Best Ever Green Beans

Name: Green Beans Amandine
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into several pieces; 1/2 cup sliced almonds; 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot (about 1 small); 1 pound haricots verts or slender green beans, trimmed; 2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste; 1 tablespoon + ½ cup water, divided; ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Honestly, I didn’t know green beans could be this good. Inspired by a classic French recipe (haricots verts amandine), this green bean recipe features buttery toasted almonds, tender shallot and a squeeze of lemon.

I hope this recipe title caught your attention, because these green beans will be the standout on any plate. I have to stop myself from eating the whole pan myself, and I never thought I’d say that. Give me the choice between this dish and green bean casserole, and there’s no contest. Green beans amandine for the win.

This side dish is simple enough for weeknight dinners, but fancy enough for the holidays. I wrote the recipe to yield enough for about four people. You can very easily double the recipe for a crowd as long as you use a Dutch oven to contain the beans.

Haricots verts amandine translates to “almond green beans.” It’s often anglicized to “green beans amandine,” which then mistakenly turns into “green beans almondine.” I can see why, but I attended too many years of French class not to point this out!

I can’t say I remember eating these green beans during my semester in Bordeaux, France. Just one more excuse to go back when we can. I’ve tested these ingredients and techniques over and over again so you can enjoy this dish at home.

You won’t need to bother blanching the green beans—this dish magically comes together in one skillet. The recipe requires a bit of patience and some stirring, but it’s 100 percent worth the effort. Keep this recipe handy, because it goes with just about everything!

How to Cook Green Beans

Most chefs will tell you to blanch your green beans, which requires a big pot of salted boiling water for cooking the beans and a very big bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process immediately. Blanching definitely works as designed, but it always seems like a chore to me.

The good news is that I’ve found a cooking technique that I like a whole lot better, courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen. You’ve seen me use this method in my Green Bean Salad with Toasted Almonds & Feta and it works like a charm.

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s how it works. You’ll need a large skillet with a lid (affiliate link/if your skillet didn’t come with a lid, you can always use a cookie sheet).

In a large skillet, bring ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt to a simmer over medium heat.
Once simmering, add 1 pound green beans, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nearly tender, about 9 to 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid evaporates, about 2 to 4 minutes.

That’s it! Your perfectly tender (not mushy), bright green beans are ready to serve.

Watch How to Make the Best Green Beans

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Please let me know how your green beans turn out in the comments! I hope this recipe becomes your new favorite side dish.

Green Beans Amandine

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Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: French
Diet: Vegetarian

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5 from 88 reviews

This green bean recipe will become your new favorite side dish. Inspired by a classic French recipe (haricots verts amandine), these green beans feature buttery toasted almonds, tender shallot and a squeeze of lemon. Recipe yields 4 generous side servings; you can double the recipe by cooking it in a large Dutch oven.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into several pieces
½ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup thinly sliced shallot (about 1 small)
1 pound haricots verts or slender green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon + ½ cup water, divided
½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once it’s completely melted, add the almonds. Cook, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, until the butter has browned and the almonds are beginning to brown, about 7 to 8 minutes. (Your patience will pay off, I promise!)
Add the shallot and cook, while stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water. While stirring, cook until the liquid thickens enough that your spatula leaves an open trail on the pan behind it, about 1 more minute.
Use your spatula to scoop all the mixture into a bowl, and set it aside for now. Return the empty skillet to the stovetop, and add the green beans, ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nearly tender, about 9 to 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid evaporates, about 2 to 4 minutes.
Off the heat, add the reserved almond mixture to the skillet and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve. Leftover green beans will keep the fridge, covered, for about 4 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my Green Bean Salad with Toasted Almonds & Feta and Cooking Light’s Green Beans Amandine.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Replace the butter with extra-virgin olive oil (my preference) or vegan butter (I successfully tested with Miyoko’s Creamery).

Make it nut free: I think this dish would be nice with pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) instead of almonds, but haven’t tried. Or, omit the nuts and cook the butter until it has browned in step 1.

Prepare in advance: This recipe really comes together seamlessly as directed, and keeps well at room temperature for a couple of hours. Or, store it in the fridge and gently reheat the dish in the oven.

▸ Nutrition Information

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