Roasted Green Beans with Almonds
Green beans tossed with lemon, olive oil and spices roasted in the oven with slivered almonds until the beans are tender and caramelized and the nuts are browned and crunchy.
We don’t love very many vegetables in our family, but these roasted green beans with almonds is one vegetable recipe that everyone loves. It’s adapted from a Cooking Light recipe that I have been using since it was in the magazine in July 1999.
It’s the side dish I serve on special occasions like Thanksgiving or birthday dinners. My husband likes to add extra almonds because everyone always tries to get as many almonds with their beans as they can.
If your green beans are thin, you can add the almonds at the beginning because your cook time will be less. For regular or thick green beans, I like to add the almonds after 5 minutes so that the almonds don’t get too browned before the beans are tender.
Just keep a close eye on the beans while they’re in the oven because once the beans start to brown, they can brown quickly.
Update: This post was originally posted in April, 2008. I recently made these green beans for my daughter’s birthday dinner and decided it was time to share the recipe again with some fresh new pictures and updated recipe directions. Since we were having a crowd for dinner, I doubled the recipe. The pictures are of the doubled recipe. I baked the beans on two jelly roll pans.
Roasted Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, basil, and pepper in a Ziploc bag. Add green beans, close the bag and toss to combine.
- Spread green beans in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper. Add nuts to the Ziploc bag and shake bag.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Add almonds to the pan and bake 5 minutes more, or until beans are tender and browned, stirring occasionally.
Can I use frozen green beans for this dish?
Hi Gail – I haven’t tried it with frozen beans, but I don’t think it would work well.
Do you think I could make these ahead of time and keep them warm in one of those casserole warming bags? Or will they be mushy when it is time to eat? I want to bring them to my SIL for Thanksgiving and she won’t have room in her oven. I could throw the roasted almond on right before serving.
I’m afraid that the beans would be overcooked. Can you cook them most of the way in the oven before you leave and then warm them up in a dry pan on the stove before serving?
I have chosen these beans as my depute (coming out cooking abilities) with a group of wonderful ladies, who; know how to cook. I will let you know how it all turns out!
Hi Lorri – the size and tenderness of the beans will determine how long they take to cook. Just be sure and leave yourself plenty of time to cook them and I’m sure they’ll be great. My family loves loves loves beans cooked this way.
This looks lovely! I do a similar recipe but with asparagus, same exact ingredients except I add a touch of lime or lemon to add some zest. Will have to give this one a try!
Thanks for sharing Dawn – I’m sure the zest adds an additional layer of flavor.
These beans are brilliantly green and fresh-looking. They could be a party on their own. 🙂
These look so good! I love the recipes from the Cooking Light magazines and Cookbooks. =)
Thanks for sharing!
Simply delicious. Aren’t green beans a gorgeous color. I can’t wait for the local fresh beans to start coming in.
I really need to up my green bean game. They are so good for us yet I rarely make them. These look lovely!
A delicious combination!
Cheers,
Rosa
Yum! Well I’m a big green bean and vegetable fan so I’d eat all of these up if you served them to me mum! 😀 xxx
Edna – thanks for asking about this recipe. Cook’s Illustrated has a great recipe with similar flavors that you can make on the stove. You heat the oil in the pan until just smoking, add the beans, salt and pepper. Cook until spotty brown 4 to 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until beans are bright green and still crisp, about 2 minutes. Remover cover, increase heat to high and cook until water evaporates 3 to 60 seconds. Add 1 T. butter, garlic and basil, stirring frequently, until beans are crisp-tender, lightly browned, and beginning to wrinkle, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer beans to serving bowl, toss with lemon juice, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add toasted slivered almonds. Serve immediately.
I don’t own an oven at home, just a stove and a microwave oven. How else may I cook the beans to taste similar to your baked recipe?
-edna
http://www.eatblogger.blogspot.com
healthy! I like how you include the nutritional info too!
Just found your blog off of the Daring Bakers Blogroll…it is g-r-e-at! All your food looks delicious! This green beans would be perfect with some chicken and rice for dinner!