10 Minute Green Beans

These 10-minute green beans are an easy recipe for green beans almondine and they’re a new favorite in our house. Tender green beans and toasted almonds come together quickly, so you can have an easy, delicious side dish in a flash!

I used to hate green beans as a kid. In my defense, the only green beans we ever had were canned and to this day, I still cannot stand canned green beans. But fresh green beans? That’s a totally different thing! I’ve been buying Trader Joe’s green beans and I’m hooked! They’re so good.

Green Beans vs. Haricot Verts

When buying fresh green beans, you may come across beans called haricot verts. These are the french variety and they’re a bit thinner and shorter than American green beans. But they’re so similar, either bean will work just fine in this recipe! I’ve made them both and it’s hard to tell the difference. I typically get the Trader Joe’s haricot verts and they’re so good!

How to Prepare Green Beans

Before cooking your beans, wash them under cold water. I like to rinse them in a colander, so it’s easy to give them a quick rinse. Place the green beans on a cutting board. Line up 5-6 green beans at a time and use a sharp knife to trim the ends of the green beans. Many stores sell pre-washed and pre-trimmed green beans, so look for those if you’re in a hurry!

Tips for picking and storing fresh green beans

• Look for brightly colored green beans with smooth, firm pods. They should snap when bent in half. Slender pods indicate tenderness.
• Beans should be stored in the refrigerator, unwashed, in a perforated plastic bag. They should keep for up to 5 days but the sooner you can use them, the better!

Substitution Ideas

• If you don’t have almonds, try chopped walnuts or chopped hazelnuts instead.
• If you don’t have lemon juice, try a small splash of champagne vinegar instead.
• I don’t recommend using canned or frozen green beans in this recipe. In this case, fresh is best!

How to Make Stovetop Green Beans

Wash the green beans in a colander, then trim the ends off of the beans.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the beans and cook for 3 minutes. Add the sliced almonds and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the beans are tender with just a small amount of crunch.

Finish with a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper to taste!

What to Serve with Green Beans

If you’re looking for something to pair with these green beans, I like serving them as a side dish for pasta! If I’m short on time, I’ll whip up my no-boil baked ziti. If I’m feeling a bit lazy, I might make my lazy lasagna recipe in the slow cooker. No matter what kind of dish I’m craving, these green beans are a good side dish for pasta!

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This almost doesn’t count as a recipe because it’s so easy but we were literally eating these out of the pan, they’re so good. Plus, it’s the easy recipes like this one that I find myself making over and over again!

Want to jazz up your green beans a bit? Try these crunchy oven-baked green bean fries!

Looking for another easy side dish? These parmesan butternut squash fries are so simple but so addicting!

What’s your favorite way to eat green beans?