Lemon Garlic Green Beans Almonds (Printable)

Zesty lemon-garlic green beans topped with crunchy toasted almonds for a fresh side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed

→ Aromatics & Flavor

02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
07 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Nuts

09 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds

→ Garnish

10 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3–4 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove almonds from the skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add butter and olive oil. Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown.
04 - Add the green beans to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic butter. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
05 - Add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss well to combine. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving platter. Top with toasted almonds and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 25 minutes, which means you can make it any night without fuss.
  • The contrast between the crisp-tender beans, buttery sauce, and crunchy almonds makes you feel like you're eating something fancy, even though it's ridiculously easy.
  • It works with almost anything on your plate—fish, chicken, pasta, grain bowls—without demanding attention.
02 -
  • The ice bath after blanching is non-negotiable if you want crisp-tender beans—skipping it means soft, dull beans no matter what you do next.
  • Toast your own almonds every time because they taste so much better than pre-toasted, and you can catch them right at that golden moment before they go too far.
  • Don't add the lemon until the very end, or the acid will start turning your green beans a grayish color that looks unappetizing, even though they'll still taste fine.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead, blanch and chill the beans earlier in the day, but wait to cook them with the garlic butter and almonds until right before serving—that way, everything stays crisp and bright.
  • Pat the blanched green beans very dry with paper towels before they go into the skillet; any excess water will make them steam instead of sauté, and you'll lose that beautiful texture.

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