Lemon Garlic Green Beans (Print Version)

Sautéed green beans with garlic, lemon juice, and crunchy toasted almonds for a vibrant side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Nuts

03 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds

→ Seasonings & Others

04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to halt cooking. Drain again and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sliced almonds while stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove almonds and set aside.
03 - Using the same skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
04 - Add blanched green beans to the skillet and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and lightly coated with oil and garlic.
05 - Incorporate lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Toss thoroughly to combine all flavors.
06 - Transfer green beans to a serving platter and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 25 minutes flat, which means you can serve something that tastes like you tried harder than you actually did.
  • The contrast between crispy almonds and tender green beans feels fancy without requiring any real skills.
  • One pan, mostly, and the whole kitchen smells like toasted nuts and fresh lemon when you're done.
02 -
  • Do not skip the ice bath after boiling the beans, or they'll turn soft and gray instead of staying bright and crisp.
  • Toast those almonds in the skillet before you add oil, so they get crunchy instead of greasy.
  • Lemon juice added at the very end means the brightness stays on your palate instead of cooking away.
03 -
  • Use a microplane or zester to get fine lemon zest that actually distributes through the dish instead of sitting in clumps.
  • If your almonds seem like they're about to burn, pull them off heat a few seconds early since they keep cooking from residual heat even after you remove the pan.

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