Lemon Garlic Green Beans Almonds (Printable)
Fresh green beans enhanced by lemon, garlic, and crunchy toasted almonds for a wholesome side.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
02 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
→ Nuts
03 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds
→ Seasonings & Fats
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Citrus
07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
# Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 2-3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain well and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds, stirring often, until golden and fragrant (about 2 minutes). Remove from skillet and set aside.
03 - Add olive oil to the same skillet. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, but not browned.
04 - Add the drained green beans to the skillet. Toss to coat in the garlic oil and sauté for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
05 - Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest and juice, tossing to combine.
06 - Sprinkle toasted almonds over the green beans and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beans stay crisp-tender instead of mushy, thanks to a quick ice bath trick my friend Sarah showed me during a chaotic dinner party
- Toast the almonds until they're golden brown and your kitchen will smell like something wonderful is happening
02 -
- The ice bath stops the cooking cold and locks in that bright green color—skipping this step was my mistake for years
- Garlic burns incredibly fast, so have your beans ready to go before you even start cooking the garlic
03 -
- Use a vegetable peeler to create wide ribbons of lemon zest instead of tiny bits—they look fancier and release more flavor
- If your beans are particularly thick, blanch for an extra minute before the ice bath