Green Beans Almondine is a classic French side dish made with tender green beans and buttery toasted almonds. It sounds elegant, but it's surprisingly easy to make and comes together in about 30 minutes. For the best texture, use haricots verts, the slender French variety of green beans. Serve it for weeknight dinners, holidays, or any meal that needs a simple vegetable side with a little extra crunch and flavor.
A classic French dish, green beans almondine is a lighter, more elegant alternative to rich holiday favorites like green bean casserole. You may also see it spelled amandine or almandine, but no matter the name, it's an easy, flavorful way to serve green beans. It pairs beautifully with ham, pork tenderloin, roast chicken, or turkey, making it just as useful for weeknight dinners as it is for holidays and special occasions.
Green Beans Almondine Recipe Snapshot
- Simple ingredients - Fresh green beans, butter-toasted almonds, and a few basic seasonings create a classic, elegant side dish.
- Make-ahead friendly - Prep the green beans and toast the almonds ahead, then finish the dish just before serving.
- A lighter holiday side - A fresh, elegant alternative to rich green bean casserole.
- Classic but elevated - Butter-toasted almonds turn everyday green beans into a side dish worthy of holidays and special dinners.
For a delicious for green bean recipe for falls holidays, try Thanksgiving green beans recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Green beans - Look for haricots verts, the slender French green beans sometimes labeled French green beans or baby green beans. They're more tender and delicate than standard green beans and work especially well for almondine.
- Almonds - Use raw sliced almonds so you can toast them in butter until golden and fragrant.
- Shallot - Adds mild sweetness and savory depth without overpowering the beans.
- Garlic - Adds savory flavor and aroma.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter, ghee or clarified butter, or plant butter for a dairy-free version.
- Olive oil - A small amount helps sauté the shallot and garlic and adds flavor.
- Kosher salt - You'll need a generous amount for blanching the green beans so they're seasoned from the inside out.
Please see recipe card for measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- No haricots verts? Regular green beans work well too.
- No sliced almonds? Use slivered almonds instead.
- Try another nut or seed - Walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or toasted pepitas all work nicely.
- For a sweeter holiday version - Swap in chopped candied maple pecans for a festive finish.
- Add fresh herbs - Finish with chopped Italian parsley or chives for extra freshness.
Recipe Instructions
Set Up:
- Get a large pot of very salted water boiling to blanch green beans.
- Set up an ice bath. Fill a medium bowl half full of ice cubes and add cold water.
- Ready a plate or rimmed baking sheet with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to drain the beans.
While the water is coming to a boil, make the toasted almonds.
Toast Almonds
These buttery toasted almonds really make the green beans almondine the best!
- Melt unsalted butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the almonds and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring. Don't walk away as nuts burn quickly. If you need to turn your heat down, do so. You want toasted almonds, not burned ones.
- Finished browned butter toasted almonds ready to cool.
- Pour the almonds out of the hot pan onto a sheet pan or onto parchment paper and scatter a little salt over the top. Get them out of the hot pan so they do not over brown. Cool the almonds and keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They keep for a month.
Chef's Note: Blanching is a basic cooking method that par-cooks (or pre-cooks) vegetables to be finished at a later time. Blanching requires very salty boiling water; think of it like fast brining for vegetables. It locks in their flavor and sets color. You are not consuming all of the salt in the water, so don't worry. The water is drained off. Start with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per quart of water. I use 5 tablespoons of coarse kosher sea salt for an almost-full 6 quart pot. It works!
Blanching Green Beans
Blanching green beans is a simple technique everyone should know.
- Trim the tops off any stems. Haricot vert usually come trimmed. Place green beans in the boiling, salted water (1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water) and cook for 4 minutes.
- Immediately after cooking, plunge the blanched green beans into the ice water bath. This stops the cooking process and the green beans retain their bright green color. When green beans are cold (just a couple minutes), move them to drain on a kitchen towel.
Saute Shallots
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan or large skillet over medium heat and add the shallots. Saute until soft and tender, cooking time about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the green beans and turn to coat with flavor and warm up, about 5 minutes. Remove green beans to a shallow bowl or platter for serving and sprinkle (or toss) with the almonds.
Serving Suggestions
Green beans almondine are traditionally served warm, but they're also delicious chilled or at room temperature, especially in warmer weather.
For fall and holiday meals, add dried cranberries for a tart-sweet pop of color, or finish with crisp crumbled bacon for a richer variation. Serve alongside roast chicken, turkey, ham, pork tenderloin, or beef.
For another green bean side dish, try this green bean salad with tomatoes and corn for summer.
Recipe FAQs
There is no real difference. Both terms refer to dishes finished with almonds, usually toasted. Amandine is the French culinary term, while almondine is the more common English spelling.
Haricots verts are ideal. These slender French green beans are more tender and delicate than standard green beans and cook quickly while keeping a crisp-tender texture.
Start by seasoning the cooking water well so the beans are flavorful from the inside out. After cooking, add butter or olive oil, salt and pepper, toasted almonds, crisp bacon, Parmesan, garlic breadcrumbs, sesame oil, or balsamic glaze. For more ideas, see my guide to dressing up basic green beans.
More Great Vegetable Side Dishes
For another easy and pretty green bean recipe try this one with pomegranate seeds.
⭐️Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make green beans almondine, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. They really help other readers.s
📖 Recipe
Green Beans Almondine
Equipment
Ingredients
Blanching water
- 5 tablespoons coarse kosher salt Use approx. 1 tablespoon per quart of water
Green Beans
- 12 ounces haricot verts of baby green beans
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium shallot halved lengthwise, sliced thin crosswise
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped or zested
Toasted Almonds
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter ghee or plant butter
- 1 cup sliced raw almonds 4 ounces
- 2 pinches sea salt
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Instructions
Getting started
- Fill a large pot (5-7 quarts) with water adding kosher salt at approximately 1 tablespoon per quart of water. Bring the water to a full boil. While you're waiting on the water to boil, set up the ice bath and toast the almonds.
Toasted almonds
- Add butter to a medium skillet or fry pan. Melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Don't walk away from the stove as nuts burn quickly. When done, sprinkle with a little extra salt and set the almonds aside on a baking sheet to cool. Use now for serving or keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Finish the green beans
- When the water is boiling and the ice batch is ready, drop the beans into the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. When done, remove the beans from the pot with tongs and plunge them into the ice water. When cold (they chill fast), drain the beans in a colander and dry on a clean kitchen towel.
Serving
- When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large fry pan and saute the shallot until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Add the green beans and heat through, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Serve scattered or tossed with the toasted almonds.
Notes
Nutrition
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Patti says
I want to make this ahead. How do you heat it up when time to eat it?
Sally Cameron says
Hi Patti. Cook the green beans ahead and shock in ice water to stop the cooking process and keep the beans a nice bright green, drain and dry. They will hold up to 4 days ahead. Make the buttered almonds ahead and zest too. When you want to serve, place the green beans in a shallow casserole or on a platter, cover with foil or a lid and heat in a hot oven about 350°F until hot. You can get the green beans out of the refrigerator an hour ahead to get the chill off, and they will re-heat faster. Timing is hard to say, maybe 20 minutes? Top with your garnishes before you put them on the table.