Fresh Green Bean Almondine Recipe

If you're looking for a simple way to take green beans to next-level deliciousness, recipe developer Sher Castellano has just the thing. She's jazzing up green beans in a classic French recipe: fresh green bean almondine. But Castellano's version has a special touch to make this tasty side even more flavorful.

Green beans almondine traditionally sees green beans paired with slivered almonds for a nutty sweetness and crunch that marries perfectly with the crisp beans. To her version, Castellano also adds Parmesan cheese, which she notes "complements the green beans by giving the dish a salty kick."

The resulting dish, she notes, is great alongside any spring or summertime brunch or dinner option: eggs Benedict or florentine, roasted chicken, or pan-cooked fish would all be happy to share space on the plate with this delightful dish.

That said, Castellano notes, fresh green bean almondine is also "special enough to be on a holiday table," alongside, for instance, your Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham.

To make this fresh green bean almondine, you will, of course, need green beans. Fatter green beans or skinny haricots verts will both work for this dish, provided they've been trimmed of their tough tails and strung to remove the fibrous bit that runs along the outside of each one. (This is a great kitchen task for little ones!)

The green beans will be cooked in a combo of butter and lemon juice before being joined by sliced toasted almonds and Parmesan cheese. Go for the good stuff — real Parmigiano-Reggiano — for this dish. Its nutty sweetness will make a world of difference.

A touch of salt and pepper to season, and this dish is ready to assemble!

To make this fresh green bean almondine, you'll begin by blanching the green beans in boiling water, which, Castellano notes, "allows the beans to cook quickly and evenly, which cuts down the sautéing time."

To complete this step, simply fill a large sauté pan two-thirds full with water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for just four minutes, at which point you can drain them and move on to the next step: the sauce.

The par-cooked green beans don't need tons more cook time — the next step of this fresh green bean almondine is all about the flavor. 

Place the now-empty sauté pan back on the stove, and melt the butter with the lemon juice and pepper over medium-high heat. Add the beans and cook for 3 minutes, until just crisp-tender. At this point, transfer them to a serving dish.

To serve, simply top the green beans with the almonds and the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Castellano uses slivered almonds in this recipe, which have a chunkier texture and more crunch, but you could also use more delicate sliced almonds if you prefer!