French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (2024)

I have a simple trick for cooking French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) perfectly,seasoned with shallot and a hint of lemon.

French green beans make a great side dish for most any meal, but if you have a love for French inspired food, be sure to check out my Leek and Potato Soup, Croque Monsieur and French Onion Soup!

French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (1)

Green beans is probably the vegetable served most often at our house, so I thought it was about time I shared my recipe and tips for making them, right! The biggest tip is in not overcooking them, and seasoning them perfectly.

French Green Beans vs. Regular Green Beans

I hope we’re all familiar with traditional green beans, with are long, thin, and often sold by the pound or in prepackaged bags simply labeled, “green beans”, at the grocery store.

French green beans (also called Haricots Verts) are slightly longer and skinnier than regular green beans and may be a little bit more expensive. They are harvested earlier then regular green beans, so they are thought to be more tender and more flavorful. You can find them at most grocery stores as well, just look for the label “french green beans” or “haricots verts.”

In my opinion, French green beans look a little bit fancier and you may notice many nicer restaurants use French green beans instead of regular green beans. Haricots Verts (prounounced “arr-ee-co vair” is the French translation which literally means, “green” (vert) and “bean” (haricot).

When Buying Green Beans:

  • Check for crispness: green beans should be firm to the point that they would snap in half if you bent them. No one wants to eat a wilty green bean!
  • Check for freshness: Look for beans that are brightly colored and that don’t have brown spots, blemishes, or signs of aging or tears.
  • Uniformity is nice: As best you can, try to get beans that are similar in size and shape so they cook uniformly.

What’s the Trick?

The trick for perfect green beans is to cook them until they are just barely tender (still have a slight crisp), and then seal in their moisture with a fat, like olive oil or butter. In this case we are using butter!

Ingredients:

  • French Green beans
  • Butter
  • Shallots
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Lemon juice

French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (2)

How to cook Haricots Verts:

1. Add beans and water to a large skillet.

2. Bring to a boil and cook until barely tender, but still crisp. About 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain and set aside.

French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (3)

3. Add butter to the skillet over medium high heat. Once melted add the shallots and saute for 1 minute.

4. Add the beans and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (4)

Optional Add-In’s

  • Toated almonds
  • Bacon bits
  • Roasted garlic
  • Diced ham

Serve Haricots Verts with:

  • Chicken with 40 Cloves Garlic
  • Baked Salmon
  • Meatball Casserole
  • Chicken Cordon Bleu

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Recipe

French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (5)

5 from 106 votes

Haricots Verts (French Green Beans)

Perfectly cooked French Green beans (Haricots Verts) with shallot and a hint of lemon. They make the best side dish to any meal!

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Author Lauren Allen

Course Side Dish

Cuisine French

Servings 5

Calories 92

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 15 minutes mins

Total 20 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  • 2 cup water
  • 1 pound French green beans , firm and small
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 shallot , peeled and chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon salt , or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

  • Place beans in a large skillet. Add 2 cups water to the skillet.

  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until barely tender, but still crisp. About 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drain beans and water and set aside.

  • Add butter to the skillet over medium heat. Once melted add the shallots and saute for 1 minute.

  • Add the beans and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

  • Store cooked green beans in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave or enjoy cold. I love to eat them cold on a salad.

Notes

Optional Add-In's

  • Toated almonds
  • Bacon bits
  • Roasted garlic
  • Diced ham

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 187mgPotassium: 208mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 836IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg

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Categories

  • French
  • Side Dishes
  • Thanksgiving Side Dishes

About The Author

French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (10)

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) (2024)

FAQs

Are French green beans the same as haricot verts? ›

French green beans (also called Haricots Verts) are slightly longer and skinnier than regular green beans and may be a little bit more expensive. They are harvested earlier then regular green beans, so they are thought to be more tender and more flavorful.

Do you need to trim haricot verts? ›

Do You Need to Trim Haricots Verts? Yes, you need to trim the ends of the beans that were attached to the stalk because it is fibrous and tough. Most grocery stores sell haricot verts that are already trimmed. This makes them an even quicker vegetable to whip up.

What is the meaning of haricot verts? ›

Translation of haricot vert – French–English dictionary

French beans [noun plural] the long green edible pods of a type of bean.

Why do chefs call green beans haricot vert? ›

refers to a long, thin green bean type.

What are haricot beans called in USA? ›

The navy bean, haricot bean, pearl haricot bean, Boston bean, white pea bean, or pea bean is a variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) native to the Americas, where it was first domesticated.

What is the minimum time to soak haricot beans? ›

To soak beans the traditional way, cover them with water by 2 inches, add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt) per pound of beans, and let them soak for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours.

Can you eat haricot vert raw? ›

While some recipes call for raw green beans, eating them uncooked may lead to nausea, diarrhea, bloating, and vomiting due to their lectin content. As such, it's best to avoid raw green beans. Cooking not only neutralizes their lectins but also improves their taste, digestibility, and antioxidant content.

How do you eat haricot beans? ›

With little flavour of their own, they absorb other aromas and flavours easily, which makes them popular beans to use in bean salads, vegetable soups, slow-cooked dishes such as cassoulet or bean purées. Beans on toast gets a facelift with this easy-to-make and healthy recipe.

What does haricot vert taste like? ›

Haricots verts are more narrow and lengthier than the more familiar green beans Americans usually eat. The common green bean is usually shorter and thicker than haricots verts. Many people often describe the taste of haricots verts as more “vegetal” or “fresh” tasting compared to the common green bean.

What is the difference between French beans and haricot beans? ›

Haricot vert, also known as French beans, are a thinner, shorter variety—usually about 4-inches long (while Blue Lake green beans are 5-7 inches). They cook in about half the time, and are more tender than Blue Lake green beans. See our collection of Green Bean Recipes for ways to use different varities of green beans.

What is a substitute for haricots verts? ›

If you can't find slim, delicate haricots verts, substitute green beans and cook them for an extra minute or two. You can also substitute fresh mint for the oregano for a different flavor.

What is another name for French beans? ›

Green beans are known by many common names, including French beans (French: haricot vert), string beans (although most modern varieties are "stringless"), and snap beans or simply "snaps." In the Philippines, they are also known as "Baguio beans" or "habichuelas" to distinguish them from yardlong beans.

What is closest to haricot beans? ›

Cannellini. These beans are small, oval, cream in colour and one of the haricot bean family. Available canned or dried, if purchased dried, they must be soaked and cooked prior to use. Butter beans can be used instead of cannellini beans.

How do Italian style green beans differ from French green beans? ›

What is the difference between regular and Italian beans? In terms of varieties, string beans or regular beans are long and rounded in shape. Italian, or Romano, are flat and wide with more of a nutty flavor.

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