Green beans with oranges and almonds are easy, bright and festive

(Scott Suchman for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post; props by Limonata Creative for The Washington Post)

Total time:25 mins

Servings:6 to 8 (makes about 7 cups)

This Thanksgiving, make these green beans with orange segments and toasted almonds as a lighter, brighter alternative to the classic green bean casserole. It’s also easy, festive and full of flavor and texture.

Start by toasting sliced almonds in a dry skillet to give them extra flavor and crunch before setting them to the side to save as a garnish. Next, saute fresh green beans and season them dried thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Sauteing this many green beans in a skillet is hard to do evenly, but in this instance that’s a good thing. Some will get soft and charred in spots, while others will become crisp-tender, resulting in a variety of textures.

At the very end of cooking, toss in the orange segments. The citrus will warm ever so slightly from the residual heat as it adds color and a hint of acidity and sweetness, perking up the entire dish.

Green Beans With Oranges and Almonds

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.

NOTE: To segment (supreme) an orange, slice off the bottom and the top of the fruit. Stand the orange on a cutting board with one of the cut sides down. Use a serrated or paring knife to cut the peel and the pith away from the fruit in strips, top to bottom. Then, holding the fruit in your hand, cut the segments away from the membrane. (The idea is to remove all of the membrane and white pith.)

See the rest of the 20-ingredient Thanksgiving menu:

• Turkey With Roasted Garlic Gravy
• Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Almond Brown Butter
• Sweet Potato Puree With Roasted Garlic
• Cranberry Sauce With Cardamom and Brown Sugar
• Sweet Potato Pie With Almond Crust

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 navel oranges, cut into segments (supremed; see NOTE)

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Step 1

Place the almonds in a cold, dry 12-inch, or larger, skillet set over medium heat and toast, tossing frequently, until browned in spots and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a small bowl to stop them from toasting further.

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Step 2

Add the oil to the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high and heat the oil until shimmering. Add the green beans, salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in spots, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the orange segments and toss to combine. Taste, and season with more salt, if needed.

Transfer the mixture to a serving dish, sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Nutrition Information

Per serving (1 scant cup), based on 8

Calories: 116; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 155 mg; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 7 g; Protein: 4 g

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s advice.

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Recipe from staff writer Aaron Hutcherson.

Tested by Aaron Hutcherson; email questions to voraciously@washpost.com.

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