The holidays are coming and with that, there are all sorts of luxurious foods to indulge in. Today’s #SundaySupper brings you the lighter side of things with Lighten Up The Holidays #SundaySupper. I went for an old standby, green beans but instead of the big sloppy gooey soupy green bean casserole (alright it is good too) I made Leaner Green Beans. These are just as delicious in my mind and have a crunchy and flavorful topping from almonds and shallots.
I love fresh green beans and this recipe can be made in no time, plus it brings some freshness and color to your holiday table. There is lots of topping so you can add more green beans as you like or adjust them for a large crowd. Want another great dish with nuts and beans then try our Walnut Pesto Green Beans.
I did a similar green bean last year and they were a great hit. Check out Green Beans with Pecans and Cranberries for a variation to the dish. I find I don’t eat enough of green beans for some reason and I love them. They come to the forefront for the holidays though.
A small delicious topping is all you need to make these green beans a star on your table. Crunchy slivered almonds and shallots are both toasted up sweet to be the perfect topping for the tender crisp green beans.

Leaner Green Beans #SundaySupper
A little crunch topping of almonds and shallots liven up your green beans for the holidays and keeps them lighter than your traditional green bean casserole.
Ingredients
- 4-6 cups green beans, cleaned
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 small shallots, sliced thinly
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook green beans until tender crisp in salted boiling water then plunge them into an ice water bath. This will maintain their crispness and color. These can be made ahead and refrigerated at this point.
- When ready to serve. Saute shallots in butter and then add almonds. Brown both slightly. Add green beans and toss to heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of a 1/2 lemon over and serve immediately.

Here are loads more Lightened Up choices for the holidays for you to try!
Drinks
- Lightened Up Eggnog by The Redhead Baker
- Low Calorie Pumpkin Pie Malted Milkshake by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Appetizer or starter
- Lighten-up Sausage Rolls by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
- Spaghetti Squash, Pears and Kale with Shrimp by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Lightened Up Cornbread Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Spicy Eggplant Dip by Cooking Chat
- Carciofi alla Trapanese by Manu’s Menu
- Fresh Salmon Carpaccio by Food Lust People Love
Main Dishes
- Mini Mushroom Shepherd’s Pies by Killer Bunnies, Inc
- Grandma’s Mac n’ Cheese by What Smells So Good?
- Lightened-Up Fettuccine Alfredo by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
Side Dishes
- Butternut Squash Orzo Pasta by Life Tastes Good
- Hearts of Palm, Artichoke, Avocado and Butter Lettuce by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Quick and Easy Sweet Potato by The Educators’ Spin On It
- Lentil & Mushroom Stuffing by Foxes Love Lemons
- Tangy, Spiced Red Cabbage by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Cranberry Orange Glazed Green Beans by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Green Beans with Rosemary Garlic Butter by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Mediterranean Lentil Stuffed Delicata Squash by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
- Leaner Green Beans by Noshing With The Nolands
- Spiced Tri-Colored Carrot Salad by Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Horiatki Salata by Peaceful Cooking
- Healthier Potluck Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad by The Weekend Gourmet
- Farro Stuffing with Cranberries and Walnuts by The Dinner-Mom
- Roasted Parsnip and Apple SoupCurious by Curious Cuisiniere
Desserts
- Sweet Apple Bites by Mama’s Blissful Bites
- Light and Luscious Chocolate Cheesecake by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Pumpkin Pie Pudding by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Healthy Brownie Recipe | Applesauce Brownies by The Perfect Brownie
- Peanut Butter Coconut Mini Bars by Basic N Delicious
- The Blondie Recipe by Wallflour Girl
- Cinnamon Roll Granola Bars by Pies and Plots
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pumpkin Blondie by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.
To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
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Comments & Reviews
Kathia Rodriguez says
Delicious and different, perfect for the holidays.
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Kathia and thanks for hosting such a great #SundaySupper
Manu says
I love almonds in anything! This is a tasty looking side dish!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Manu!
Stacy says
I would love your green beans with the crunchy almonds and shallots, Tara. Delicious!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you Stacy!!
The Ninja Baker says
Fantabulous idea to sauté green beans with shallots, Tara. I’m intrigued by the addition of almonds to the mix and will now have to give it a try =)
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much Kim, I hope you like them!
Marjory @ Dinner-Mom says
I just love that crunchy topping. The perfect holiday side dish!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Marjory!
Patty Haxton Anderson says
I am re-posting a comment due to the error message. I think this lighter version is a cross between Green Beans Almondine and the Green Bean Casserole – only as you say lighter and much better for you!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks for your patience Patty and for commenting again!!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
I just adore this recipe for leaner green beans. My favorite is the shallot and almond topping.
How delicious!!! I could eat the entire bowl all by myself!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Renee!!
Shelby says
This looks absolutely delicious. I love fresh green beans and almonds. I will definitely use this recipe next time I make green beens!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you so much Shelby.
Susie Gall says
I’m really looking forward to trying these. We love green beans in my home!! I will also try your green beans and cranberries recipe you mentioned – yum!!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thank you Susie, enjoy!
Liz says
I love adding shallots to green beans…reminds me of green bean casserole without the glop 😉 I’d love these on my holiday table!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks so much Liz, I do prefer these over the traditional green bean casserole, just can’t bring myself to make that anymore!
Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says
Love love LOVE this healthier version of green beans, and the almonds? YUM!!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks Bobbi!
Laura Dembowski says
These are exactly how I like my green beans. I’d even swap out the butter for olive oil for a little extra nutrition.
Noshing with the Nolands says
Either way Laura they are so good, thanks!!
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere says
Ooh! I love the crunchy almond topping!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Thanks Sarah!!
Hezzi-D says
I like the addition of shallots and lemon. I’m sure it added a ton of flavor to these green beans!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Veggies are supposed to be light and fresh, so I love your green bean side! Just means more room for pumpkin pie!
Shaina says
Great idea to lighten up one of the most classic holiday dishes out there!
Linda | Brunch with joy says
Green beans and almonds – sound like a perfect pair for extra crunchiness.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I love green beans and would happily eat them plain but add any sort of nuts and I’d be in heaven. These are truly lovely.
Ala says
LOVE. I seriously never eat green bean casseroles because I shudder at the ingredients list…but this is totally doable! And totally in-my-tummy-able, Tara!
Culinary Flavors says
Very healthy and packed with flavors Tara!
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
I could eat green beans every day!
Marion@Life Tastes Good says
Green beans are always on our holiday table and often throughout the year as well. We love ’em fresh! I’ll have to give these toppings a god – it looks and sounds wonderful!
Katie @ The Perfect Brownie says
I love green beans, but I’d never thought of using shallots in them. What a good idea!
Julie @ Texan New Yorker says
I love this alternative to green bean casserole! I mean, don’t get me wrong, I adore green bean casserole, but it does get extremely rich and heavy. This sounds and looks awesome!
Lori says
I feel like this would be a perfect “compromise” for my family, Tara! Half of us (ummmm…the men) want the traditional green bean casserole, while the other half (ummm…the women) want a lighter green bean dish. I even tried doing a from-scratch casserole one year, where I basically made homemade mushroom soup, fried my own shallots, blanched fresh green beans, then combined it all. It took FOREVER. It basically took me as long to make that darn casserole as it took me to make all the other Thanksgiving dishes, combined! This recipe seriously looks like the perfect option for me! Just printed it!
Noshing with the Nolands says
Ya, I just can’t quite go there with the green bean casserole anymore. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this!!