Green beans with almond brown butter sound fancy, take little effort

About the recipe

The freshness of green beans works beautifully with earthy, nutty almond brown butter. 

Take the time to properly follow all the steps for blanching green beans, and avoid overcrowding the pot to ensure they maintain their vibrant green color. Perfectly cooked green beans will have a good bite, but no discernible crunch.

Serves: 4 to 6

Hands On Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Kosher salt

1 pound green beans, trimmed

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

3/4 cup sliced almonds

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water reaches a boil, add 1/2 cup of the salt and return to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Working in batches, add the green beans to boiling water, making sure the water remains at a boil the entire time. If the water stops boiling, you’ve added too many beans. Cook until beans are just tender and no longer crunchy, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Repeat with the remaining green beans. Transfer the blanched beans to a colander to remove any excess water.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic clove. Add the almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, until the almonds are lightly toasted on both sides and the butter has turned golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans and continue to cook, stirring, until the beans are heated through.

Add the lemon juice and zest, season to taste with salt, and serve hot.