Garlicky Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
To make garlicky green beans with almonds, blanch trimmed green beans in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then plunge them into ice water to keep them bright green and crisp. Toast a handful of sliced almonds in butter until golden, add sliced garlic for 30 seconds, then toss in the drained beans with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve right away — about ten minutes start to finish.
When the bean plants start producing, they don’t stop — you pick a colander full every couple of days. This is the side dish that keeps beans from becoming a chore: bright, garlicky, nutty, and on the table in the time it takes to grill whatever’s going beside it.
Tender-crisp, not squeaky and not mushy
The goal is a bean with snap that’s cooked through — not raw-squeaky, not army-canteen-grey. The blanch-and-shock method nails it:
- Blanch 3 minutes in well-salted boiling water (season it like pasta water).
- Shock in ice water the moment they come out. This stops the cooking dead and locks in the green.
Drain them really well before they hit the pan — wet beans steam and splatter in the butter.
The almonds and garlic
Toast the almonds first, in the butter, until they smell nutty and turn gold. Then the garlic goes in for just 30 seconds — long enough to bloom, not long enough to burn. Beans in, quick toss, and finish off the heat with lemon so it stays fresh and bright.
Variations
- Brown butter: let the butter go past golden to nutty-brown before the almonds — deeper flavour.
- Bacon: render a chopped rasher first, cook the almonds in the fat.
- Heat: a pinch of chili flakes with the garlic.
- Cheese: a shower of parmesan or a crumble of feta at the end.
This is a side that goes with almost anything off the summer grill, and it’s quick enough for a weeknight when the beans just won’t quit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to blanch the beans first?
Blanching gives you the best colour and a tender-crisp bite, and it's worth the extra pot. But you can skip it: add the trimmed beans straight to the pan with a splash of water, cover for 3–4 minutes to steam, then uncover and sauté. Blanched beans stay brighter green; pan-only beans are a touch more olive-toned but still delicious.
The garlic keeps burning — what am I doing wrong?
Garlic scorches fast and turns bitter. Add it after the almonds are golden, keep the heat at medium, and give it only about 30 seconds before the beans go in. The moisture from the beans immediately cools the pan and stops it cooking further.
Can I use wax or romano beans?
Yes — yellow wax beans and flat romano beans both work with the same timing. A mix of green and yellow looks beautiful. Just trim the tough stem ends first.