French Green Beans
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Quick, easy, and elegant, these one-pan French green beans are the perfect side dish for just about any meal.
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.
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
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
Quick, easy, and elegant, these one-pan French green beans are the perfect side dish for just about any meal.
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.
I tried this for our family’s birthday month, January. Most of my family won’t eat green beans, so I was stunned that there we no left overs. Definitely a go to recipe. I did add the juice of 1/2 lemon to the recipe.
Jen, I made these lovely green beans for lunch today with steamed Pecorino Romano rice and BBQ chicken thighs.
The cooking technique was wonderful… I deglazed the pan with 1/4 C of Marsala wine, let is simmer off and added 1/2 C of water…cooked until tender.
Absolutely delicious and tender.
Thank you! Love your site!
Michele
This was served for Christmas dinner yesterday and was a big hit. I can’t seem to get beans to stay warm for more than 12 seconds after they come out of the pan but they were tender and tasty! Great recipe!
I had to cook this for about twice as long as the recipe suggested, but the end result is fantastic and looks beautiful plated.
Can I possibly cook the shallots in advance and then mix and reheat both the pre-cooked beans and the shallots for serving?
Sure, Karen, that should work. Enjoy!
This recipe is so quick, easy, and delicious! I followed the instructions as written and they turned out perfect. My family has given me permission to make them again:)
I love this recipe – so easy to throw together and so flavorful! Trader Joe’s now carries a 2lb bag of haricot verts which is convenient for making huge batches.
Quick, easy, and tasty solution to change string beans from plain to interesting.
Will this work if I blanch them for 5 minutes and put in ice water bath the day before then cook as instructed the next day?
Thanks,
Yes that should work, Phyllis. Enjoy!
Quick and tasty veggie standard. Great base if you want to start experimenting with adding any of your our flavors. I’ve taken the shallot cooking method shown here and applied it to other dishes.