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Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic, Lemon, and Toasted Almonds

Sauteed green beans with blistered edges are quick-cooked in a hot skillet until crisp-tender, then finished with buttery garlic. Bright lemon zest and juice, plus toasted almonds, give a crisp, golden, fresh finish.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

fresh green beans
  • 1 lb fresh green beans trimmed
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
sliced almonds, toasted
  • 2 tbsp sliced almonds toasted

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the green beans
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait until the oil looks shimmery before adding the beans.
  2. Add green beans and cook 6-8 minutes, tossing, until blistered and crisp-tender. Keep the beans moving so blistering happens evenly.
Finish with garlic and seasonings
  1. Reduce heat to medium, then add butter and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until golden. Watch for the garlic to turn golden without burning.
  2. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss just until the seasoning looks evenly distributed.
Brighten and serve
  1. Toss with lemon zest, lemon juice, and toasted sliced almonds — serve. The beans should look glossy with visible flecks of zest and toasted almonds.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the garlic thin so it turns golden quickly during the 1–2 minute finish. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat just until warmed through. This dish freezes poorly due to texture, so skip freezing. For a dairy-light swap, replace butter with olive oil plus an extra teaspoon of olive oil for the same golden finish.