Lemon Garlic Green Beans with Almonds (Printable)
Vibrant sautéed green beans with garlic, lemon zest, and toasted almonds. A light, refreshing side dish perfect for any meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
→ Aromatics & Flavor
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - Zest of 1 lemon
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Nuts
07 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown.
04 - Add the drained green beans to the skillet. Toss to coat with garlic and oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
05 - Add lemon zest and juice, season with salt and pepper, and toss well. Remove from heat.
06 - Sprinkle toasted almonds over the green beans just before serving.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The ice bath technique gives you perfectly crisp-tender beans that never go soggy, even when making them ahead for company.
- The combination of garlic, lemon, and toasted almonds transforms ordinary green beans into something worthy of both weeknights and special occasions without any fussy techniques.
02 -
- Overcooking the garlic even by 30 seconds can turn these beans from spectacular to bitter, so have your next ingredients ready before the garlic hits the pan.
- The beans continue cooking slightly from residual heat after you remove the pan from the stove, so take them off the heat when they still have a slight resistance when pierced with a fork.
03 -
- Adding a tiny splash of water to the pan when reheating the beans creates steam that revives their texture without needing additional oil.
- Microplaning the garlic instead of mincing it creates an aromatic oil infusion that coats the beans more evenly and prevents any chance of biting into a chunk of raw garlic.