French Green Beans
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
You May Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Fabulous! Outstanding! Made a single recipe last night as a test run for then making for a crowd on Christmas Eve. I will need to quadruple this recipe … I am reading your comments/responses (thank you for such detail!!) and wondering if it is important to blanch first if quadrupling or can I just follow your recipe as written even if 4X? Thank you!
Glad you liked them! Yes, for a large batch like that, I would blanch them. Hope everyone enjoys as much as you did. 😊
So I made these for dinner for 22 tonight. I usually just boil and serve! These were absolutely delicious. Several people took the recipe home. Thank you. Eileen S
Very bland. Two friends who have made this said the same thing. It’s not a recipe I will make again.
Just my opinion but these were far from bland. I always try Jenns recipes exactly as written the first time and they’re usually spot on. Did you use enough shallots? The shallots alone give it tremendous taste. I would suggest giving them another go. Maybe it was the beans?
Hi!
This recipe looks great. I’m just wondering is there anyway this can be made ahead or partially made ahead as I’m running out of time and would like to serve this tonight with my salmon dish.
Thanks
Ken
Hi Ken, You can definitely make this ahead and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Enjoy!
Love you, Jen! Always great recipes. Questions:
Commentors are mentioning make ahead directions, but reading through I cannot find anything definitive. What are your suggestions when doubling and making ahead?
So glad you like the recipes! If you’re doubling this recipe, I’d blanch the beans in boiling salted water and then shock in ice water. Once cool, drain the beans. Heat the oil/butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook the shallots until soft. Then add the drained beans and seasoning to the pan and cook a few minutes more. And if you’d like to make them ahead, that’s fine. You can reheat them in the microwave or on the stove — just until heated through — you want to be careful not to overcook them. Enjoy!
Jenn, I’m a big fan and love your recipes! I plan to double and cook ahead for a dinner party, but am confused by different recommendations for this method of preparation. Are you able to summarize instructions for doubling and preparing ahead (do you blanch, etc.)? Thanks!
Jill, so glad you like the recipes! Yes, if you’re doubling the recipe, I’d blanch the beans in boiling salted water and then shock in ice water. Once cool, drain the beans. Heat the oil/butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook the shallots until soft. Then add the drained beans and seasoning to the pan and cook a few minutes more. Hope everyone enjoys!
I couldn’t find fresh French green beans so I bought frozen. UGH! Do I make this any differently since the green beans are frozen?
Hi Emily, Unfortunately frozen green beans won’t work here – sorry!
This would have been a great recipe but mine was fairly soggy. I made it for my dad and his friends who are in assisted living and they didn’t eat it until the night after I dropped it off. I noticed it was pretty soggy when I tried it myself right after making. Can you tell me what mistakes I possibly made? I want to try making this again. 😊
It sounds like it may have just been a bit overcooked; I would reduce the cooking time next time.
This recipe converted me. I have never like green beans, not even with butter. This however is a recipe I am loving. I seriously can make a meal out of just these beans! Thank you for this recipe!! I made it for a group of 25 people. I will be making this regularly 🥰
So simple and yet so delicious. Tried this recipe over the holidays, now one of our favorite bean recipes. Shallots add an intricate flavor, milder and more sophisticated than onions. Looking forward to summer when I can make this recipe with my home grown verts. We omit sugar, quite flavorful without it.