French Green Beans
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These French green beans cooked with shallots are simple enough for weeknights but special enough for holiday dinners.
These French green beans are simple yet elegant, perfect for a quick weeknight side or an impressive holiday dish. The recipe requires just one pan: simply cook the shallots in butter in a large skillet, then add the beans with a splash of water and simmer until tender. You’ll be surprised at how much flavor the shallots bring to the beans. Note that the recipe uses French green beans, or haricot verts—thinner, sweeter, and more tender than American varieties, these beans are typically available pre-trimmed and ready to cook.
What You’ll Need To Make French Green Beans
- Extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter – Adds richness and depth of flavor to sauté the shallots and coat the green beans. Use whichever you prefer.
- Shallots – Thinly sliced and cooked until soft, they add a delicate sweetness and mild onion flavor that complements the beans.
- Water – Added to steam the beans, ensuring they cook evenly and become tender.
- French string beans (haricots verts) – Haricot means “beans” and vert means “green.” These slender green beans cook quickly and absorb the flavors of the shallots and seasonings.
- Salt, freshly ground black pepper & sugar – These seasonings enhance the flavors, add warmth, and bring out the natural sweetness of the beans and shallots.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by thinly slicing the shallots into rings and cooking them slowly in olive oil until soft, sweet and mellow.
Next, add the beans, salt, pepper and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes.
Remove the cover and continue cooking until the pan is completely dry, the shallots are jammy, and the beans are tender, about 6 minutes.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
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French String Beans with Shallots
These French green beans cooked with shallots are simple enough for weeknights but special enough for holiday dinners.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- ½ cup water
- ¾ pound (12 ounces) French string beans (haricots verts), trimmed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Do not brown.
- Add the beans, salt, pepper and water; bring to a boil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 8 minutes.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is evaporated, the beans are tender, and the shallots are jammy, about 6 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Serve warm.
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 116
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 302 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Comments
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Hi Jenn-LOVE your recipes!! It’s a little unclear after reading the comments so hoping you can weigh in on your recommendations for doubling the recipe & making it ahead. It looks like you recommend blanching if doubling? If so, it noted to boil in salted water for 4 min, ice bath then drain. Then saute the shallots, add to blanched beans, add seasonings (salt/pepper/pinch sugar) and cook for 3-4 min. Assume no water since beans are mostly cooked-is this right? I’m also planning on the make ahead mashed potatoes so wonder if I can put these in the oven to reheat or if I’ll get better results microwaving. As always appreciate the time you take to answer questions!
Hi Shelley, that’s correct — you don’t need to add more water to the green beans after cooking the shallots. And if your microwave is available, I’d go that route to reheat. Hope that helps (and so glad you like the recipes)!
I always make your beef tenderloin recipe with the suggested potato au gratin and carrots YUM! I’d like to make the green beans this year instead of the carrots to save on oven space. What do you recommend for preparing these ahead of time and reheating?
Thank you, Chef Jenn!
Hi Mimi, I’d partially cover the green beans and reheat them in the microwave. Check them after 60 – 90 seconds. If they still need time, I’d continue in 30-second increments. Hope that helps!
Doubled this delicious recipe for Thanksgiving but because the whole meal was so calorie laden, I used Pam instead of butter or oil and added a packet of sodium free chicken bouillon at the end. This definitely goes on the rotation.
Best green beans we had! So quick, easy and delicious.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It definitely will be a keeper!
I was looking for a new side dish for Thanksgiving that didn’t require oven space and was easy to prepare. These beans ticked all the boxes and were delicious! I will be making them again and not just on Thanksgiving 😃
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was OUTSTANDING! Since I doubled the recipe I took Jenn’s advice in the comment section to blanch the green beans (I boiled them in salted water for four minutes then shocked in ice water) and they were perfect. I cut back a bit on the shallots because it looked like a lot but think Jenn’s amount was spot-on. Mildly reminiscent of the old green bean casserole with the green bean and shallot combo but a zillion times better!!!
Love these green beans. The shallots add a nice flavor to them.
Loved this method!! We didn’t have shallots so used sweet onions and it was perfect (about 1/4 cup thinly sliced). Definitely our new go-to for French green beans.
These green beans are wonderful! I’ve made them twice so far. My family gobbled them up!
DE-LICIOUS !! Great, easy to follow recipe. A new fav !!