These green beans with cranberries and almonds and hints of citrus make the perfect side dish that look and taste like something you’d get at a restaurant. It has a beautiful presentation and tastes super fancy, but can be made in less than 15 minutes! An easy green beans recipe for your holiday table or to complement any weeknight family meal! {Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan & paleo}
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Green Beans with Cranberries and Almonds
Everyone needs a go-to green bean side dish in their life! These sauteed green beans with almonds and cranberries is one that we love to whip up time and time again.
Made with fresh green beans, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and garlic, in addition to freshly squeezed orange juice and zest, it’s a refreshing twist on your classic green bean almondine recipe.
With all of those mouthwatering flavors, you’ll definitely want to add this one to your regular menu rotation!
For more delicious green bean recipes, you’ll also want to try these Fresh Green Beans with Bacon and Green Beans with Red Peppers!
Why We Love This Green Bean Almondine Recipe
- Easy: With all of the delicious flavors packed in this dish, you’d never guess that it takes less than 15 minutes to prepare! The ingredients in this recipe for green beans almondine are simple but the dish definitely doesn’t skimp on flavor. It’s fancy enough to serve up during special occasions, but simple enough to prepare as part of a quick weeknight meal!
- Crowd pleaser: This vegetable side dish is always a hit with family and friends. Can you really go wrong with crisp garlicky green beans with sweet hints of orange and cranberry and the toasty goodness of sliced almonds?! I think not.
- Nutrient-packed: Beans are an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K in addition to folate, while the orange juice provides a nice dose of vitamin C! The sliced almonds offer up those heart healthy fats and some protein. With all of those nutrients, it makes for such a balanced and filling side dish!
- Perfect holiday side dish: With the festive colors, this red and green vegetable side dish is great to serve up at at thanksgiving dinner or your next holiday feast! It pairs so well with all of those other holiday fixings like this Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes or this Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole!
Ingredient Notes
- Green beans – You can use regular or French green beans for this recipe (see FAQs below to learn about the difference). Just be sure to wash them well and trim the ends.
- Olive oil – Although traditional green bean almondine generally calls for butter, we switched it out for olive oil to give the dish a healthier twist. Use extra-virgin olive oil for best results.
- Almonds – The almonds provide a nutty crunch and are especially delicious when toasted! We used blanched sliced almonds for the purpose of this recipe, but you could also sub in slivered or roughly chopped almonds if you prefer. You can generally find sliced almonds in the baking aisle at your grocery store.
- Dried cranberries – The dried cranberries add a sweet flavor that complements the garlic beans and citrus flavors so nicely and helps to awaken those taste buds! Try to find cranberries that are lower in sugar if possible. Oftentimes you can find dried cranberries that are naturally sweetened in the natural section of the grocery store.
- Orange – The orange juice and zest add a delicious and refreshing pop of flavor to this dish. I used the zest of of one large orange and the juice of about half an orange. For best results, use freshly squeezed orange juice; not store-bought orange juice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add one tablespoon of salt to the boiling water, then add the beans. Cook until just tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 2: Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Transfer the beans to the ice water. Once the beans have cooled, remove from the water using tongs or a slotted spoon.
Step 3: Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally for about 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.
Step 4: Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and garlic and cook until beginning to turn golden brown. Add the blanched green beans and freshly squeezed orange juice to the pan and toss until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Remove from heat. Add orange zest, dried cranberries, salt, pepper and toasted sliced almonds to the bean mixture and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
How to Blanch Green Beans
One of my favorite methods for cooking green beans is blanching them because it ensures that they stay firm, green and crisp and not mushy and soggy. Don’t skip this step as it’s essential to the outcome of this recipe!
Although blanching may sound complicated, it simply means that you quickly boil the beans and then shock them in cold water to stop the cooking process.
To blanch green beans, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add one tablespoon of salt to the boiling water, then add the beans. Cook the beans until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook.
Prepare a large bowl of water with ice cubes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beans to the bowl of ice water. Once the beans have cooled, remove from the water. This step is very important and is what will stop the cooking process and ensure nice crisp green beans.
Recipe Tips:
- When shopping for green beans, choose ones that are free from brown spots, feel firm, and snap when broken.
- Make sure that you don’t overcook the beans. They only require a few short minutes in the boiling water so that they get only slightly tender and stay green and crisp.
- Immerse the beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process after placing the beans in boiling water. This will ensure that the beans stay firm and are not overcooked and mushy.
- Keep an eye on the sliced almonds when toasting them in the frying pan as they can burn very easily. It also helps if you toss them frequently to prevent them from browning too much on one side.
Storage & Reheating Guidelines
Refrigerator: You can store this recipe in the fridge for up to four days in the fridge in an airtight container or in a bowl wrapped tightly with saran wrap.
To reheat: Place the bean mixture in a large frying pan and heat on the stove top over low heat until warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
It’s a French dish that simply means “green beans with almonds”. Although it sounds fancy, this dish is super simple to prepare, but still maintains a beautiful presentation and amazing taste.
This version kicks it up a notch, however, and also includes hints of sweet dried cranberries, citrusy orange flavor and makes use of olive oil rather than butter for a healthier twist.
You can use regular beans or French green beans. The primary difference between regular green beans and French green beans is their appearance, flavor and price.
French green beans (also known as haricot verts) are longer, thinner, and have a more pronounced flavor and tend to be a little more tender than regular green beans. They are also grown earlier in the year than other varieties of green beans, which is part of the reason why they taste different. You may also find that the French green beans tend to be slightly more expensive than other varieties.
That being said, I’ve used both types of beans for this recipe and it turned out equally tasty each time, but you may prefer French green beans if you want a more pronounced flavor.
Yes. If you wish to use frozen, skip the blanching step and simply steam the beans according to package directions. Pat them dry with a paper towel and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Yes, although if possible, I recommend cooking up the green beans and adding the almond and cranberry mixture just before serving to keep it nice and fresh.
If it’s sitting for a while, the toasted almonds will lose some of their crunchiness, but it’s not a huge deal breaker. They’re still delicious!
Serving Suggestions
The sweet and garlicky hints in these green beans with cranberries and almonds pair nicely with so many different meals and sides!
Try it out with the following recipes:
- Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast
- Christmas Beef Roast
- Slow Cooker Turkey Roast
- Cranberry Apple Walnut Stuffing
- Stuffed Turkey Breast with Orange Honey Glaze
- Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes
- Cranberry Chicken Meatballs
- Mini Turkey Apple Meatloaf Muffins
- Parmesan Crusted Cod
- Fish with Healthy Lemon Sauce
- Walnut Crusted Salmon
Such a healthy, versatile easy side dish to spruce up your family meals!
Recipe Variations
- Add cheese: Feel free to sprinkle these beans with a bit of crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese at the end.
- Switch up the nuts: Use slivered almonds or try pecans or walnuts instead.
- Add bacon: This dish would be delicious with a bit of crispy bacon mixed in as well!
More Delicious Sides
- Seasoned Green Beans With Bacon
- Kale Salad with Cranberries
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Maple Syrup and Balsamic
- Christmas Wreath Salad
- Kale Beet Salad
- Spinach and Pomegranate Salad
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Citrus Green Beans with Cranberries and Almonds
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans washed and trimmed
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add one tablespoon of salt to the boiling water, then add the beans. Cook until just tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Prepare a large bowl of water with ice cubes. Transfer the beans to the ice water. Once the beans have cooled, remove from the water.
- Meanwhile, toast almonds in a skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally for about 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.
- Heat large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and garlic and cook until beginning to turn golden brown. Add the beans, freshly squeezed orange juice and dried cranberries to the pan and toss until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add orange zest, salt, pepper and toasted sliced almonds to the bean mixture and toss to combine. Serve warm.
Notes
- Make sure that you don’t overcook the beans. They only require a few short minutes in the boiling water so that they get only slightly tender and stay green and crisp.
- Immerse the beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process after placing the beans in boiling water. This will ensure that the beans stay firm and are not overcooked and mushy.
- Keep an eye on the sliced almonds when toasting them in the frying pan as they can burn very easily. It also helps if you toss them frequently to prevent them from browning too much on one side.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in September 2020 and was updated in November 2023 to include more helpful tips and photos.
This recipe is great! Only thing I altered was that I added the dried cranberries to the skillet right after the orange juice to soften or plump them a little. I will definitely make these again!
So happy you enjoyed the recipe! I love how you added the dried cranberries after the orange juice — great tip! I’ll have to try that next time. Thanks so much for returning to leave a comment :)