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🥗🌰🎄 Green Beans With Almonds – Christmas Recipe
🎅 Introduction: A Festive, Elegant Veg Side Everyone Loves
Green beans with almonds — often called Almondine — is a classic Christmas side dish.
It’s simple, quick, and adds a touch of festive elegance to the plate. The buttery crunch of toasted almonds pairs beautifully with soft, tender green beans, making it a crowd-pleasing addition to your Christmas dinner.
This easy recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort.
Below
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Keeps beans bright green and tender.
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• Christmas Serving Dishes
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🌰🥗 1. Ingredients You’ll Need
✔ 500g green beans (trimmed)
✔ 2–3 tbsp butter
✔ 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
✔ 50g flaked or sliced almonds
✔ 1–2 garlic cloves (optional)
✔ Salt and black pepper
✔ Lemon zest (optional but highly recommended)
🔪💚 2. Prep the Green Beans
- Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
- Trim the stem ends (tails optional).
- Leave whole or cut into 2–3 inch pieces.
- Pat dry before cooking to avoid soggy beans.
🔥🌰 3. Toasting the Almonds (Key Step!)
Toasting brings out the warm, nutty flavour — essential for a festive almondine.
How to toast almonds:
- Heat a dry pan over medium heat.
- Add sliced or flaked almonds.
- Toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove immediately once golden — they burn fast!
- Set aside.
🍳🧄 4. How to Cook Green Beans With Almonds (Step-by-Step)
⭐ 1. Blanch the beans
Boil beans in salted water for 3–4 minutes until bright green.
Drain and cool under cold water.
⭐ 2. Melt the butter
In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add olive oil if using.
⭐ 3. Add garlic (optional)
Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
⭐ 4. Add the blanched green beans
Toss for 2–3 minutes until heated through.
⭐ 5. Add almonds
Stir in the toasted almonds.
⭐ 6. Finish with seasoning
Salt, pepper, and a little lemon zest for brightness.
🌟🎄 5. Festive Variations
⭐ Cranberry Almond Green Beans
Add dried cranberries for sweetness and colour.
⭐ Parmesan Almond Beans
Stir in grated Parmesan after removing from heat.
⭐ Garlic Almond Green Beans
Use 2–3 cloves of garlic for a rich, festive aroma.
⭐ Orange & Almond Beans
Use orange zest instead of lemon — very Christmassy.
🍽️✨ 6. Make Ahead for Christmas Day
You can make this dish partially ahead:
Prep the day before:
✔ Trim beans
✔ Blanch for 2 minutes
✔ Store chilled
✔ Toast almonds and store in an airtight tub
On Christmas Day:
Sauté beans in butter → add almonds → finish with zest.
Ready in 5 minutes.
🌟 FAQs
Do I need to blanch the beans?
Yes — it keeps them crisp and vibrant.
Which almonds work best?
Flaked or sliced almonds toast quickly and evenly.
Can I reheat this dish?
Yes, but add almonds just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Use olive oil or vegan butter.
How do I keep the beans green?
Blanch briefly and cool under cold water.