Green beans almondine with toasted almonds, garlic, butter, and thyme — an elegant, buttery low carb side at 4.3g net carbs, done in 15 minutes. I'd serve it at Thanksgiving or on a random Tuesday.
I've made dozens of side dishes over the years, and this is the one I keep coming back to. Green beans almondine is easy enough for any weeknight but elegant enough for Thanksgiving or a dinner party. Toasted almonds, garlic, butter and dried thyme turn a basic vegetable into something people actually notice on the table. When I first started making this, I expected it to be just another side. But the way the thyme and garlic come together with those toasted almonds won me over fast.
Almondine (or amandine) is the French term for an almond garnish. I love that such a simple concept elevates a side dish this much. The toasted almonds bring a warmth and nuttiness that raw almonds can't touch, and they add a crunch that contrasts with the tender beans beautifully.
What makes my version different from most is the cooking method. The traditional approach calls for blanching (boiling the beans, then shocking them in ice water to stop cooking). I skip all of that. Instead, I saute the beans with garlic and oil first, then add a splash of water and let them steam right in the skillet. About five minutes with the lid on and they come out tender with a little snap still left. No extra pot, no ice bath, no risk of overcooking into mush. I figured this out after ruining one too many batches with blanching, where 30 seconds too long turned them from crisp-tender into something you'd find at a school cafeteria.
The simplicity is what I appreciate most. Four steps, one skillet, about 15 minutes total. I've made this for Thanksgiving, regular weeknight dinners and as a meal prep side when I need a vegetable that reheats without going soggy. The beans hold up well in the fridge for several days, and the almonds keep their crunch even after reheating. That's rare for a cooked vegetable dish.
Fresh, Frozen or Canned: Which Beans Work Best
I always reach for fresh beans because the flavor and texture are noticeably better. But I’ve used frozen plenty of times when I’m short on a shopping trip or the fresh ones at the store look rough.
For frozen beans, add them straight from the freezer and only use about 2 tablespoons of water instead of the usual third cup. The excess moisture from the frozen beans themselves helps soften them, so you don’t need as much added liquid.
Canned beans will work in a pinch, but I wouldn’t make them my first choice. The texture is completely different (much softer, almost mushy) and they tend to be saltier. If using canned, skip the water entirely since they’re already cooked through.
How to Toast Almonds for the Best Flavor
Toasting the almonds is the single most important step for flavor. Raw almonds are fine, but toasted ones bring a depth that pulls the whole dish together. I’ve tried it both ways dozens of times, and the difference is night and day.
In the oven
Preheat to 350 degrees F.
Spread the almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.
On the stove top
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat.
Add sliced almonds and let them cook until you smell that nutty aroma.
Toss and continue cooking until golden brown.
I personally prefer the oven method when I’m already using it for something else. But the stovetop is faster when I just need a quick handful. Either way, watch them closely in the last minute or two. Almonds go from perfectly toasted to burned in about 30 seconds, and I’ve lost more than one batch by walking away at the wrong time.
My Favorite Variations
I love this dish as written, but I’ve played around with it enough to know which additions work best:
Add crumbled bacon for a smoky, salty contrast (if you’re a bacon-on-everything person like I am, try my brussels sprouts with bacon too)
Saute with mushrooms for an earthier, more savory version
Top with shaved parmesan right before serving for a nutty, salty finish
Squeeze fresh lemon over the top. I do this almost every time. The acid brightens everything.
Swap garlic for fresh shallot if you want a sweeter, more delicate flavor
To store, transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. I’ve found they keep their texture surprisingly well, which is rare for a cooked vegetable.
To reheat, I use a skillet over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. The stovetop keeps the beans from getting waterlogged the way a microwave can. If you’re meal prepping, I’d suggest keeping the almonds separate and adding them fresh when you reheat. They stay crunchier that way. This pairs well with other make-ahead sides like lemon garlic kale salad for a full week of lunches.
How to make this French side dish
Toast the almonds in the oven or a dry skillet until golden and fragrant.
Saute garlic in oil until it hits that sweet spot (about 30 seconds, before it burns).
Steam the beans with thyme, salt and pepper for about 5 minutes.
Finish with butter and the toasted almonds. A squeeze of lemon right before serving makes a huge difference.
Key ingredients and substitutions
Sliced almonds: I prefer sliced for the presentation. Slivered work too, but chopped regular almonds won't have the same elegant look. All taste the same though.
Fresh beans: I wrote this recipe for fresh, but frozen or canned will work in a pinch (see below for my specific adjustments).
Garlic: I use 2 cloves minced. If you want something more subtle, try shallots. They bring a mild sweetness that I really like in this dish.
Olive oil: I reach for light olive oil, but avocado oil works just as well. I'd stay away from anything with a strong flavor that competes with the almonds and thyme.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 5-6 minutes.
For this step
Almonds (sliced)
2
Sauté garlic
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant (30 seconds).
For this step
Olive oil
Garlic (minced)
3
Steam green beans
Add green beans, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Add ⅓ cup water, cover and let them cook until beans have slightly softened (about 5 minutes).
For this step
Green beans
Dried thyme
Salt & pepper (to taste)
Water
4
Butter and almonds
Stir in butter and almonds and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
For this step
Butter
Toasted almonds
Nutrition
Calories
143
Fat
12.2g
Protein
3.1g
Total carbs
7.3g
Fiber
3g
Net carbs
4.3g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between almondine and amandine?
They're the same dish. The classic French name is amandine (from 'amande', the French word for almond). When the recipe crossed over to American kitchens, the spelling shifted to almondine. I use both interchangeably, but you'll see the Americanized version more often in cookbooks and food blogs over here.
How long does it take to cook the beans on the stove?
In my skillet over medium heat, they take about 7 to 10 minutes total. That includes a couple minutes of sauteing with garlic, then about 5 minutes of steaming with the lid on. I check them at the 5-minute mark and give them another minute or two if they still feel too firm. You want tender with a slight snap, not soft and floppy.
Do I need to blanch the beans first?
I don't. Most traditional recipes call for blanching (boiling, then an ice bath), but I found that steaming them in the skillet with a little water gives me the same tender result with less hassle. If you prefer the blanching route, boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to ice water immediately. But I haven't blanched mine in years and I prefer the texture from the steam method.
What are French green beans (haricots verts)?
Haricots verts are thinner and slightly longer than the standard variety. I've used them in this dish and they work beautifully, but they cook faster (about 3 to 4 minutes of steaming instead of 5). They aren't always available at every grocery store, so I usually grab whatever looks freshest. Both types taste great here.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I've made it with olive oil instead of butter and it's still really good. You lose a little of that rich, buttery finish, but the toasted almonds carry most of the flavor anyway. I'd use a good extra virgin olive oil for the finishing step (not the light olive oil I saute with) so you get some fruity richness in its place.
What if I'm allergic to almonds?
I've tested this with pecans and it works really well. Toasted pecans have a similar sweetness and crunch. Hazelnuts are another option I've tried, though they're a bit more assertive in flavor. Just toast them the same way I describe for the almonds and you'll still end up with a beautiful, crunchy side.
Can I make this ahead for a holiday?
I do this all the time for Thanksgiving. I toast the almonds up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Then I prep and steam the beans the morning of and leave them in the skillet off the heat. When it's time to serve, I reheat on the stove for a few minutes and toss in the butter and almonds. Keeping the almonds separate until the last minute is the key to that fresh crunch.
The beans still squeak when you bite them, which is the whole point for me. Fourth time this summer, and lemon at the end now cuts the butter just right. You never miss, Annie.
Slivered work fine, they just need a little longer in the oven since they’re thicker. I pull sliced at 5 minutes and go closer to 8 with slivered, watching for golden edges. You end up with more of a crunchy bite than a thin toasted flake, which I like on green beans anyway.
Twice in a month, Diane! I make this probably 3-4 times a year for holidays but also in between whenever I need something fast that doesn’t look like a shortcut. One thing that’s not in the recipe but I do every time: a small squeeze of lemon off heat, right before serving. Cuts through the richness without making it taste like lemon. If you want to get ahead for Thanksgiving, the almonds can be toasted 3 days out and stored at room temp. I do the beans morning-of.
Made something like this last year and threw the almonds straight into the pan the whole time, they were burnt before the beans were even close. Is the separate 350-degree toast mostly a burn prevention thing, or does it actually change the texture and flavor too?
Sarah, it’s both. Oven heat is dry so you get even color instead of hot spots, and the flavor comes out deeper than anything I’ve gotten from a skillet. They also stay crunchier through the butter and garlic step because they didn’t pick up any steam first.
Every other green bean side I’ve tried just tastes like… green beans. The toasted almonds and butter here is completely different, I kept going back to the pan while it was still on the stove.
I’ve made almondine a few times and the one thing that actually makes a difference is toasting the almonds separately first. They stay crunchy instead of going soft and disappearing into the sauce. Hard to go back.
My husband announced he was ‘not a green bean person’ the second he saw what I was making. He ate his whole serving and then started hovering near mine. The toasted almonds convert even the skeptics.
My 8-year-old has never willingly touched a green bean in her life, but she picked all the toasted almonds out and then kept going back for the beans anyway. Double batch next Sunday for sure.
Thought toasted almonds on green beans sounded like something off a church potluck recipe card, but I needed a side fast and had everything on hand. The garlic in olive oil smelled better than I expected, and by the time the butter went in with the almonds I was stealing bites out of the pan. Didn’t expect to like it. Going to my mom’s next month and this is what I’m bringing.
Toast those almonds first (do not skip it). I tried cutting that step once and they came out pale and soft, nothing like when you do it right. When the golden ones go into the butter at the end, there is this nutty smell that fills the whole kitchen. Making this for Easter dinner next week.
Easter is a good call for this one. Toast the almonds up to 3 days ahead and store them in a jar on the counter, takes one thing off your plate day-of.
Made this last week and my almonds went from barely golden to totally burnt really fast (I got distracted for like two minutes), so I just skipped them and threw them in raw at the end. They were still good but obviously not toasty, is 350 too high or do I just need to literally stand there and watch them the whole time?
Yeah they go fast, that’s not you. I keep mine moving the whole time on medium-low, and I mean the whole time. Thirty seconds unattended is enough to cross the line. Raw at the end still works, just a little less depth of flavor.
Brought this to a spring potluck last weekend and the bowl was the first one to disappear, even with a whole table of sides. The host kept asking me where I got the almonds toasted like that, like she assumed I’d picked them up somewhere fancy. I’m still pretty new to cooking and honestly made this because it looked manageable, but the way the garlic and butter smell together when it all comes together in the pan made me feel like I actually knew what I was doing.
Ha. 30 seconds in a dry pan and suddenly they taste like they came from somewhere fancy. That garlic butter smell is the whole reason I keep making this one.
Made this last week and my almonds came out a bit too dark by the time they smelled toasted. My oven runs hot so I’m thinking that’s the culprit. Would you pull them earlier and just go by color, or is there a better way to tell when they’re done?
Tried this with browned butter instead of regular and the difference was significant. The nuttiness from the butter and the toasted almonds compound in a way that feels more intentional, like a restaurant made a deliberate choice rather than a weeknight side. One process note for anyone who finds the oven step inconvenient: you can toast the almonds directly in the skillet before adding the garlic. Thirty seconds over medium, pull them out, then proceed as written. Less cleanup, same result.
Brought this to Easter dinner and my aunt, who has made the same green bean casserole for 30 years, asked where I got it. The toasted almonds give it this fancy look that nobody expects from a 15-minute side.
The toasted almond and garlic butter combination is exactly right, but I’d pull the green beans off heat about a minute early if you want real snap instead of just tender.
Agreed. That last minute is the difference between snap and soft, and depending on the beans I’m usually pulling at 4 instead of 5. Thin haricots verts especially, they go from perfect to overdone fast.
