The Only Holiday Side Dish You Will Ever Need

There are two kinds of people in this world. People who love green bean casserole and people who hate green bean casserole.  I dare you to find someone who says “Eh. Green bean casserole is okay.”  There is no indifference. It’s one or the other.

Me? I fall into the later category. I think it’s just dreadful to take a vegetable as beautiful and crisp and flavorful as a green bean and cover it in condensed soup and french fried onions from a can. Don’t get me wrong – If you’re into green bean casserole we can still be friends, I promise! However, with Christmas Day fast approaching I thought it would be a great time to share my absolute favorite holiday green bean recipe. This recipe is perfect for the holiday’s because it can be made on the stovetop and won’t take up any valuable oven real estate.

It’s simple, flavorful and will leave you with plenty of room for Gingerbread cookies because – you know – they are healthy.

Green Beans with Lemon and Toasted Almonds

Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans, trimmed
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 lemon

Directions

The day before

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water up to a boil
• Add the green beans to the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer
• Let cook for ~ 3-5 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender
• Remove from heat and place immediately into a large bowl of ice water
• Let the green beans cool for ~ 10 minutes
• Strain, pat dry, and place in an airtight container or storage bag until ready to use

The day of

• Remove ~ 1 tsp lemon zest from the lemon, set aside
• In a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium heat
• Add the shallot and garlic to the olive oil and saute for  ~ 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and soft
• Add the blanched green beans to the skillet
• Stir well to coat with oil and aromatics
• Cook for ~ 5 minutes or until the green beans are softened to your liking
• Add the lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice
• Remove from heat and top with toasted almonds
• Serve immediately and enjoy