Green Beans with Flaked Toasted Almonds

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.

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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.

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; stirring frequently, 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—cover and cook over medium heat, just 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, 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, 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

You can store leftover green beans in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge.

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!

Food safety

We sometimes take for granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• 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.

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