Keto Green Beans Amandine (Low-Carb Holiday Side Dish)
A simple, elegant, and low-carb holiday side dish! These Keto Green Beans Amandine are perfectly tender, buttery, and nutty. Just like the classic without any added carbs or sugar.
Bring a little French flavour to your holiday table with these Keto Green Beans Amandine. Fresh green beans cooked to al dente then sautéed in butter with garlic, sherry vinegar, and a touch of brown sugar-style sweetener, then topped with toasted almonds for a delicious nutty crunch. They’re the perfect pairing for roast beef, chicken, and turkey. Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, or just looking for a simple yet elegant side dish, this low-carb green bean recipe is a crowd-pleasing side you’ll want to make all season long.
A little note from my kitchen to yours
Green Beans Amandine has become one of my favourite holiday side dishes. It’s a dish that always looks so elegant, but secretly takes very little effort to make. Plus, it doesn’t require any oven space, which is always at a premium around the holidays. So when we started eating low-carb, creating a keto-friendly version that kept that classic flavour was an instant “yes!” for me.
Why you’ll love these Green Beans Amandine
- Low carb + keto-friendly. Made with Swerve brown sugar substitute, this version cuts out refined sugar for a flavourful holiday side that fits any low-carb lifestyle.
- Elegant, but easy. Buttery toasted almonds and tangy, brown sugar butter sauce make this dish fancy enough for celebrations, but also fast enough for weeknight dinners.
- Perfect holiday pairing. These bright and light green beans amandine are the perfect contrast to rich protein mains like roasted turkey, ham, or prime rib.
Why this Keto version works
This recipe is based on Joanna Gaines’ green beans amandine recipe from Magnolia Table. It’s been my go-to recipe for years, so I knew it was going to be the basis for my low-carb version. The challenge with making these green beans amandine keto-friendly came in substituting the brown sugar.
Thankfully Swerve Brown sweetener makes it easy to capture that classic brown sugar taste without the carbs. However, if you’ve done any low-carb baking you’ll know that sugar-free sweeteners, like erythritol, behave differently from refined sugars (specifically in how they melt, thicken, and recrystallize upon cooling). To account for this I made two simple modifications:
- #1 Reduced the amount of sugar. The original recipe calls for half a cup brown sugar and a little over a quarter cup liquid (between the melted butter and vinegar). This equates to a ratio of 8:5 sugar-to-liquid. But, erythritol will recrystallize upon cooling with any ratio greater than 1:2 sugar-to-liquid. So the first change was to cut the sugar down to one or two tablespoons.
- #2 Added a tiny bit of xanthan gum. Without traditional brown sugar to thicken the sauce it’s quite loose. To help thicken the sauce so it coats and clings to the green beans as the classic sauce would, I added a pinch of xanthan gum which I stirred into the vinegar before adding it to the pan.
These two simple edits allowed this recipe to keep all the sweet brown sugar flavour and cozy comfort of this classic side dish, without burning through a full days carb count. Making it a great guilt-free addition to any holiday meal!
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Green beans: For the best texture, use fresh, trimmed green beans. If needed, you can use frozen, but they won’t have that lovely crisp, tender, snap.
- Almonds: Sliced almonds are traditional for Amandine dishes, but you can substitute slivered almonds for a little added crunch. You could also use chopped pecans or walnuts. Or, omit the nuts altogether for a nut-free side dish.
- Butter: Adds fat and richness. You could also use ghee or dairy-free butter.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds depth. Substitute ½ teaspoon garlic powder, if preferred.
- Sherry vinegar: Gives the dish its signature bright tang. You could also use red wine vinegar.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds another layer of acidity and rounds out the sweetness.
- Swerve sweetener: Swerve brown sweetener provides the brown-sugar flavour without carbs or sugar. Feel free to omit it for a purely savoury version.
- Xanthan gum: Optional, but helpful in thickening the sauce so it clings to the beans.
- Salt: Brings all the flavours together.
How to make Keto Green Beans Amandine
Begin by toasting the almonds in a large dry saucepan over medium-high heat, until golden and fragrant. Be sure to toss or stir often to avoid burning. Once toasted, remove the almonds from the pan and set them aside to cool.
Fill the same saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the cooked beans and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and xanthan gum until combined. The mixture will thicken quickly and may be lumpy, this is fine.
Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Once melted add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in the Swerve brown sugar, vinegar mixture, and salt. Continue stirring until smooth. Then add the green beans and toss to coat. Lastly, sprinkle the almonds over top and toss to combine.
Serving + Storage Tips
Serving: I like to reserve a handful of almonds to sprinkle over top once the dish is plated. You could also top it with crumbled bacon bits, or a little lemon zest for brightness. Pair this elegant side dish with roast turkey or chicken, Sunday roast, prime rib or steak, baked salmon, pork tenderloin, or low-carb casseroles like meatloaf.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Freezing is not recommended for this recipe, as the green beans tend to soften and lose their crispness once frozen and thawed.
Reheating: To reheat leftover green beans amandine, saute them in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Of course, you can always zap them in the microwave, but I recommend a skillet for the best texture.
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Keto Green Beans Amandine
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1½ lbs green beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1½ tablespoons Swerve brown sweetener
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large dry saucepan, toast the almonds over medium-high heat until golden and fragrant. Stir often to avoid burning. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside to cool.
- Fill the saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and xanthan gum.
- Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in the Swerve brown sugar, vinegar mixture, and salt. Stirring until smooth.
- Add the green beans and toss to coat. Sprinkle the almonds over top and toss to combine.
