RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
May Pick: Sides

Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds

Crisp-tender green beans steamed and seared in one skillet with garlic and shallot, then tossed with butter-toasted almonds and lemon.

Why you'll love Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds

Green beans and almonds are a classic French pairing, and this version is built for a weeknight. The beans steam and then sear in a single skillet, so they turn bright green and tender in the middle while picking up browned, blistered spots on the outside, and sliced almonds toasted in butter bring crunch and a nutty richness. The first slim, snappy green beans show up at markets in May, and they need very little else.

The method is a quick steam followed by a sear. A splash of water and a lid cook the beans through in a few minutes, and once the water is gone, the hot skillet browns them. The almonds toast first, in butter over medium heat, and come out before the beans go in, so they stay crunchy and golden. Shallot and garlic go in last, for just a minute, which keeps them sweet.

It is a side that goes with nearly anything: roast chicken, a seared steak, salmon, or a couple of eggs.

Quick overview: This Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds takes 10 min of hands-on time and about 25 min in all and makes 4 servings, each about 1 cup. You'll need a skillet.

Jump to recipe

Sautéed green beans with toasted sliced almonds
Prep 10 minCook 15 minTotal 25 minServes 4Serving about 1 cupYou'll need Skillet

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb green beans, stem ends trimmed
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Toast the almonds: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and a pinch of the salt and stir often for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are golden and smell toasty. Tip them onto a plate right away, since the hot skillet keeps cooking them. Toasting in butter browns the slices evenly and coats each one in flavor.
  2. Steam the beans: Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, then add the olive oil, green beans, water, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cover. Cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the skillet once or twice, until the beans are bright green and just tender when you bite one. The trapped steam cooks them evenly from end to end.
  3. Sear: Uncover and keep cooking, stirring only every minute or so, until the water has evaporated and the beans have blistered, browned spots, 3 to 4 minutes more. Letting them sit still against the hot skillet is what browns them.
  4. Add the aromatics: Push the beans to the sides, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the shallot, and the garlic to the open center, and cook for about 1 minute, until the shallot softens and the garlic is fragrant. Toss everything together. Added last, the garlic stays sweet and mellow.
  5. Finish: Off the heat, toss in the lemon zest and juice, the rest of the salt, a few grinds of pepper, the parsley, and most of the almonds. Pile the beans onto a platter, scatter the remaining almonds over the top, and serve hot.

Storage and leftovers

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Keep a few extra toasted almonds aside to add after reheating, since the ones in the beans soften.

Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or eat the beans cold as part of a lunch plate. Cooked green beans turn soft in the freezer, so keep this one in the refrigerator.

Variations

  • Haricots verts: Use thin French green beans and cut the steaming time to 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Hazelnuts: Use chopped toasted hazelnuts in place of the almonds.
  • With heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic.
  • Parmesan: Grate a little parmesan over the beans just before serving.

Notes and tips

  • Dry the beans: Dry washed beans well so the oil coats them and they brown once the steam is gone.
  • Trim in bunches: Line up a handful of beans with their stem ends even and slice them off together. The tapered tail end is tender and can stay.
  • Use a big skillet: A 12-inch skillet holds a pound of beans in close to a single layer, which they need to brown.
  • Taste for doneness: Bite a bean after steaming: it should bend without snapping and still have a little crunch.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Green beans are eaten as a whole tender pod, and RESET360 counts them as a non-starchy vegetable, with fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. A quick cook keeps their color and snap.
  • Almonds bring monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, magnesium, and crunch.
  • Butter and olive oil are the real fats that carry the garlic and shallot through the beans.
  • Lemon at the end brightens the whole skillet, so a light hand with salt is enough.
  • As you eat, notice the crunch of the almonds against the tender beans, and pay attention to how a vegetable side with a real fat makes the whole plate feel satisfying, so you leave the table content.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Can I use frozen green beans?

Yes. Skip the water and lid, cook them from frozen over medium-high heat until they thaw and the moisture cooks off, then sear and finish as written.

Why are green beans part of RESET360 when other beans are left off?

Green beans are a fresh pod with tiny, immature seeds, so they cook and eat like a non-starchy vegetable. RESET360 counts them with snap peas and snow peas as vegetables.

Can I make it ahead?

Steam the beans up to 2 days ahead, cool them quickly, dry them, and refrigerate them. Sear and finish them just before serving.

What can I serve them with?

Roast chicken, salmon, pork chops, steak, or soft scrambled eggs.

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Tags: May Pick, Sides, French-Inspired, 30 Minutes or Less