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Sauteed Green Beans

Sauteed green beans with blistered edges and a golden garlic finish, finished with bright lemon zest and toasted almonds. Quick skillet cooking keeps them crisp-tender with lightly crisped surfaces.
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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: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Trimmed fresh green beans
  • 1 lb fresh green beans
Oil and butter base
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
Garlic and seasoning
  • 3 garlic thinly sliced
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Lemon and toasted almonds
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp sliced almonds toasted

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the green beans
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and cook 6-8 minutes, tossing until blistered and crisp-tender.
Make garlic golden
  1. Reduce heat to medium, then add the butter and thinly sliced garlic. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the garlic is golden.
Season and finish
  1. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, then toss to coat evenly. This should look glossy with even speckling of seasoning.
Add lemon and almonds
  1. Toss with lemon zest, lemon juice, and toasted sliced almonds, then serve immediately. The beans should smell bright and appear lightly browned at the edges.

Notes

For the best blistering, dry the green beans well before they hit the hot skillet and keep them moving with quick tosses. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Freezing isn’t recommended for crisp texture. For a dairy-free swap, replace the butter with an additional 1 tbsp olive oil.