Easy Sautéed Haricots Verts with Shallots
on Nov 17, 2021, Updated Mar 13, 2025
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A fresh twist on the classic green beans welcomes these Easy Sautéed Haricots Verts with Shallots. These haricots verts, also known as French green beans, are tossed with shallots in two ways, both with sautéed shallots and finished with crispy shallots.
If you’re looking for more vegetable side dishes, be sure to check out our Roasted Beet Salad with Labneh, and Harissa Roasted Honeynut Squash with Tangy Pistachios.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe utilizes shallots in two ways, tossed in the beans and as a crispy topping. It’s all balanced out with lemon juice and zest for the perfect side dish.
- A perfect holiday side dish: These green beans are the perfect accompaniment for anything on your holiday table, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or even in Spring for Easter.
- Easy to prep ahead: Make your green beans ahead of time, and store your crispy shallots. Just warm through when ready to serve and top with the crispy shallots.
- We love the textures and crunch this recipe brings to the table!
- This recipe is great paired with any main dishes from poultry, seafood, or meat.
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you need to make this recipe, including all our tips and substitutions.
Haricots Verts: Also known as French green beans, but you can most definitely use any greens beans, string beans, or wax beans, you have on hand.
Lemon: 1 large lemon is being used for zest, as well as utilizing the peel and all the fresh lemon juice. This is called lemon haricot verts, after all!
Crispy Shallots: All it takes is neutral oil, shallot rings, kosher salt, and pepper. We bring the heat up with the shallots, instead of dropping it into the hot oil, this allows for a nice crunch and prevents burning.
For Finishing: To toss everything together when ready to serve, parmesan cheese and parsley are added for added creaminess and freshness.
The full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Tips and Substitutions
- Use regular green beans if you don’t have haricots verts. We recommend increasing the blanching time if so since green beans are a tad bit thicker.
- To prep ahead: Make your green beans completely and crispy shallots. Store separately, with the crispy shallots at room temperature, and warm up the green beans when ready to serve.
- This recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- If you don’t have shallots, you can use a yellow onion for the skillet and for the crispy shallots.
How to Make Sautéed Haricots Verts
Step 1: In a deep large skillet or large pot, add in your oil and shallots. Bring the heat to medium-high heat. Allow this to come to a hot temperature and crisp your shallots.
Step 2: In about 2 cups of water in a large pot, add in your green beans. In the meantime, set aside a large bowl of ice water. Blanch your green beans for about 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 3: Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the shallot oil from your crispy shallots, and in the same skillet, add in your butter. Bring the heat to to medium-high heat to melt your butter. Add in your minced shallots, garlic, and green beans.
Step 4: Bring the heat to low, add in your lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon peel if using, parsley, and parmesan. Give everything one final toss. Transfer to a serving platter, topping with your crispy shallots.
The full detailed instructions can be found on the recipe card below.
Serving Recommendations
If you’re looking for some ideas to serve with this haricots verts recipe, we’ve got you covered!
- Appetizers: If you’re serving these green beans as a side, start with these apps Shrimp Cocktail with Old Bay Mayo, Whipped Brie Cheese, or Roasted Olives with Feta, Garlic & Citrus.
- Sides: Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce for a really strong holiday feast.
- Dinner: These green beans can be a great side for Brown Sugar and Butter Roasted Turkey Breast.
Sautéed Haricots Verts FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen green beans for this recipe. Just be sure to thaw them out completely and dry really well.
After frying, ensure you place the shallots on paper towels to drain any excess moisture. The more they sit and cool, they will continue to crisp up.
Haricots verts are a tad longer and skinnier than green beans. They have an almost sweeter, more mild, and smoother taste than a regular green bean because they are harvested at a younger stage than green beans.
More Side Dish Recipes
If you do make this Lemon Haricots Verts recipe, leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, we would love to hear what you think! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, we love to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest in your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter. We can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Easy Sautéed Haricots Verts with Shallots
Ingredients
Crispy Shallots
- 1/4 cup neutral oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, canola oil
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Haricots Verts
- 1 pound haricots verts (French green beans), or regular green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 large lemon, half zested, half peel thinly sliced (optional), juiced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the crispy shallots: In a deep large skillet or large pot, add in your oil and shallots. Bring the heat to medium-high heat. Allow this to come to a hot temperature and crisp your shallots.
- Stay at the heat and keep mixing the shallots until all crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. They will burn quickly so keep your eye on it and keep moving them around! Transfer to a paper towel lined on a plate to dry off the excess oil. Finish with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set this skillet aside on the stovetop with the heat off.
- Blanch your green beans: In about 2 cups of water in a large pot, add in your green beans. In the meantime, set aside an ice bath.
- Bring this to a boil, and blanch your green beans for about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the beans and transfer to the ice bath to cool immediately. This will help stop the cooking process, help with crunch, and keep your beans bright green, too. Remove from the ice bath, and pat dry on paper towels.
- Finish your green beans: Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the shallot oil from your crispy shallots, and in the same skillet, add in your butter. Bring the heat to to medium-high heat to melt your butter. Add in your minced shallots and garlic and give everything a big toss. You don't want any color on your aromatics, just to sweat them out.
- Add in your green beans and toss well to combine for about another 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the heat to low, add in your lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon peel if using, parsley, and parmesan. Give everything one final toss. Transfer to a serving platter, topping with your crispy shallots.
Notes
- Use regular greens beans if you don’t have haricots verts. We recommend increasing the blanching time if so, since green beans are a tad bit thicker.
- To prep ahead: Make your greens beans completely and crispy shallots. Store separately, with the crispy shallots at room temperature, and warm up the green beans when ready to serve.
- This recipe can be store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- If you don’t have shallots, you can use a yellow onion for the skillet and for the crispy shallots.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A special take on a classic green bean! I love these french green beans, they are thinner and longer than a traditional green bean and paired with lemon and crispy shallots… chef’s kiss! I hope you enjoy!