If sautéing a green vegetable with garlic and almonds seems to be a bit of a shtick of mine lately (see Asparagus with almonds & garlic), it’s because this combo is so darned delicious I never want to eat my veggies any other way! (Watch out broccoli(ni), cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, Brussel sprouts and pretty much every other green vegetable — you’re next.)
The joy of this recipe template lies in its simplicity: briefly crisp up almond and garlic slices in a fat of your choice (I love combining butter & olive oil), remove garlic & almonds and saute the vegetable in the fragrant fat they’ve left behind, season with umami-rich fish sauce (or salt, if fish sauce seems too weird or you’re vegetarian), scatter the almonds & garlic slices over the veggie and — voila! — your delectable dinner side is ready.
If you want to zhuzh this up further, I recommend sautéing about 1 cup of quartered grape tomatoes in the fragrant oil, before adding the beans, and letting them cook until both are soft and fragrant. My Spanish auntie makes green beans like this, and they’re wildly delicious.
Green Beans with Garlic & Almonds
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- ¼ cup almond slices
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 16 oz green beans topped & tailed (to save time, buy these ready-prepped)
- 2 tsp fish sauce my favorite brand is Red Boat; if that sounds too weird or you're making a vegan version of this dish, use ½ tsp salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- ¼ cup fresh parsley coarsely chopped
- a squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter and swirl to combine.
- Add sliced almonds and garlic and cook, stirring continuously, until these turn barely golden -- about 1-2 minutes. (Don't let them brown as they will taste bitter.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic & almonds to a plate lined with paper towel.
- Place the green beans in the skillet and toss in the oil & butter mixture until coated all around. Sprinkle with fish sauce and freshly ground pepper.
- Cover and cook over medium-high heat until al dente, around 4-5 minutes. Using kitchen tongs, turn the spears once or twice.
- When the green beans are done (I like them al dente), season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Scatter with parsley and reserved almonds & garlic. Serve immediately.
- Leftovers keep for 2-3 days in the fridge (though the almond and garlic slices will soften and the beans will lose their bright green color. Still tasty & nutritious, though.)