These Toasted Almond Green Beans make the perfect side for any given dish. They are crunchy, tasty, tangy, and light. They are my first option for a heavy meal, such as Christmas or Thanksgiving dinners.
This is decidedly one of our favorite delicious and straightforward Christmas dinner side dishes, along with our miso maple-glazed carrots.
To have a quick and effortless side dish recipe handy is essential during holidays. Time flies and sometimes we are left with just a couple of minutes to put together this delicious and tasty green bean recipe with flaky toasted almonds.
Regular green beans are great because they can make a green bean casserole or even sautéed green beans. Make sure to have a frozen green beans bag always handy in your freezer. Their bright green color invites anyone to grab some and balance out any heavy meals.
Having raw almonds, flaked or slivered almonds in your pantry is also essential to add some extra crunch to any given dish.
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🧾 Ingredients
These flavorful green beans require only a couple of easy-to-find ingredients. You can put together this side dish in just a couple of minutes for any dinner party.
- Fresh green beans (frozen green beans also work)
- Garlic powder
- Spring onion
- Lemon juice (and lemon zest)
- Clementine (optional)
- Flaked almonds (or slivered almonds)
- Vegan butter or margarine
Sea salt or kosher salt, and pepper to season.
See quantities and full instructions in the recipe card.
🔪 Instructions
To make this Almond Green recipe, you need to follow simple steps.
Step 1. Toast the flaked almonds in a large skillet. In a skillet on low heat, toast the almonds carefully until golden brown, frequently stirring to prevent them from burning to keep their great flavor. Reserve.
Step 2. Melt the vegan butter on medium-low heat(or use extra virgin olive oil). Add the sliced spring onion and garlic powder to the almond mixture in the same skillet.
Add the citrus of your choice. Stir in the clementine and lemon juice.
Step 3. Steam the beans. Pick the fresh green beans and steam them using a steamer, or you can throw them in boiling water until they are crisp-tender.
Step 4. Assemble. Return the empty skillet to the stovetop on medium-high heat, add green beans, and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes. We want to keep the bright green beans' color.
Step 5. Season and serve. Off the heat, add the reserved toasted almonds and the spring onions, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately with chopped parsley if desired.
Tip: if you overdo the green beans cooking for a couple of minutes, put them under cold water to stop the cooking process and keep their bright color.
📖 Variations
Almonds - it doesn't matter which almonds you choose to use when it comes to flavor; it's a matter of texture. I prefer using either toasted almonds flakes or toasted slivered almonds, but you can also use packed toasted almonds or even whole almonds, toast them and use a knife to cut them. The result will be less visually appealing, but your green bean recipe will be equally delicious.
Citrus - we like using some citrus to pair the toasted almonds flavor, lemons, clementines, and limes; they all work.
Toppings - for Christmas, we love adding some red peppers on top for a festive look, but you can skip them and even add some vegan parmesan cheese on top for an extra flavor kick on your green beans. Check our vegan parmesan recipe.
🥡 Storing
In the fridge, you can store leftover green beans in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
❓FAQ
Yes, they are! String bean plants produce pods that are full of fiber and delicious. The fibrous strings running along their length make them perfect for soups, stir-fries, curries, or other dishes where you want some texture to your meal!
📚 More easy side dishes
Try this Grilled Asparagus with Toasted Almonds and Pine Nuts
Our Suggested Vegan Christmas Menu Post
- Truffled Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Vegetable Casserole
- Onions Stuffed with Porcini Mushrooms and Christmas Stuffing
- Homemade Festive Spiced Cranberry Sauce
- Christmas Rosemary Bread Buns
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
📋 Recipe
Green Beans with Flaked Toasted Almonds
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans trimmed
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 spring onion thinly sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 clementine juiced
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter or margarine
- sea salt
- peppercorns
Optional:
- parsley to garnish
Directions
- Toast almonds. In a skillet on low heat, toast the almonds carefully to prevent them from burning. Reserve.
- Melt the vegan butter. In the same skillet over medium-low heat, melt the vegan butter (or margarine), add the sliced spring onion and garlic powder, and cook for a minute.
- Add juices. Stir in the clementine and lemon juices and 1 tablespoon water. About 2 minutes. Reserve.
- Steam green beans. Return the empty skillet to the stovetop, add the green beans, ½ cup water, and one teaspoon salt. Cover and cook over medium heat, occasionally stirring, until the beans are tender but have a crunchy bite, about 8 minutes.
- Season. Off the heat, add the reserved toasted almonds, the spring onions, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve with chopped parsley if desired.
Nutrition Facts
🌡️ Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I use all of the products listed and recommend them because they are companies that I have found helpful and trustworthy.
Denay DeGuzman
My family loves this Thanksgiving side dish! It's colorful, flavorful and easy to make. It's a must-have for every cook's recipe arsenal.
Beth
We love this side dish and it’s so easy too! So delicious and went perfectly with our dinner the other night! Everyone absolutely loved it and the crunch of the almonds is so yummy! Making this again!
Gus
Beth, I am thrilled you enjoy the recipe. Being such an easy yummy dish, the requires very little time, I am sure, you will be making it again soon!
Dannii
This is my favourite way to have green beans. The almonds make it really special.
Gus
Yes, we love the crunchiness that toasted almond flakes add to the dish!
Alice
Green beans and toasted almond flakes are like two of my favourite things but never thought to put them together. Such a gem of a recipe, thanks!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
My family love green beans so I can't wait to make this for them. Perfect with the crunch of the almonds!
Mindee Taylor
I love almonds! Had never thought of having them with green beans though. Turned to be such a great flavor combo!
Gus
Hi Mindee, thanks for sharing your experience with our product! We're so glad you enjoyed it.
Dannii
Green beans is one of my favourite side dishes and I love the crunch that flaked almonds add.
Gus
Oh yea! flaked crunchy almonds make all the difference!
Maria San Juan
Amazing recipe! Will surely try this! thanks for sharing!
Toni
I love the combination of flavors! Such an amazing side dish!
Gus
We are glad you enjoyed all those yummy flavors!
Katherine
These beans are so perfect for Thanksgiving! Thanks so much.
Gus
Hi Katherine,
Thanks for your review and happy to hear you're enjoying the beans! We hope they bring a little bit of our plant-based world into your Thanksgiving celebration.
nancy
this is a wonderful side dish that I'd be making again for the holidays!
Gus
that's great! Really makes me happy! 🙂
Sara Welch
Adding this dish to my holiday dinner menu! Easy, delicious and pairs beautifully with just about anything!
Kate
Colorful, delicious with the perfect crunch. I can't wait to make this again!
Jess
I had never had almonds with my green beans until recently and I don't know where it has been my whole life! So good.
Gina
This is my kind of side dish. I love how easy it was to make. Being a big fan of almonds, I was so happy to see them added here. It was delicious! Definitely going to be a go-to side dish from now on!
Katie
Love these green beans! They're perfectly flavor and the almonds add the perfect healthy crunch!
Michelle
I loooove green beans cooked almost any way, but these were particularly delish! Thanks for the recipe, I'll be saving it!
Jacqui
A fabulous side meal! I love serving these on festive dinner parties.