These Honey Dijon Green Beans Almandine are a refreshing spin on a French classic and make a delightful holiday side dish.
Toasting the almonds and slightly browning the butter adds a nutty richness to the dish that’s perfectly balanced by the acidity of the mustard and vinegar. The honey rounds it out and the texture of the almonds adds a nice, crisp contrast to the tenderness of the green beans.
Though, let’s be real, anything coated with this much butter is sure to please, amirite? (This butter sauce pairs well with other veggies like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, roasted smashed potatoes… you get the idea!)
By the way, in case you were wondering:
What is the difference between Almondine and Amandine?
As adjectives, the difference between “amandine” and “almondin is that “amandine” refers to cooking with almonds, whereas “almandine” refers to furnishing with almond slices.
“Amandine, sometimes Anglicised as almondine, is a culinary term indicating a garnish of almonds. Dishes of this sort are usually cooked with butter and seasonings, then sprinkled with whole or flaked, toasted almonds. The term is often spelled almondine in American cookbooks.”- Wikipedia
“In the culinary arts, the word ‘amandine’ (pronounced “ah-mahn-DEEN”) refers to a dish that is prepared with sliced, slivered, or whole toasted almonds. Although the word originated in France in the mid-nineteenth century, the technique is used in cuisines throughout the world. Cookbooks in the United States have Americanized the term to almondine, but it refers to the same thing.” – The Spruce Eats
Having said that, whether you toast the almonds separately or cook in the butter, you can’t really go wrong. To try for yourself, scroll below for the recipe.
Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 5–7 minutes, or until tender. Next, drain, then immediately transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water to shock the green beans and halt to cooking process. Afterwards, drain again and pat dry.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and occasionally whisk until the color begins to shift in colors to a golden brow, about 5 minutes. Then, remove from heat and add the honey, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and black pepper. Stir until throughout incorporated. Bring a small skillet to medium heat, then add the almonds and toast for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant and golden-browned. Remove from heat.
Next, add toss the cooked green beans with the melted butter sauce and toasted almonds, then toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a platter and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Honey Dijon Green Beans Almandine
PREP TIME: 5 MIN
COOK TIME:30 MIN
SERVES: 8-10
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 pounds French green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 Tbs red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 Tbs honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 Tbs whole grain dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Method:
- Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 5–7 minutes, or until tender. Next, drain, then immediately transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water to shock the green beans and halt to cooking process. Afterwards, drain again and pat dry.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and occasionally whisk until the color begins to shift in colors to a golden brow, about 5 minutes. Then, remove from heat and add the honey, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar and black pepper. Stir until throughout incorporated.
- Bring a small skillet to medium heat, then add the almonds and toast for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant and golden-browned. Remove from heat.
- Next, add toss the cooked green beans with the melted butter sauce and toasted almonds, then toss to coat.
- Transfer the mixture to a platter and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes:
- To make vegan, simply swap the honey for maple syrup and used a plant-based butter like Miyoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter. Enjoy!
- To make ahead, you can cook and blanch the green beans one day ahead. Allow them to dry before transferring to an airtight container and chill in the fridge until ready to warm up with the butter sauce and toasted almonds.
- For more delicious holiday recipes, or to see what else is in store, visit the Kitchen Journal.
