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Sauteed Green Beans

Sauteed green beans with blistered edges and a buttery garlic-lemon finish. Cook fast in a skillet for crisp-tender texture, then toss with toasted almonds for crunch.
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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: 214
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

green beans
  • 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
oil and butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
garlic and seasonings
  • 3 garlic, thinly sliced
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
lemon
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
almonds
  • 2 tbsp sliced almonds, toasted

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Saute the green beans
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans and cook 6-8 minutes, tossing, until blistered and crisp-tender, watching for bright spots and a vibrant green color.
Add garlic and finish
  1. Reduce heat to medium, then add butter and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes until the garlic turns golden. Stir so the garlic slices toast without browning too far.
Season and toss
  1. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss once more so the seasoning clings to the beans.
Add lemon and almonds
  1. Toss with lemon zest, lemon juice, and toasted almonds—serve immediately. The beans should look glossy from the butter and have visible toasted almond pieces.

Notes

Pro tip: trim the beans evenly so they blister at the same rate—then keep them moving during the 6-8 minute cook for crisp-tender bite. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days and rewarm in a skillet over medium heat. Freezing isn’t recommended because the beans lose crunch. For a dairy-light option, use olive oil only (omit butter) and add an extra teaspoon of olive oil at the garlic step for richness.