Green Beans with Toasted Almonds and Lemon

Move over green bean casserole. Move wayyyy over. There’s a new green bean side dish on the block and it’s called Green Beans with Toasted Almonds and Lemon. This is the green bean side dish that will take center stage at Thanksgiving.

We all know that classic traditional Thanksgiving side dish of the green bean casserole. Usually made with a cream of mushroom soup and topped with crispy fried onions, it’s been sitting on many a Thanksgiving table in the past and I’m sure will continue to grace tables in the future. But I’ve never been a fan of the green bean casserole. Crispy fried onions I can get on board with, but the casserole itself? Nope, not for me. If you’re like me and not a fan of green bean casserole or you’re looking for a light and vibrant green bean side dish for this Holiday season you are in the right place.

This recipe is an adaptation to a recipe my mom would make for Thanksgiving. I really want to lighten up the flavors with the addition of the lemon zest and lemon juice, and it definitely does the trick. Most Thanksgiving menu items are a bit heavy. The whole day of eating gets to be a bit…heavy. There’s turkey, gravies, stuffings, potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallow toppings…the list goes on. This Green Beans with Toasted Almonds and Lemon is such a great idea to make because it’s light, fresh, vibrantly green, and the flavors compliment just about anything. I’m telling you, this is the green bean side dish everyone will be talking about. This is the dish everyone will be asking for the recipe.

Side Dish for What

The great thing about this side dish, is it really compliments just about anything. The flavors are still light and bright enough where it doesn’t compete with the main dish. Toasted almonds and lemon blend quite nice with fish, pasta, chicken, and yes…a Thanksgiving turkey. It also adds a light break to an otherwise heavy dinner like cream sauce pastas or heavy carbs. And, since it whips together in about 30 minutes, it’s something that’s easy to make as a dinner side.

How to cook the green beans

These green beans are blanched. As noted below in the recipe card blanching is the cooking method of cooking the vegetable in the boiling water for a few minutes, straining them, then dropping them into a bowl of icy water. Take a large bowl, fill it with as many ice cubes as you can and have it set on the counter ready for the green beans. The green beans will sit in the icy water for a few minutes after cooking. This method helps keep them crispy and incredibly bright vibrant green. Blanching might sound complicated, but it’s anything but! Just boil, then ice bath. Done!

When you make these, make sure you are using fresh green beans, not canned. You want that crispness that you’ll only get from a fresh green bean, not a soggy one from a can. I think the 3/4 cup of slivered almonds is just enough, but if you think you’d like more you can more. The best bite is full of toasted almonds and lots of the buttery lemon zest. So good. I hope these become a part of your family’s yearly Thanksgiving tradition!

If you like these you might also like:
Green Goddess Cucumber Wraps

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