Description
Tender green beans are tossed with toasted almonds and a nutty brown butter sauce with a hint of lemon.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) fresh green beans, trimmed
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (75 g) whole almonds, roughly chopped
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately transfer the beans to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped almonds and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the almonds from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and then subsides. Watch for golden-brown specks to form at the bottom and a nutty aroma to develop, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the chopped shallot and optional red pepper flakes to the brown butter. Cook, stirring, until the shallot is softened and fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the blanched and dried green beans to the skillet. Toss with tongs to coat them in the butter and heat them through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the toasted almonds, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Toss everything together to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.
Notes
- Blanching the green beans and shocking them in ice water keeps them bright green and prevents them from becoming mushy.
- You can prepare the components ahead of time. Blanch the beans and toast the almonds up to a day in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator and combine with the hot brown butter sauce just before serving.
- Watch the butter carefully as it browns. It can go from perfectly nutty to burnt very quickly. As soon as you see brown specks and smell the nutty aroma, proceed with the next step.
- For a milder flavor, you can substitute the shallot with two cloves of minced garlic. Add the garlic in the last 30 seconds of cooking the butter to prevent it from burning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American