This sautéed green beans recipe is filled with garlic, red peppers, parmesan cheese and toasted slivered almonds. A mouthwatering vegetable side dish that will add a pop of colour and flavour to any feast and can be prepared in less than 20 minutes! Perfect for the holidays, or to complement any week day meal! {Low Carb & Gluten-free}
Green Beans and Peppers – An Easy Side Dish!
No plain ol’ limp and lifeless green beans here! These sautéed green beans with red peppers are one of my favourite green vegetable side dishes, and they’re perfect to serve at any holiday table or on busy weeknights.
Aren’t they festive? I love how they look so Christmas-y with the red and green. And the parmesan cheese almost looks like snow!
This veggie dish has a nice flavour and crunch with the addition of the parmesan cheese and almonds and it pairs perfectly with the rest of the holiday feast. It’s always such a great way to add a fresh pop of colour and flavour to any meal!
If you’re a green bean lover, be sure to also check out my Seasoned Green Beans and Green Bean Almondine Recipe!
Why We Love This Sautéed Green Beans Recipe
- Healthy side dish: These sautéed green beans are a tasty way to get a dose of nutritional goodness! Green beans are a great source of silicon and the red peppers are loaded with vitamin C, while the almonds and olive oil are rich in monounsaturated fats.
- Festive: The red and green vegetables make this dish a great holiday side! Plus, it pairs well with so many different entrees.
- Quick: Easy to prep and cook, this side is ready to serve in less than 20 minutes.
- Crowd pleaser: This sautéed green beans recipe always receives great compliments, and for good reason — the beans are perfectly crisp tender and pretty darn delicious!
Ingredient Notes
- Green beans: Whole green beans form the perfect base for this recipe as they are a great source of essential vitamins and minerals, including folate and dietary fiber. They are are also low in calories and fat. You can use regular or French green beans, although keep in mind that French are typically more tender and have a more pronounced flavour.
- Slivered almonds: Almonds add a great nutty flavour and texture to this side dish, especially when you toast them!
- Oil: A healthier alternative to butter, which is typically used in many vegetable side dishes. I used olive oil, but vegetable, canola, or sesame oil will work well too.
- Shallots and garlic: Incorporated for more depth of flavour. You an also sub in thinly sliced onion instead of the shallots if that’s what you have on hand.
- Red bell pepper: I love the pop of colour that the red pepper strips add to this dish, and they’re cooked for only a few minutes so they still have a nice crunch to them. You can sub in another colour bell pepper too, but I used red to keep it bright and festive.
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated parmesan for the best flavour. Pre-grated tends to be quite dry and more grainy in texture.
How to Cook Fresh Green Beans – Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 – Over high heat, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain beans and place them in a large bowl of ice cold water for a minute or so. Drain well.
Step 2 – Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook almonds over medium heat until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer toasted almonds to a small bowl.
Step 3 – Add oil to the hot pan. Cook shallots until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 4 – Stir in thin strips of red peppers, garlic, green beans, salt and black pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are tender-crisp and beans are hot, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in almonds. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle the sautéed green beans and peppers with parmesan cheese at the last minute and serve warm.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable green beans and red peppers recipe!
Tips for the Best Green Beans Recipe
- 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 slivered 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.
Recipe FAQs
The secret to the best green beans is to not overcook them. To get them tender, we boil them for 5 minutes, before plunging into ice water to stop the cooking process. This step also helps ensure that they maintain that bright green colour and crisp texture. They are then quickly sauteed to allow them to take on additional flavour and get them nice and crisp.
Yes! This is a great make ahead side dish for the holidays. It can be made several days in advance. Just leave out the grated parmesan and add that once the beans are reheated and ready to serve
If you don’t blanch green beans, they may get overcooked which will result in mushy and dull-coloured beans. Blanching helps to stop the cooking process, keeping the beans vibrant green and tender crisp.
How to Store
This dish can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. Place the dish in an airtight container or in a bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap to keep them nice and fresh.
How to Reheat
To reheat, place the sautéed green beans in a large frying pan and heat on the stove top over low heat until warmed through, stirring frequently. If reheating, you may wish to add additional parmesan cheese right before serving.
What to Serve with Green Beans
These sauteed green beans with red peppers are perfect to serve up with roasted meats, fish and vegetarian dishes, and of course, along with all your other favourite sides for the holidays!
Try them with:
- Slow Cooker Turkey Roast
- Christmas Beef Roast
- Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast
- Cranberry & Pistachio Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Easy Lazy Lasagna Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Walnut Crusted Salmon
- Cranberry Meatballs
- Vegan 3-Bean Chili
Recipe Variations
- Switch up the nuts: Use sliced almonds or pecans instead of slivered almonds.
- To add an extra pop of flavour: Add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- For zesty flavour: Add in a squeeze of lemon juice or lemon zest.
- Add extra veggies: Sliced mushrooms would work well in this recipe too.
- Add a kick of spice: Try a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- To make dairy-free: Skip the parmesan cheese or use a vegan parmesan cheese.
More Veggie Sides
- Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
- Healthy Squash Casserole
- Kale Beet Salad
- Roasted Ranch Carrots
- Christmas Wreath Salad
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Sautéed Green Beans with Red Peppers & Almonds
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans ends trimmed
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 1 sweet red pepper thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Over high heat, bring a medium-sized saucepan filled with water to a boil. Add beans and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain. Place beans in a bowl of ice cold water for a minute or so. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, in a large nonstick frying pan, cook almonds over medium heat until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer to small dish.
- Add oil to the pan; heat over medium-high heat. Cook shallots until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in red peppers, garlic, green beans and salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are tender-crisp and beans are hot, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in almonds. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Notes
- 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 slivered 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 published in November 2015 and was updated December 2022 to include more helpful tips and photos.
So much better than Starbucks!!! Simply, amazingly delicious 🤤
Awesome, so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for returning to leave a rating and review!