Looking for a side dish you can pair with almost any meal? These Garlic Almond Green Beans are your answer! Toss crisp green beans with melted butter, toasted almonds, and garlic—then cook until just tender. You can go straight from the stovetop to the table with this quick, delicious side dish!

Green beans are a classic side and work well with a variety of dishes and meats. This recipe is a great way to liven things up without too much work—a simple classic with a dash of flavor and crunch.

Whether you serve these on a weeknight or add a bit of green to your holiday table, they’re sure to make even the veggie-skeptics into believers.

Garlic Almond Green Beans in a serving platter on the holiday table.

Why KJ Loves

Garlic Almond Green Beans

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Garlic Almond Green Beans

Garlic Almond Green Beans are easy to whip up and take green beans to the next level! The perfect combination of butter, garlic, almonds and green beans for the best side dish for any occasion.

Garlic Almond Green Bean Ingredients

Green beans, trimmed

Use good, fresh green beans for this recipe! Since there are minimal ingredients, we want to make sure that the green beans really shine.

Garlic, chopped

If you’re using freshly chopped, you’ll need about three cloves. Otherwise, you can use pre-minced garlic.

Sliced almonds

These get perfectly toasted in the garlic butter and add a nice crunch to the green beans!

Butter, salt, and pepper

Almonds sautéd in garlic butter in a skillet.

How to Make Green Beans Taste Good

If you’re looking to make these versatile veggies more palatable for your family or to dress them up a little bit for the holidays, here are the simple steps.

The Secret Step: Blanching and Shocking

To get perfectly vibrant and crisp/tender green beans, we’re going to blanch and shock them. This easy method also helps remove any bitterness from the green beans. Here’s how to do it.

Fill a pot of water and bring it to a boil. In the meantime, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with equal parts ice and water.

Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook for a few minutes or until al dente.

Drain the beans and immediately transfer them to the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Next Up: Saute the beans.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the garlic and almonds and lightly sauté for a few minutes or until the almonds start to toast (be careful not to burn them).

Add the green beans into the skillet and toss to coat with the butter and almonds. Sauté the green beans until they are heated back through.

Serve the dish immediately, and enjoy!

Green Beans FAQs:

What’s the difference between haricot verts and green beans?

You can use either haricot verts or green beans for this recipe. Haricot verts are a type of French green bean. Often, you’ll see them called “French green beans.” They’re longer and thinner and generally cook faster than regular green beans, which are typically fatter and hardier, and stand up to longer cooking times.

What can I add to green beans to make them taste better?

There are several ways to make fresh green beans taste great. First, make sure you’re using a good cooking method. Before sauteeing the green beans, boil them (also known as “blanching”) and put them in an ice bath. This will give you a vibrant green color, perfect texture, and less bitterness. Then, use butter, garlic, and slivered almonds to add some flavor.

What pairs well with green beans?

Green beans pair well with almost any entree or meat. Try them with Cheesy Herb Stuffed Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken or Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Can I use silvered almonds instead of sliced?

Yes, either type of almond works great. Choose the type you like best!

What if I don't have sliced almonds?

You can substitute other nuts like sliced pecans!

Can garlic almond green beans be made in advance?

These green beans can get mushy when reheated. But thankfully, they’re quick and easy to make, so I recommend serving them as soon as possible after cooking.

A close-up photo of garlic almond green beans.

Recipe Video:

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