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Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic, Lemon, and Toasted Almonds

Sauteed green beans with blistered edges and a crisp-tender bite, finished with golden garlic, lemon zest, and toasted almonds. Quick skillet cooking delivers bright flavor without turning the beans soft.
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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: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 large skillet

Method
 

Sear the green beans
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fresh green beans and cook 6-8 minutes, tossing, until blistered and crisp-tender.
Add garlic and season
  1. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the butter and thinly sliced garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes until the garlic turns golden, then season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Finish with lemon and almonds
  1. Toss the green beans with lemon zest, lemon juice, and toasted sliced almonds. Continue tossing just until glossy and evenly coated, then serve.

Notes

For the most blistered, crisp-tender results, avoid crowding the skillet and keep the beans moving during the first 6-8 minutes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat briefly in a skillet over medium heat so the beans don’t turn soft. Freezing isn’t recommended because green beans can lose their texture. For a dairy-free swap, use olive oil instead of butter (add a little more olive oil when cooking the garlic).