This fast and easy recipe is a perfect side dish anytime, holiday meals included. Fresh Green Beans with Bacon and Sliced Almonds is bursting with great flavors and texture. Always a favorite vegetable side dish.
Green Beans Almondine or Amandine is a classic French recipe. It’s simple with a delicious combination of flavors that can be whipped up quickly any time. Despite being simple it’s an elegant side dish too making it a perfect match for Thanksgiving dinner or other special occasions.
We’ve switched up our recipe for this French style fresh beans recipe. Instead of cooking it in butter we’ve added some bacon which takes ordinary green beans to the next level! It’s an easy green bean recipe that even picky eaters love.
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What does Almondine mean?
The original French word Amandine (pronounced ah-mahn-deen) is a culinary term referring to dishes served with slivered, sliced or whole toasted almonds. American cookbooks use the term ‘almondine’ to mean the same thing.
The most common foods to serve amandine or almondine are white fish like trout or vegetables like green beans or asparagus.
Green Beans Almondine
The French version typically sautés green beans in butter (and sometimes other ingredients like shallots, lemon zest, garlic, or lemon juice) and garnished with almonds.
As much as we love the original buttery green beans we decided to change up. This version includes bacon and instead of adding that at the end we’ve steamed the beans to keep them crisp and retain their bright green color.
Then add them to shallot sautéed in some of the leftover rendered bacon fat (only 2 teaspoons!). Tossed with almond slices and it’s done! It only takes a few simple steps.
The great thing about adding bacon is it brings just the right amount of saltiness to the recipe too.
The result is an irresistibly delicious side dish with well-cooked crisp texture (never mushy), a beautiful crunch from the sliced almonds and the flavor of bacon throughout.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Bacon. One quarter pound or about 4 slices will be used.
Green Beans. You’ll use 1 1/4 pound and will need to trim off the ends (both the stem end of the green beans and the opposite end). We’ve used regular green beans but traditional French haritcot vert bean can also be used.
Haricot vert (literally translated from French to mean ‘green beans’) are a younger, slimmer green bean. If substituting haricot vert the cooking time will be reduced.
Shallot. Shallots have a wonderful sweeter flavor than regular onions giving a mild onion flavor to a recipe. One large shallot is used; peeled and diced.
Sliced almonds. You’ll need 1/4 cup. Slivered almonds can also be substituted.
How to Make Green Beans Almondine – Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Cook the bacon
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until done but not crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat in the pan and discard the rest. Chop or break bacon into small pieces.
STEP 2. Steam green beans
While the bacon is cooking, steam the prepared green beans using a steamer or steamer basket, until almost fully cooked 3-4 minutes (taste to test). Note: they will complete cooking when sautéed and to retain firmness they should not steam until fully done. Remove beans from the steamer.
STEP 3. Finish the recipe
Over medium-high heat add the diced shallots to the skillet with the bacon fat and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the green beans and sauté to coat and heat through. Toss in bacon and sliced almonds, salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Variations
Vegetarian or vegan option. Exclude the bacon and use olive oil to sauté the shallots and green beans. Add some lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt.
Add some garlic. If love garlic add a few minced cloves after sautéing the shallot. Sauté 30-60 seconds and proceed with the cooking process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nothing. They both refer to dishes garnished with almonds. Amandine is a French terms and almondine is the Americanized version of the term.
The recipe is fast and best when freshly made so we recommend making it before eating. However if you want to shave off a few minutes, steam the beans until almost cooked and immediately add them to an ice bath (cold water with ice in it) to stop the cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon, pat dry with paper towels and store in the refrigerator in a Ziploc bag or other airtight container for up to 24 hours until completing the other steps of the recipe before serving.
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
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Recipe
Green Beans Almondine with Bacon
Ingredients
- ¼ pound (4 slices) Bacon
- 1 ¼ pounds fresh Green Beans , rinsed and ends trimmed
- 1 large Shallot , peeled and diced
- ¼ cup Sliced Almonds
- Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until done but not crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 teaspoons of the bacon fat in the pan and discard the rest. Chop or break bacon into small pieces.
- While the bacon is cooking, steam the prepared green beans using a steamer or steamer basket, until almost fully cooked 3-4 minutes (taste to test). Note: they will complete cooking when sautéed and to retain firmness they should not steam until fully done. Remove beans from the steamer.
- Over medium-high heat add the diced shallots to the skillet with the bacon fat and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the green beans and sauté to coat and heat through. Toss in bacon and sliced almonds; remove from heat and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Originally published: February 21, 2017
Andrea Thueson says
I was super excited that all my kids loved this recipe! They usually aren’t big fans of green beans, but they gobbled these up!
Qashang says
What a great side to all the holiday dishes!
Beth Sachs says
Such a flavourful green bean side dish – I love the added bacon! Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner,
Kristyn says
This is a holiday must!! The green beans are crisp & tasty! Bacon makes everything taste wonderful!
Matt says
Probably my favorite green beans dish!! So easy to make and so awesome with the bacon (of course) and the thinly sliced almonds. Love it!
Helen says
So fresh and crunchy! I’ll be trying the vegetarian version of this for sure 🙂
Michelle says
I made this for dinner and it was delicious! Never thought to add almonds, but it adds such a nice texture to the beans!
Michele says
We loved this. It is one of my favorite ways to fix green beans. I love the flavor of the bacon and the crunch of the almonds to the green beans. We will be making this again and again!
Rachel Ferrucci says
Green beans are one of my favorites and this looks delicious! I love recipes that enhance a veggie without going overboard and this seems like something I’d love