Green Bean Almondine with Crispy Prosciutto

Forget soggy, limp vegetable dishes. Hearkening from France, green bean almondine is a beloved classic gracing tables all over the world with fresh flavors and style.

Amandine simply refers to a dish prepared or garnished with sliced almonds and can range from green beans to trout to pastries. 

This easy-to-make side dish has it all—fresh garden flavor mixed with just the right amount of savory crisp and toasty crunch.

Green Beans a.k.a Haricot Verts (French Green Beans)

In this recipe, we use snappy, sweet green beans that are slightly bigger than haricot verts (French green beans). Either type of green bean works well and we include the blanching time difference for each.

For more details on the difference between green beans, check out our Brown Butter and Hazelnut Green Bean post.

For the best results, fresh green beans should be gently boiled in generously salted water to partially cook and season the beans before sauteeing them with aromatic shallots and garlic.

You could stop at the pan-toasted almond slices for a classic almondine, but the crispy fried prosciutto is a secret, savory weapon you don’t want to miss. We love it sprinkled on melon salads too!

Once arranged into a serving dish, the bright, pretty green of the beans and the confetti-like sprinkle of white and red from the almonds and prosciutto really make this dish pop on the dinner table.

You’ll love having this recipe in your pocket for a rainy day, a sunny day, or really any day that ends in Y that you might need a win and an easy-to-eat veggie side dish.

Can I use bacon instead of prosciutto? 

Ham or bacon can be used instead of the prosciutto, but the ultra-thin slices of prosciutto crisp up with a more delicate texture than bacon giving the dish an elegant touch.

Can I use other vegetables in this recipe?

Almondine is delicious with other greens or vegetables, but the best swap will be with those that are quick to cook in a skillet like asparagus, bell pepper, spinach, chard, or bok choy. Only asparagus would need to be blanched, other soft vegetables and greens will wilt quickly with only a pan-sear.

For more dense vegetables, we recommend roasting vegetables in the oven.

Recipe STEP BY STEP

1. Cook the green beans in boiling water and cook 2-3 minutes for thin, young green beans like haricot verts, or 6-8 minutes for regular, thicker green beans.
2. Transfer to the ice water briefly to stop the cooking process. Drain, and transfer to a clean towel to dry.
3. Crisp the prosciutto in a hot skillet for about 5 minutes.
4. Toast the almonds in the same skillet until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Cook the shallots and garlic 5-6 minutes with 1 tablespoon oil, and season with salt and crushed red pepper.
6. Saute the green beans with the shallots until warmed through and tender.
7. Transfer to a serving dish and top the beans with the almonds and prosciutto to serve.

Can I use frozen green beans?

Yes, you can use frozen green beans instead of fresh ones in almondine. Here’s how: 

1. Skip the blanching as frozen beans have already been blanched/partially cooked.
2. Add frozen green beans to the skillet at the same time you add the shallots so they have to brown in spots.
3. Cook with the shallots 8-10 minutes. Season and serve as instructed in the recipe.

TOPS TIPS for Preparing the Beans

• Snap or cut off any ends of the green beans that have stems or dry ends. These tend to be woody or chewy, so it is best to remove them at the beginning.
• Be sure to put plenty of salt in the boiling water. This will help to season the beans and maintain that tender, yet toothsome texture and bright green color.
• Only boil the beans until crisp-tender (al dente), so they are underdone enough to finish cooking in the skillet with the shallot and garlic. They should be tender with a slight crunch to them and squeaky between your teeth when you bite down. 

Can I make this recipe ahead of time? 

Make this recipe up to 2 days in advance by prepping the bean, toasting the almonds and frying the prosciutto, and storing them separately.

When it’s time to serve, start at STEP 5 with the shallots, finish the recipe from there as written, and serve it up fresh. 

If you’re taking it to a friend’s house for dinner, make the recipe all the way through, put it in a baking pan, and reheat it under the oven broiler for 5 minutes to warm up and crisp the toppings.

The leftovers warm up nicely in a hot skillet, but you can also cut the beans into smaller pieces to combine in a roast beef and vegetable soup too.

Can I freeze green bean almondine?

This dish is best enjoyed fresh, and once made, I would not freeze it. Freezing the prepared beans will result in a somewhat soggy, limp green bean dish. However, you can use already frozen green beans to shave a few minutes off the time to make it.

TIP: Almondine leftovers reheat well, especially in an air fryer.

Recipe Variations

• Substitute ham or bacon for the prosciutto
• Substitute toasted pepitas for the almonds if avoiding nuts
• Substitute asparagus for the green beans for a similar cooking time
• Substitute crispy fried onions for the shallots