French Green Beans with Shallots
How can a vegetable recipe with only one tablespoon of oil and three simple ingredients — olive oil, green beans and shallots — be so delicious? It’s all in the technique, which combines slowly cooking shallots in olive oil to coax out their natural sweetness and simmering beans in a bit of water until tender.
It’s important to use French green beans, which are longer, thinner, sweeter and more tender than most American varieties. They are usually labeled Haricot Verts, which is French for green beans — haricot meaning beans and vert meaning green — and you can often find them bagged and trimmed at the supermarket.
Begin by thinly slicing the shallots into rings and cooking them slowly in olive oil until soft, sweet and mellow.
Next, add the haricots verts and cook a few minutes more.
Add the water, little by little, and simmer until the beans are tender and the pan is dry.
Be sure to cook the beans all the way through — if they are too al dente, they’ll be squeaky and bland. Also, be sure that all the water in the pan is evaporated before serving, otherwise the flavor will be diluted.
Season to taste and enjoy!
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French String Beans with Shallots
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- About 1 cup water
- 3/4 pound (12 ounces) haricots verts (French string beans)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and mellow, about 8 minutes.
- Add the haricots verts, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of the water and cook, stirring frequently, until the water evaporates, 4-5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water and continue cooking until the beans are tender and the pan is completely dry, 5-6 minutes. Test the beans for doneness. If they need more cooking time, add a bit more water and cook until done; just be sure to cook off any remaining liquid in the pan before serving, otherwise the flavor will be diluted. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
Reviews & Comments
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So I did the “unthinkable” – I used frozen haricots verts in place of fresh beans. THEY WERE DELICIOUS! I simply put the frozen green beans in with the shallots at the point in the recipe where you add the fresh beans, then cooked them on low until they were thawed. I then added the water and cooked on low until the water evaporated. It definitely took longer than the description in the recipe, but the beans turned out perfect – not soggy, and not squeaky. Even my daughter, who hates green beans, liked this recipe.
I have made these several times and every time I need to cook MUCH longer than the recipe suggests. Any idea why? I’ve read the other reviews and no one else seems to have this problem. I always use haricots verts, also. Never thick green beans.
Hmmm… that’s a bit of a head scratcher…are you cooking them over medium-low heat and using a large saute pan? If your pan is not large enough and the beans are crowded, it could take longer. Also, perhaps you cooktop runs a little cooler than most. While they take longer to cook, do they turn out okay?
This is my “go-to” favorite recipe for cooking French Green Beans! Cook plenty because they keep well to serve later.
Thought I had pressed 5 stars!! YES, I loved it!! Never thought I could get addicted to green beans!! LOL!!
So very easy and delicious……I just made a pound to try the recipe and ate the whole thing!! Luckily I have enough French green beans left for Christmas dinner….hands down this is now my favorite green bean recipe….My family and guests also love the curried carrots…can never make too many of those!! Thanks again, Jen!!
Is it possible to use frozen French beans for this recipe? If so, would I need to precook or at least defrost the beans? Thanks so much!
Hi Jamie, Unfortunately, I don’t think this will work very well with frozen green beans – sorry!
These green beans are wonderful!
Stunningly simple and delicious.
Can this be made ahead in the day and reheated?
Sure, Kathy. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, if I make a day ahead, what instructions would you give for reheating in the microwave? Covered or not? How long? Other tips? Thanks!
Hi Gwen, I’d partially cover the green beans and check them after 60 – 90 seconds. If they still need time, I’d continue in 30-second increments. Hope that helps!
I made these tonight and I love them! This is my new favorite way to cook green beans. Thank you!
I made this using pearl onion rather than shallots. Delicious and makes a beautiful presentation.
Wish there was a way to post photos.
I am not a fan of green beans and only cooked them because I had leftover beans from the chickpea soup (also yours, Jenn). And they turned out great! 2 shallots is exactly perfect. I put three the first time and the beans were a bit too sweet
This dish is soooo delicious, good grief. I have made this so many times- it is one of my twins’ favorites… in fact, they have cheekily labeled this dish, “The Good Beans.”
That speaks volumes. Scrumptious.
This is my “go-to” recipe for french green beans. I’ve made it multiple times. It’s easy and tastes great!
We love this recipe for French Green beans!
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.
These recipes are so dependable, and they’ve never failed me. These green beans are no exception. I’ve never been able to cook green beans properly until now (important to cook them through). Thanks for making me a better cook, Jenn!
I usually roast green beans but it’s 90 degrees here and I don’t want to turn on my oven. This was delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Made these today. Husband loved them. I loved them. Will for sure make them again! They turned out delicious.
Are shallots the same as onions? I don’t have any shallots at this time, can I use a red onion or sweet onion?
Hi Barbara, Yes, you could get away with using a red or sweet onion here.
Very easy and delicious!!
If I make ahead of time as suggested should I undercook them so they don’t overcook when reheating?
Jennifer, I wouldn’t undercook them too much, but you could cook them until slightly less tender than you’d typically serve them and then reheat them in the microwave when you’re ready to serve. They’ll cook a tiny bit more in there.
I am excited to try these. I need to triple the recipe. Do I triple the water too, or should I do three separate batches?
Thanks!
Hi Pam, You should be able to make it all at once, but you may need to add more or less water; just keep adding it gradually until the beans are cooked through.
I am always looking for easy and minimal ingredients. This is just that! These green beans are so amazing even the kids ate them including the baby!
Love, love. love this recipe. I make more than I need and snack on them the next day. I don’t know what it is, but they are really full of flavor and yet so simple.
I love this recipe and made it many times over the summer with fresh green (and sometimes yellow) beans from the local farmer’s market. I live in upstate New York, and the fresh green beans are not so great right now. Thoughts on using frozen?
Hi Dawn, Unfortunately, I don’t think this method will work with frozen. Sorry!
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!
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.
Loved this recipe. Served it with the grilled pesto shrimp. So easy to grill both dishes at the same time on the grill.
5 stars
This is my favorite way to have fresh beans straight from the garden. There is no taste comparison. Thanks for the recipe.
I made this a couple of times already. I used to just boil the beans till soft and added salt and pepper. This tastes much better.
Such an easy way to spruce up green beans! Worth the expense of shallots over onions.
I’ve also added small bits of lemon zest in the past that’s gone over well, particularly in the spring time.
Hi – this is a staple in France and was regularly served up by by family there. Frozen beans were steamed slightly first and finished up in the frying pan with the shallots and a clove of garlic (it was France, after all!)
I prepared this for a dinner party and it was the talk of the table! Even the children loved them.
In the winter I must use frozen green beans but I can never get them to cook up well. If I were to use frozen bean in this recipe how would you suggest cooking them so that they are tender but not limp and tasteless.
Hi Faye, To be honest, I haven’t had much luck with frozen green beans either. The problem is that they are typically cooked before being frozen, so they don’t work well in recipes like this one. I’m usually able to find fresh haricot verts, bagged and trimmed, year round in my regular supermarket. That said, I’ve heard from several readers that the Trader Joes frozen haricots verts are very good, but I haven’t tried them myself.
This is a great way to cook green beans!
Sounds good – I usually buy frozen Haricot Verts from Trader Joes – How would you modify this using frozen beans?
Hi Amanda, I am not familiar with Trader Joe’s brand. Are they fully cooked?
Those do not look like shalotts to me, they look like a red onion. Which are they?
Hi Barbara, They are shallots…sometimes they are more purple in color.