Browned Butter Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Browned Butter Lemon-Garlic Green Beans. Green beans take on a deep, nutty flavor from toasted almonds, browned butter, and grated parmesan cheese. Lemon juice adds a little brightness to balance out the rich butter sauce, and plenty of garlic will make these green beans the highlight of your dinner.

It’s so easy to get caught up with spotlight-stealing recipes that sometimes I forget to take a second and share the simpler, more thrown-together foods that I make the most often. You know, the vegetables, the less glamorous sides, the dishes that aren’t stuffed to the gills with melted mozzarella. And for that, I’m sorry, because there are some truly great ones that I’ve been holding out on. But I’m going to change that, starting with these buttery green beans.

Depending on the day, the recipe for these green beans varies. On the best of them, it includes butter, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, sliced almonds, and fresh green beans. On others, I might have to improvise a bit. I don’t often go out of my way to buy the ingredients– most of those are staples in my kitchen– but when I wind up with everything all at once, it’s like Christmas morning.

But with beans instead of presents.

Which sounds like a depressing Christmas now that I think about it… but I promise I mean it in a good way. I guess I should revise that statement, huh?

Alright, more realistically, when I wind up having all of the ingredients on hand, I get even more eager for this side dish than I do for the main course. Browned Butter Lemon-Garlic Green Beans are absolutely that delicious. Not to mention, James can’t get enough of them. Every time I start cooking them, he’ll wander his way into the kitchen, comment on how great it smells (because honestly, nothing smells better than butter browning with some fresh garlic in the mix), and hang around until they’re done. Just lingering off to the side of the pan, sneaking a few unfinished green beans when he thinks I’m not looking.

But I know.

Not that I blame him. Try these Browned Butter Lemon-Garlic Green Beans once and you’ll totally understand.

Browned Butter Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

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★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Morgan
• Total Time: 17 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon zest, to top
• 2 ounces grated parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the green beans in the boiling water until bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and immediately put the green beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the almonds for burning. Remove the almonds from the pan and set aside to cool.
3. Return the pan to medium heat. Melt the butter and then add in the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns light brown and gives off a nutty aroma, about 3-5 minutes. Add the beans back to the pan and saute until coated in butter and warmed through, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Transfer to a plate to serve, and top with lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and the toasted almonds.

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins