Sautéed String Beans Recipe

Trim

Rinse the string beans and trim the stem ends. If some beans are much longer than others, cut longer ones in half so they cook evenly.

Blanch (optional)

Bring 6 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the trimmed beans and cook 2–3 minutes until they are bright green and just tender-crisp. Immediately transfer beans to an ice bath (2 cups ice + cold water) to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry. Blanching gives brighter color and slightly tender texture; you can skip this step and sauté raw beans longer (about 6–8 minutes) instead.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter; swirl until butter melts and begins to foam but not brown.

Add the minced shallot and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and translucent but not browned.

Add the garlic and optional red pepper flakes and cook 20–30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the blanched and drained (or raw, trimmed) string beans to the skillet. Toss to coat in the oil and butter. Spread beans into a single layer and let cook undisturbed 1–2 minutes to get slight browning, then toss or stir and continue to sauté 3–4 more minutes (if blanched) or 6–8 minutes (if raw) until tender-crisp and some beans have light char spots.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and continue cooking 30–60 seconds, tossing to coat the beans in melted butter.

Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed. Squeeze 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice over the beans and toss to combine.

Stir in the toasted slivered almonds. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately.