Green beans amandine (also called green beans almondine) is an easy French recipe that you can make ahead, it's simply green beans with almonds in a light and delicious lemon butter sauce, using fresh haricots verts that stay crisp yet tender for great texture.
Green beans amandine is a recipe that seems kinda retro, but if it is, I'm bringing it back! You may know it as green beans almondine, and it has stood the test of time for good reasons: it's quick, it's delicious, and it only has 4 ingredients!
Of course it makes a great Thanksgiving recipe, but this simple preparation of green beans with almonds is a classic French recipe traditionally served in bistros with everything from baked fish to pan seared steak.
If you're looking for more easy green bean recipes, try this Ottolenghi green bean salad, or my fresh green beans with feta and mint. And if you can't get enough of this almond-butter sauce, you'll also want to make Trout Amandine!
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Green beans amandine ingredients
- Fresh haricots verts (French green beans): Haricots verts is just a fancy French name for thin green beans, they work best for this amandine preparation because they hold their shape and structure a bit better after blanching than string beans.
- Sliced almonds: Use thinly sliced almonds with the skin on for the most traditional approach to the recipe. You can substitute with slivered almonds, but I find them a little too hefty and they tend overpower the delicate green beans.
- Butter: Not just any butter, we're going to make brown butter, and combined with the toasted almonds it makes the base of a divine sauce!
- Lemon juice and zest: Lemon juice is added to the butter at the last minute to lighten and brighten the sauce, the lemon zest will go on top just before serving.
- Kosher salt: You'll need salted water to blanch the green beans, and to season the whole dish as it finishes cooking.
- Flaky sea salt: For serving if desired. I like Maldon.
How to make green beans amandine
Step 1: Blanch the green beans, prepare the lemon
Bring a deep pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and cook for about 2 minutes, until they are bright green but still have a crisp texture. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer them directly into the ice bath to stop the cooking.
When the beans have cooled down a bit, place them between two kitchen towels and dry them gently.
Pro tip
Drying the green beans ensures that the lemon butter sauce will stick to them, and prevents the flavors from getting watered down and diluted.
Use a microplane grater to zest the lemon, then juice it. Set both aside separately, you'll add the zest just before serving.
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Step 2: Make the amandine sauce
Add the butter and almonds to a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently, until the nuts are toasted and fragrant and the butter is beginning to brown, 2-5 minutes.
Step 3: Finish the green beans amandine
Once the butter is browned, stir in the lemon juice, then add the blanched green beans and mix with the almonds and sauce. Season with ยผ teaspoon of kosher salt.Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the beans are warmed through and coated evenly with the sauce.
Transfer to a serving platter and top with lemon zest and flaky sea salt if desired.
Expert tips
- Blanch, don't boil: Blanching means cooking something in boiling water for just a couple minutes, so it still retains its texture and color, then putting it in an ice bath to stop the cooking. That's all we need here, the thin haricots verts will soften slightly and brighten quickly
- You must use ice water, not just cold water: The green beans are coming out of boiling water, so you really need the ice. Cold water won't cool them down fast enough and you'll end up with overcooked beans.
- Don't heat the butter too hot/fast: Brown the butter over gentle heat so the almonds have time to toast, the low heat will also keep the butter from burning and turning acrid.
- Ingredient variations: If you like, you can add finely minced shallots and/or grated garlic to the butter along with the almonds.
Make ahead and storage
Green beans amandine is a recipe that you can partially make ahead, so it's a great idea for a Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish.
- Make ahead: You can blanch the green beans up to 2 days ahead and store in the refrigerator, then mix with the almonds and butter sauce just before serving. You may want to let the green beans sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before adding them to the pan so they aren't quite so cold.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat, or in the microwave.
Almond green beans serving suggestions
Green beans amandine is such a simple recipe that it goes with just about any main course you can think of, and tastes great year round. Try it with Pan Seared Lamb Chops or Boneless Leg of Lamb for Easter, alongside a simple Roast Chicken for Sunday dinner, or serve it as one of your Christmas recipes with Red Wine Braised Short Ribs—you'll have the red and green colors right on the dinner table!
FAQ
You can substitute 'regular' green beans or string beans in this recipe, you'll need to adjust the cooking time slightly, blanch them for 4-6 minutes. You might want to cut the green beans in half before mixing them with the almonds and sauce if they are on the larger side.
Yes, just replace the butter with a vegan butter.
I don't recommend frozen green beans for amandine because they don't have the same crisp texture as fresh, and they will get mushy.
More holiday side dish recipes
Try these quick and easy vegetable side dishes to round out your holiday table!
- Baked Asparagus with Parmesan is ready in 15 minutes and you only need 3 ingredients!
- Crispy Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts are made on the stovetop so you save oven space for other things.
Fresh green beans amandine is an easy French recipe made with almonds and haricots verts
- Ready in 15 minutes!
- Only 4 ingredients.
- Cooks on the stovetop so you save oven space.
- Fresh haricots verts (French green beans) hold their color and crisp yet tender texture, so it looks and tastes great!
- It's a classic French recipe that's perfect for the holidays and so much lighter than green bean casserole.
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Recipe
Green Beans Amandine Recipe
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Equipment
- spider (hand held strainer) or tongs, or slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound thin green beans (haricots verts)
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup sliced almonds skin-on preferred
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more for blanching the green beans
- zest of one lemon
- flaky sea salt (Optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Bring salted water to a boil in a large, deep pot. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
- Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and cook for about 2 minutes, until they are bright green but still have a crisp texture. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer them directly into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
- When the beans have cooled down a bit, place them between two kitchen towels and dry them gently.
- Add the butter and almonds to a wide deep skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently, until the nuts are toasted and fragrant and the butter is beginning to brown, 2-5 minutes.
- Once the butter is browned, stir in the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then add the green beans and mix with the almonds and sauce. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the beans are warmed through and coated evenly with the sauce. Transfer to a serving platter and top with lemon zest, add some flaky sea salt if desired.
Notes
- Blanch, don't boil: Blanching means cooking something in boiling water for just a couple minutes, so it still retains its texture and color. That's all we need here, the thin haricots verts will soften slightly and brighten quickly
- You must use ice water, not just cold water: The green beans are coming out of boiling water, so you really need the ice. Cold water won't cool them down fast enough and you'll end up with overcooked beans.
- Don't heat the butter to hot/fast: Brown the butter over gentle heat so the almonds have time to toast, the low heat will also keep the butter from burning and turning acrid.
- Ingredient variations: If you like, you can add finely minced shallots and/or grated garlic to the butter along with the almonds.
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