My Green Beans Almondine Recipe is a classic yet versatile side dish. The beans are tossed with a simple butter and Dijon sauce, golden shallots, and toasted almonds.
I've made dozens of fresh green bean dishes over the years because green beans are one of my favorite vegetables. This one has just enough going on to make them special without covering up the flavor of fresh green beans.
Recipe at a Glance:
- How to make a delicious Green Bean Almondine Side Dish
- How to prepare and cook fresh green beans
- How to skillet roast sliced almonds
- How to fry crispy shallots
Green Beans Almondine is a classic side dish made with green beans, butter, and almonds. My version adds golden sautéed shallots and a little Dijon mustard whisked into salted butter.
One thing you won't find here is garlic. Garlic shows up in many modern Green Beans Almondine recipes, but leaving it out makes this version much more versatile. You can serve these green beans with turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken, pork, or fish without another strong flavor competing with the rest of your meal.
That's particularly helpful around the holidays when there are already plenty of seasonings and rich dishes on the table.
Green Beans Almondine: Then and Now
There is a little French cooking tucked into this familiar green bean side dish.
The original French culinary term is "amandine" which refers to dishes prepared or garnished with almonds. In American cooking, almondine became a common spelling, which explains why you'll see this recipe called both Green Beans Almondine and Green Beans Amandine.
The almond treatment wasn't reserved for green beans. Fish, asparagus, potatoes, and other vegetables could also be served amandine style. The basic idea was simple. Butter and almonds could turn an everyday ingredient into something suitable for a nicer dinner.
By the mid-20th century, Green Beans Almondine was appearing in American cookbooks and menus. Betty Crocker's New Picture Cook Book from 1961, for example, included Green Beans Almondine in its luncheon menu suggestions. The dish fit nicely into an era when American home cooks were adding French-inspired dishes to their entertaining menus.
In the Ladies' Home Journal Cookbook of 1960, the recipe is simply to add slivered almonds to basic seasoned green beans.
One interesting difference between then and now is the green beans themselves. Vintage American recipes often called for canned or frozen green beans, particularly for holiday meals. Before fresh produce was routinely shipped long distances and stocked year-round, fresh green beans were largely a seasonal food in many parts of the country. By Thanksgiving and Christmas, home gardens were long finished for the year, so canned and frozen vegetables were practical staples in the winter kitchen.
Today, fresh green beans are readily available in supermarkets yearlong. We can make the same familiar dish with the firmer texture and fresh flavor of whole green beans while keeping that classic butter-and-almond combination.
Vintage versions also tended to be fairly restrained. Green beans, butter, almonds, and simple seasoning could do the job. Modern recipes have expanded on that foundation with garlic, lemon, shallots, herbs, olive oil, and other additions.
My recipe sits somewhere between the two. The toasted almonds and butter keep the connection to the traditional dish, while fresh green beans, golden shallots, and a little Dijon bring it comfortably to today's table.
Ingredients
Fresh green beans: Look for firm, bright green beans without soft spots. Fresh beans give this dish the best texture and cook into tender green beans that still have a little bite.
Sliced almonds: Toasting sliced almonds in a dry pan brings out their flavor and gives them golden edges. Keep an eye on them because they brown quickly.
Shallots: Shallots are milder and a little sweeter than regular onions. Thinly slicing and then separating them helps them fry evenly before they're tossed into the finished beans.
Salted butter: 4 Tablespoons (¼ cup) of salted butter make the base of the simple sauce. Since the butter and cooking water both contain salt, taste the finished beans before adding any additional salt.
Dijon mustard: A small amount gives the butter sauce a little tang without making the beans taste strongly of mustard. If you can find smoked Dijon mustard, it's especially good with the toasted almonds.
Vegetable Oil: The oil is used to deep fry the shallots until they're crispy and golden. Be sure your oil is fresh by smelling it and looking for it to be light in color with no pungent odor.
Salt and pepper: The salted cooking water and butter provide much of the seasoning. Taste before serving and add freshly ground pepper or additional salt if needed.
Instructions: How to Make Green Beans Almondine
These green beans come together in a few simple steps. Toasting the almonds and cooking the shallots separately gives each ingredient the texture and flavor it needs before everything is tossed together at the end.
1. Prepare the Green Beans. Snip the stem part of in a diagonal angle. You may also snip the other side if you like or you can leave it the way it is.
2. Toss the almonds in a skillet on Medium heat until just Golden on the edges. They can scorch fast so toss them as you go and place them on a plate as soon as they are done.
3. Peel and slice the shallots.
4. Heat vegetable oil over Medium heat. Separate the shallot rings so they fry evenly. Be generous with the oil (1 cup or more if needed so you have 1 inch of oil depending on the size of your pan) so that the onions are deep fried. Otherwise, if you skimp on the oil, they will not brown evenly.
5. Drain crispy shallots on paper towels. They can store for several days in the refrigerator and it's nice to make them ahead of time.
6. Melt the butter and whisk with the Dijon mustard. It will look a bit grainy in the pan but once you mix it well with the beans it just leaves a light saucy glaze on the beans.
7. Carefully add the green beans to the boiling water and boil over high heat for about five minutes. You're looking for crisp-tender beans that are cooked through but still have some texture. Very thin beans may be ready a little sooner.
Then, drain in a colander.
8. Coat the green beans with the butter Dijon sauce.
9. Stir it all together. You can reserve some of the fried shallots and toasted almonds for the top if you like.
Notes and Tips
For Thanksgiving, serve them alongside roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and your favorite holiday sides. At Christmas, they're just as good with glazed ham, roast beef, pork loin, or turkey.
They're also simple enough for Sunday dinner or a weeknight meal. Try them with roasted chicken, pork chops, meatloaf, steak, or fish. That's one of the reasons I leave the garlic out. These green beans can go almost anywhere.
Extra! Extra! Read All About It! Join my free email list to receive the Newsletter and follow along on YouTube!
Make It Your Own
Try smoked or other flavored Dijon mustards. If you happen to find smoked Dijon mustard, it gives the butter sauce a subtle smoky note. Regular Dijon works perfectly well, too.
Keep it old-school. For a simpler version inspired by older almondine preparations, leave out the Dijon and shallots. Toss the cooked green beans with butter and toasted almonds.
Try haricots verts. These thinner French green beans make a nice variation for a dinner party or holiday. Because they're smaller than standard green beans, reduce the cooking time and check them early.
Watch those almonds. Sliced almonds toast quickly. Stay close to the skillet and remove them once the edges begin turning golden.
Get a head start. You can snip the green beans, slice the shallots and fry them, and toast the almonds the day before. Keep everything separate until you're ready to finish the dish.
Green Beans Almondine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh green beans
- â…“ cup sliced almonds
- ¾ cup vegetable oil *more if needed, depending on size of pan.
- 2 shallots, (peeled) and thinly sliced
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Snip the stem end off of each bean, set aside.
To Make the Toasted Almonds
- Heat a 9-inch skillet over Medium heat. Add almonds and toss around in the pan for about two minutes, or until edges of almonds start to become golden. Remove from pan onto a plate and set aside.
To Make the Fried Shallots
- Wipe out skillet. Add oil. When oil is hot, add sliced and separated shallots. When they are lightly golden fried, remove with a slotted spoon and leave to rest on a paper towel lined plate in a single layer.
To Make the Dijon Butter
- In a small saucepan, heat the butter on low heat until just melted. Whisk in Dijon mustard. When butter is melted, whisk in Dijon mustard. Remove from heat and set aside.
Boil the Green Beans
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the beans for 5 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and place in a large bowl. Pour the butter-mustard mixture over and stir to coat the beans. Toss in the most of the shallots and almonds. Place in a serving dish. Top with remaining sprinkle of fried shallots and almonds.
Notes
Common Questions
What does almondine mean?
Almondine is the Americanized form of the French culinary term amandine. It means that a food is prepared or served with almonds. That's why almonds are the defining ingredient in Green Beans Almondine.
Is it Green Beans Almondine or Green Beans Amandine?
Either name can be used. Amandine is the original French term, while almondine became a familiar spelling in American cooking. Both names refer to the same basic preparation.
Does Green Beans Almondine have garlic?
Garlic isn't required for Green Beans Almondine. Many modern recipes add it, but the almonds are what define the dish. I leave garlic out because it makes these green beans easier to pair with different main dishes and holiday menus.
Can I make Green Beans Almondine for Thanksgiving?
Yes. Green Beans Almondine is an especially nice Thanksgiving side dish when you want fresh green beans instead of another heavy casserole. It brings a fresh vegetable and a little crunch to a table filled with traditional holiday favorites.
Can Green Beans Almondine be made ahead?
Parts of it can. Trim the green beans, fry the shallots, and toast the almonds ahead of time. For the best texture, cook the beans and toss everything together closer to serving time.
Can I use frozen green beans?
You can, and there's even some vintage precedent for it. However, I don't eat frozen green beans so I haven't tested it. I only eat can or fresh. I recommend fresh green beans for this recipe. Frozen beans tend to be rubbery with a unique taste, while fresh beans give Green Beans Almondine that crisp-tender texture that works so well with toasted almonds.
What should I serve with Green Beans Almondine?
Green Beans Almondine pairs well with turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken, pork, steak, or fish. Since this version doesn't contain garlic or strong herbs, it can fit comfortably into almost any dinner you're planning.
Leave a Reply