This easy 9 ingredient Green Bean Almondine makes the best vegan & gluten-free side dish. It can be made in 30 minutes or less for the best vegan green bean recipe full of flavor!
Green Beans are seriously one of my favorite vegetables to cook with. They made their first appearance on SGTO in my viral Black Pepper Tofu & Green Beans, so I knew it was time to share my other favorite green bean recipe.
This Green Bean Almondine (or green bean amandine) recipe is one I have been making for years- before I even knew there was an official name for it!
If you aren't familiar with it, Green Bean Amandine is a traditional French dish. In fact, amandine is a culinary term meaning a dish prepared or garnished with almonds.
The mix of crispy green beans, buttery shallots and garlic, and crunchy almonds is truly the best green bean recipe for Thanksgiving!
Ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Green Beans: For this almond green bean recipe I like to use French Green Beans (haricot vert). They are thinner, come pre-trimmed, and, in my opinion, tend to have a more crisp texture. You can use normal green beans, but you will want to trim the ends off which requires a bit more time.
- Vegan Butter: Can be substituted for normal butter (for a vegetarian version) or even olive oil.
How to make green bean almondine
Blanch the green beans
The first step to making this easy green bean recipe is to bring a pot of very salty water to a boil. Then, add in the green beans and blanch for 2-3 minutes.
This step does two things. One, it ensures the green beans will keep their beautiful bright green color. Two, it helps to tenderize the green beans so they have the perfect texture.
Just make sure not to blanch for too long- or else you risk having mushy soft green beans. My best advice? Always err on the side of undercooking them for the best results.
Add green beans to an ice bath
You may be wondering, why do we add the blanched green beans to an ice bath? Well, it actually shocks the green beans so they stop cooking and helps to maintain that bright green color.
The green beans only need to sit in the ice bath for 4-5 minutes. After that, they can be strained and transferred to a bowl for later.
Toast the almonds
First, melt the vegan butter in a saute pan. Then, add in the slivered/sliced almonds. Saute for 2-3 minutes to toast the almonds. This step gives them the perfect crunchy texture!
Add shallots, garlic, & spices
Unlike many Green Bean Almondine recipes, I actually keep the almonds in the pan to continue toasting for this step.
Just add the chopped shallots, minced garlic, and spices to the pan. Then, saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until the shallots are beginning to become translucent and crisp up a little.
Add French green beans & lemon
Take the bowl of strained blanched green beans and add them to the pan. Then, add in the lemon juice and lemon zest and saute everything together for another few minutes to combine.
Then serve this perfect string bean almondine!
FAQ & Tips:
Yes, you can. However, you will have to make sure you are timing the recipe out correctly so the green beans are done boiling right around the time you would add them to the skillet with the almonds, shallots, and garlic.
Instead of transferring the blanched green beans to an ice bath, transfer them directly to the saute pan with the cooked almonds, shallots, garlic, and spices. Then, add the lemon juice & lemon zest at that time.
This green bean almondine is truly the best holiday side dish! I love serving it alongside my Whole Roasted Cauliflower, Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes, or my Vegan Stuffing for the ultimate plant-based dinner.
It adds the perfect crunchy vegetable side dish to compliment other heartier dishes.
Leftover green beans can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. You can reheat in the microwave or in over low heat in a saute pan until warmed throughout.
This Green Bean Almondine is the best vegan, gluten-free, & healthier side dish for the Holidays.
It's a great alternative to a heavier green bean casserole that still has tons of flavor with the added bonus of being easy to make in 30 minutes or less. Enjoy!
-TSG
More vegetarian side dish recipes you will love:
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Green Bean Almondine
Ingredients
- 12 ounces French green beans
- 2 Tablespoons vegan butter
- ⅓ cup slivered/sliced almonds
- 2 shallots thinly sliced or diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt add more or less to your preference
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice about ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ Tablespoon lemon zest zest of ½ lemon
Instructions
- First, add water to a large pot, salt heavily, and bring to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil prep the rest of the ingredients including mincing the garlic, slicing the shallots, and juicing/zesting the lemon. Also, prep the ice bath by adding water and ice cubes to a large bowl.
- Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and blanch in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes under tender but still firm.
- Strain the green beans from the large pot and immediately add them to the ice bath. (Please see notes below on how to skip this step). The green beans should sit in the ice bath for at least 4-5 minutes and then they can be strained and added to a large bowl for later.
- While the green beans are in the ice bath, add the vegan butter to a saute pan and turn on the heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add in the almonds and stir to coat with the butter. Then, toast for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add the sliced shallots, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes to the pan. Stir to mix and then saute for about 3 minutes or until the shallots are translucent and beginning to crisp.
- Add the blanched green beans, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the saute pan. Then, mix everything together and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes to combine.
- Remove from the heat and serve the green bean almondine warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- I highly recommend using French Green Beans (haricot vert) for this recipe. They are thinner, come pre-trimmed, and, in my opinion, tend to have a more crisp texture.
- You can use normal green beans, but you will want to trim the ends off of the beans which adds a bit of extra time to the prep.
- It is possible to skip the step of adding the green beans to an ice bath. However, you will have to make sure you are timing the recipe out correctly so the green beans are done boiling right around the time you would add them to the skillet with the almonds, shallots, and garlic. Instead of transferring the blanched green beans to an ice bath, transfer them directly to the saute pan with the cooked almonds, shallots, garlic, and spices. Then, add the lemon juice & lemon zest at that time.
- Leftover green beans can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. You can reheat in the microwave or in over low heat in a saute pan until warmed throughout
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