Need a healthy side dish with tons of flavor? This Garlic, Lime & Almond Green Bean recipe is it! Bright lime and garlic are the perfect way to dress up these beans!
This Garlic, Lime & Almond Green Bean Recipe is a holiday tradition in my family! Fresh steamed garlic green beans with a tangy lime sauce and almond topping come together to make a dish that will wow any crowd. These green beans would be so good served aside sweet spiral ham with our favorite ham glaze recipe!
GARLIC, LIME & ALMOND GREEN BEAN RECIPE
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We serve these sauteed green beans with almonds and garlic every year at our family holiday gatherings! They’re also a quick and easy way to add something green to a simple weeknight dinner. I love that they are so full of flavor and that I can have them done in less than 10 minutes!
As much as I love holiday food, it can often be very rich and heavy. So having an easy side dish that is bright, light, and crisp like these green beans and garlic recipe compliments the meal so well!
Ingredients in Garlic, Lime & Almond Green Beans
- Olive oil
- Chopped garlic
- Fresh green beans
- Water
- Lime juice
- Corn starch
- Toasted slivered almonds
It’s best to use fresh green beans for this recipe, as canned green beans are too soft and won’t hold up to the other ingredients.
Frozen green beans that have been thawed would work too if you’re in a pinch. Fresh green beans only take a few minutes to prep, and steaming them gives them a tender, crisp texture!
How to Cook Green Beans
- First, place a large skillet on your stove over medium heat and add some olive oil. Add chopped garlic to the pan and cook it for just about a minute, stirring the whole time. Garlic burns easily, so keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn’t overcook.
- After the garlic is cooked, add the green beans and a quarter cup of water to the pan. Cover the skillet and steam the beans for 2-3 minutes until the beans are bright green.
- Meanwhile, add the lime juice and cornstarch to a small bowl and mix with a fork to combine. The mixture should be smooth with no large clumps.
- Remove the lid from the skillet and pour the lime sauce over the green beans. Add another quarter cup of water and the toasted almonds to the pan. Then cook for 1-2 more minutes until the lime sauce has thickened a bit.
- Place the green beans in a serving dish or platter, pour any remaining sauce over top, and serve warm.
How do you prepare fresh green beans for cooking?
If you’ve ever harvested green beans from your own garden or purchased fresh green beans by the pound at your local grocer, then you probably know that it takes a little prep work to get them ready for cooking. But if this is your first time working with fresh green beans, don’t let them intimidate you!
To prep fresh green beans, snap off both ends of the beans. Discard the ends and place the beans in a colander as you work through the batch. To save time, you can also line the beans up side by side in small batches, and chop off the ends using a sharp chef’s knife.
Before cooking, rinse the green beans well, then pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
How to Toast Almonds
The best way to toast nuts is either on the stove or in the oven. Both options give almonds a toasty brown finish and an intensely nutty flavor. Here’s how to toast them:
Stove method: Place a skillet on your stovetop and place the almonds right into the dry skillet. Turn the heat to medium, and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Shake the pan a few times to make sure the almonds toast on all sides. When the slivered almonds are toasted, remove them from the skillet and set them aside on a plate to cool before using.
Oven method: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the almonds on an ungreased baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping the almonds with a spatula or shaking the pan halfway through cooking to allow the almonds to toast evenly. Remove the almonds from the baking sheet and allow them to cool on a plate.
More Delicious Veggie Side Dish Recipes!
- Green Beans with Honey Pecan Butter and Cranberries
- Bacon & Onion Green Beans
- Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower
- Lemon Butter Broccolini
- Sweet Potato Wedges with Honey Lime Dip
- More SIDE DISH recipes…
Tools used to make this Garlic, Lime & Almond Green Beans recipe
Skillet: This stainless steel skillet is great for searing meats and fish and sauteing and steaming veggies. Its heavy-duty design allows food to heat thoroughly and evenly.
Serving Bowls: These beautiful serving bowls make any holiday table look beautiful. They’re the perfect vessel for serving delicious side dishes and decadent desserts.
*This post originally posted on 11/06/2013.
Ingredients
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 pound fresh green beans rinsed, dried & ends removed
- ½ cup water divided
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (1 - 2 limes)
- 1 ½ teaspoons corn starch
Instructions
Toasted Almonds
- Oven Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread almonds on in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping once until toasted. Remove from oven and let cool until ready to use.
- Stovetop Method: Place a skillet over medium, and add the almonds. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon until your desired color is reached. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.
Green Beans
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring often so it doesn't burn.
- Add green beans to the skillet along with 1/4 cup water. Cover with lid and allow beans to steam 2 to 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together lime juice and corn starch until smooth.
- Pour lime mixture into the skillet along with the remaining 1/4 cup water and toasted almonds.
- Stir until green beans are coated and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour into a serving bowl and serve warm. I like to save some almonds to sprinkle on top after I put the beans in the bowl.
Notes
Nutrition
Amalia says
Awesome green beans recipe, easy to made and tasty. I was looking for something like this.
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you!
Melissa says
Sounds yummy, but do you mean half of one almond or half a container? 🙂 Thanks
Aubrey says
LOL! I’m the worst at that! 🙂 It’s half a cup. I updated the recipe too.
Kami Chef says
i like you r wark vrey nice your master thanks