Charred Green Bean Almondine
Have you ever met someone who won’t eat greens? I feel like everyone has at least ONE of those people in their family or friend group that doesn’t want to touch a vegetable or piece of lettuce. I know I have one!
These green beans are so good, they seem to be the one recipe that even those picky eaters will enjoy. For years I used to make green bean casserole for the holidays but this green bean side has slowly crept into my holiday menu as a staple, and I don’t think my family would ever let it leave now. It's a fresh, healthy, and a less “heart-attacky” option that tastes delectable! It’s also so easy it’s become a staple for weeknight dinners at our house.
Green beans are a very simple food to cook, but I will say I think they can be difficult to get right. The best trick I’ve discovered is plunging them into an ice bath after they are almost fully cooked.
If you boil beans until they are too soft they will start to turn dark green and not only do they look less appetizing, but they lose some of their nutritional value, and don’t taste as good either.
The ice bath after boiling your beans to an al dente temperature is the most important step of this recipe. It shocks them to stop the cooking time to ensure they don’t overcook, keeps them nice and bright and green, AND my favorite part…it allows you to cook them far in advance if you are hosting a dinner so all you have to do is warm them up at the last minute right before the dinner is served.
Even if you are planning on eating them right away, the ice bath is important. It gets them to the perfect temperature to allow the beans to cook in a cast iron or frying pan without getting mushy while trying to heat them enough to get a nice little char on the outside.
And to finish them off and take this recipe up a notch, I like to add some flare. The sliced almonds are my “crunch” of choice but you could add any nut you like, I would just make sure you give them a good toast so there isnt any raw nut flavor throughout. Or you don’t have to add anything at all, these green beans are perfect just the way they are.
I have yet to serve these at a dinner where someone hasn’t asked me “how in the world did you cook those green beans?!” Tried and true!
Recipe Instructions
- Cut ends off green beans
- Put in cold water and place on medium-high heat
- Prepare an ice bath of ice and water in a bowl off to the side
- Bring to a boil and let cook for 8-10 minutes until a fork can easily puncture
- Drain beans of all hot liquid and immediately throw them into the ice bath to cool them off, keep their color, and stop the cooking process
- Once completely cooled, drain from the ice bath and shake/pat off any excess water
- Get a cast iron skillet or frying man on the stove on medium-high heat
- Put butter, oil, and garlic in a pan for 1-2 minutes, then add your cold beans and sliced almonds. Season with salt and pepper
- Cook for 5 minutes, flipping frequently with tongs until they are hot and slightly charred. Serve immediately.
