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French Green Beans

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By Jenn Segal
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Quick, easy, and elegant, these one-pan French green beans are the perfect side dish for just about any meal.

Spoon in a dish of French green beans with shallots.

These simple and elegant French green beans are the perfect side dish for just about any meal. The recipe only requires one pan, so it’s quick and easy to make. Just cook the shallots with olive oil or butter in a large skillet, then simmer the beans in a bit of water until tender in the same pan. The recipe calls for French green beans, which are thinner, sweeter, and more tender than most American varieties. They are usually labeled haricot verts—haricot meaning beans and vert meaning green—and you can usually find them bagged, pre-trimmed, and ready to cook at the supermarket.

Table of Contents

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.
  • 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) – These slender, tender green beans cook quickly and absorb the flavors of the shallots and seasonings.
  • Salt – Enhances the natural flavors of the beans and balances the sweetness of the shallots.
  • Freshly ground black pepper – Adds a bit of spice and warmth to the dish.
  • Sugar – Just a pinch brings out the natural sweetness of the french beans and shallots.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

adding shallots to oil in skillet

Begin by thinly slicing the shallots into rings and cooking them slowly in olive oil until soft, sweet and mellow.

Cooked shallots in a skillet.

Next, add the beans, salt, pepper and water.

adding the beans, salt, pepper, and water

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes.

Simmered beans in a skillet with shallots.

Remove the cover and continue cooking until the pan is completely dry, the shallots are jammy, and the beans are tender, about 6 minutes.

Simmered beans in a skillet with shallots.

Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.

Dish of French green beans with shallots.

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French String Beans with Shallots

By Jenn Segal

Quick, easy, and elegant, these one-pan French green beans are the perfect side dish for just about any meal.

Servings: 4
Total Time: 20 Minutes

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

  1. 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.
  2. Add the beans, salt, pepper and water; bring to a boil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 8 minutes.
  3. 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 Edamam

  • 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
Nutritional Data Disclaimer

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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  • Shallots. Many and more. I occasionally use white wine instead of the water and occasionally add in some slivered almonds for a crunch, but this is such a standard recipe that always wins.

  • This was delicious. I followed it completely – no changes. 🙂 I served it as a side to your Peruvian Chicken and Mexican Pilaf. These are the first three recipes I have ever followed from your website, and I am bowled over by how delicious they all were! Thank you for your terrific work. Looking forward to trying some of your amazing looking desserts. 🙂 Bisous from Belgium!

    • — Hannah, an Australian in Belgium
    • Reply

  • I made this tonight for a get together with friends. It was a big hit. Someone even said it reminded him of his mother’s cooking. I thought, wow, I’ll have to remember this recipe. I don’t have a lot of time so I like to keep it simple. This was simple and delicious. I usually use onion to season cooked vegetables. I like the way the shallots broke down and became saucey. I doubled the recipe to meet tonight’s need and used more shallots than called for because I needed to use them up. Thanks for turning me on to this recipe and shallots.

  • I had never met a green bean I loved – until I tried this recipe. Ditto my partner, and even my 3-year-old enjoyed these. What an excellent recipe. Thank you for showing me the light with green beans!!!

  • Great recipe! So simple, so good, and healthy – can’t beat that. I’ve also made a “less healthy” version with some bacon I had to use up… I chopped up 6 slices of center cut bacon and sauteed it (replacing the olive oil) then followed the rest of the recipe. Also very good!

  • I love any excuse to cook with shallots! This recipe was so easy and a nice change from the plain green beans that I usually make.

  • I plan to make your recipe for thanksgiving crowd. I’ll have to do in batches. How far ahead can I prepare? and how would I reheat? Thanks

    • HI Cary, You can make a day or two ahead and reheat in the microwave.

  • Excellent. Tested this recipe out tonight for Thanksgiving. These were delicious. I think they took a bit longer to steam/sauté than indicated but if you just use a little patience you’ll be well served. Very tasty. Thank you!!!

  • How far in advance before serving can
    this be prepared?

    Thank you.

    • Hi Ellen, I’d say a day or two.

  • Makes such an elegant and delicious side dish, have made it many times. Goes with any entree.

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