These garlic butter green beans are the perfect side dish for any occasion! The fresh green beans are zesty, full of garlic flavor and cooked to be al dente. If you’re in need of an easy side dish, look no further!
Here’s why I love these sautéed green beans:
It doesn’t matter if you just need a simple side dish for your weeknight dinner, or something a little more special, this green bean recipe goes great with everything! It’s bright green color will add the perfect pop to your table and the buttery garlic flavor will have you coming back for more!
Ingredients you’ll need for garlic green beans:
- Slivered almonds
- Fresh green beans
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salted butter
- Fresh garlic (minced)
- Cracked black pepper
- Salt
- Lemon (zest and juice)
How to make sauteed green beans in a few basic steps:
- Toast the almonds. This brings out their nutty flavor even more.
- Simmer the green beans. This cooking process doesn’t take long, you want them to be crisp on the outside with a tender texture on the inside.
- Sauté the green beans. Coating the beans in the butter mixture is key to these being so flavorful.
- Serve! Drizzle with lemon juice, then top with lemon zest and toasted almonds.
Blanching with and ice bath vs no ice bath:
Most of the time, when a recipe calls for blanching green beans, there is an ice bath of plain ice water involved after the beans are blanched to stop the cooking process. This helps achieve that crisp tender texture we all know and love. In this recipe, there is no need for an ice bath because we are only going to partially blanch the green beans in the simmering water, then finish them off in the melted butter sauce to reach that perfect point of al dente.
My top tips for making garlic butter green beans:
- Don’t walk away from the nuts as they’re toasting! They can go from perfectly golden to burnt very quickly. Be sure to toss them around in the pan and watch closely for the desired color!
- Don’t forget to salt the water that you simmer the green beans in. This way, the inside of the beans will be flavored as well since they absorb some of the simmering water while they cook.
- Make sure you drain the green beans before adding them into the butter mixture. If you don’t, there will be way too much liquid in the pan and the butter sauce will be completely watered down.
- For leftovers, I recommend transferring these to an airtight container and storing in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just reheat in the microwave or on the stove over medium-low heat.
Other vegetables you could use in this easy recipe:
- Sugar snap peas
- Broccoli
- Snow peas
- Cauliflower
- Brussels sprouts
- Carrots
FAQ:
The ends are completely edible, and you don’t need to remove them if you don’t want to. The main reason most people do is because the tip of the stem end where the bean used to be attached to the rest of the plant can be a little fibrous.
Green beans and string beans are the exact same thing. They are also known as snap beans and/or french beans but the most up to date term for this delicious vegetable would be green beans.
Sure! No need to simmer them though, just thaw and drain them, then add them to the buttery sauce.
You most likely simmered them for too long. For the most vibrant color, you only want the beans to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
I like the slivered almonds for this recipe because they’re nice and thin, but you could swap them for pine nuts or even chopped walnuts and still have a delicious green beans side dish!
A few ways to amp up this dish even more:
Add some extra veggies in the mix! I’ve listed a few other vegetable options above. You can also add some red pepper flakes to the butter sauce for an extra kick or sprinkle some parmesan cheese over top with the toasted almonds for another layer of saltines.
Garlic Butter Green Beans
Equipment
- 1 microplane (for zesting lemon)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds toasted
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 lb fresh green beans (ends trimmed)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- zest of 1/2 a lemon (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add the slivered almonds. Toast them until they're fragrant and golden, making sure to stir them often so they don't burn (should take about 5 minutes). Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the green beans, water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a simmer and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Once cooked, drain the beans, making sure you shake off any excess water.
- In the same pan over medium heat, combine the butter, oil and garlic. Once the butter's melted, add the green beans back to the pan.
- Toss to coat them in the butter sauce, then season with salt and pepper. Let cook for 2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant for best flavor.
- Remove from the heat, and drizzle with lemon juice. Top with lemon zest and toasted almonds.
Leave a Reply