.

a close up picture of green beans with crispy topping

What to serve with green beans and almonds

An easy side dish like green beans almondine tastes great garnished with fresh lemon zest and served with just about any main dish.

We like to serve these tender green beans with Instant Pot Pork Loin in Apple Cider, Turkey Cranberry Meatballs, Hasselback Pork Tenderloin, grilled chicken breasts, pork chops with vinegar peppers, turkey meatloaf or beef.

Storing and re-heating leftovers

Store leftover green beans and almonds in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days.

Reheat the green beans on top of the stove in a skillet or in the microwave.

Freezing leftover green beans and almonds is not recommended.

Make ahead instructions

Get a head start on preparing this dish; steam the green beans up to two days ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in them in the refrigerator.

Prepare the crispy topping and store it at room temperature to retain the crispness or you can make it just before serving the green beans which is recommended.

An hour or so before serving, bring the beans to room temperature, make crispy topping and the lemon butter sauce. Add the beans to the sauce over low heat to warm them up and top them with the crispy topping.

an overhead shot of Green Beans with almonds

Variations

This recipe is a flavorful recipe as it is, and is also a blank slate to add some interesting flavors. Here are some suggestions.

Green beans with almonds and bacon – add one to two strips of cooked and crumbled bacon to the

Green beans with almonds and shallots – add 1 tablespoon of chopped shallots to the butter and garlic in the skillet.

Green beans almondine with cranberries – just before serving, stir in a 1/4 cup of dried cranberries for a festive look and sweet flavor.

Add cheese – add a quarter cup of shredded parmesan cheese on top of the toasted bread crumbs and almonds.

Change up the almonds – instead of almonds use chopped wlanuts, pecans or macadamia nuts.

Tips

  • If you don’t have a steamer basket, place the beans into a pan with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, and making sure they are not completely submerged.
  • If you like your beans short, line them up on a cutting board and cut them all in half with a sharp knife.
  • The steamed beans will be slightly crispy. If you prefer softer green beans, cook them for a few minutes longer.
Can you make green beans almondine with frozen green beans?

Frozen beans can be used in place of fresh green beans to make green beans almondine. Cook the green beans according to the package instructions and add the cooked beans to the skillet with the butter lemon. Sprinkle on the topping and serve.

What other flavors go well with green beans?

You can bring out the flavor of green beans by adding a variety of flavors such as garlic, butter, onion, fresh or dried herbs.

Why do you rinse the cooked green beans in ice water?

The green beans will continue to cook once they are removed from the heat. Running them under cold water or placing them in an ice bath (a large bowl of ice water) will stop the beans from cooking and they will remain crispy.

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green beans with almonds in a bowl

Green Beans and Almonds

Green beans with almonds is an easy, yet elegant side recipe perfect for any occasion!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Click on serving size to scale this recipe

Course: Side Dish Recipes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: green beans almondine, green beans with almonds and lemon
Servings: 4
Calories: 129kcal
Scale this Recipe 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh green beans French or regular green beans
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 1/4 cup raw almonds slivered or chopped
  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Prepare the ingredients
    : rinse and trim the green beans, chop the garlic and almonds if they are not sliced. Measure the butter and panko breadcrumbs
  • Add a small amount of water to a saucepan (enough to cover the bottom of the pan – about 1 inch). Place a steamer basket inside the saucepan and place the green beans on top of the basket. If you don't have a steamer basket, place the green beans into the water in the pan, they should not be completely covered with water.
  • Cover the beans and cook over medium heat until they become crisp-tender, or to the texture of green beans that you prefer.
  • Once the green are cooked rinse them under cold water, pat them dry and set them aside.
  • Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped almonds and bread crumbs. Cook them until they begin to toast and turn brown and remove them from the heat and set them aside.
  • Melt one tablespoon of butter in the skillet with one clove of chopped garlic for a minute or two until the garlic starts to soften and the butter has melted, reduce the heat to low.
  • Add the green beans to the pan and toss them in the butter. Once they are heated through, place them in a serving bowl and top the beans with the toasted almonds and panko.

Notes

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
 
Make-Ahead Instructions: Steam the green beans up to two days ahead of time. Store them in the refrigerator until 30 minutes before serving.
Toast the almonds and panko, and melt the butter, garlic and lemon as instructed in the recipe and serve.
See article above for recipe tips, variations and more!

Nutrition

Serving: 11/4 lb green beans | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 870IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used

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