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Sauteed Green Beans

Sauteed green beans with golden garlic, bright lemon zest, and toasted almonds. Crisp-tender beans blister in a hot skillet for fast, flavorful side-dish texture.
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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: 254
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

fresh green beans
  • 1 lb fresh green beans
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
lemon zest
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
sliced almonds
  • 2 tbsp sliced almonds

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Sear the beans
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and cook 6-8 minutes, tossing until blistered and crisp-tender (visual cue: browned blister spots).
Finish with garlic and seasonings
  1. Reduce heat to medium, add the butter and thinly sliced garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes until golden (visual cue: garlic turns golden and fragrant).
  2. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss to distribute the spices evenly (visual cue: beans look speckled).
Brighten and serve
  1. Toss the green beans with lemon zest, lemon juice, and toasted sliced almonds. Serve immediately while glossy and fragrant (visual cue: lemon shine and nutty aroma).

Notes

For the most blistering, pat the green beans dry after trimming and don’t overcrowd the pan. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat briefly in a skillet over medium heat, adding a tiny splash of water if needed. Freezing isn’t recommended since the texture softens. For a dairy-free swap, use olive oil in place of butter.