Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Caramelized Shallots

These vibrant and crunchy Garlicky Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots make for a quick, nutritious, and tasty side dish that’s ready in just 15 minutes! No need for blanching. Ideal for hectic weeknights or accompanying a festive feast.

You’re going to adore these garlicky green beans with shallots! It’s such an effortless, healthy, and flavorful side dish that comes together in merely 15 minutes. Fresh and crisp green beans combined with caramelized shallots and garlic create a delightful blend of savory-sweet tastes that are incredibly simple to whip up. Perfect for those busy evenings yet sophisticated enough for special events or your Thanksgiving spread. This recipe for green beans with shallots is bound to become your favorite!

Reasons to Love This

• Quick and simple – these green beans can be prepared in just 15 minutes all in one skillet with minimal prep time and no blanching required!
• Nutritious side dish – green beans are jam-packed with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, ensuring this dish is both tasty and nourishing.
• Basic ingredients – you only need a handful of pantry essentials to put together this scrumptious side dish.
• Adaptable – easily adjust this dish to suit your family’s preferences. Add some heat, toss in crunchy nuts, or sprinkle parmesan cheese for an extra flavor boost.

Necessary Ingredients

• green beans – you’ll need a pound of fresh green beans or French green beans (also referred to as haricot verts) for this recipe. No canned green beans allowed!
• olive oil – I prefer utilizing a good extra-virgin olive oil or butter to caramelize the shallots. You might also mix both or use avocado or canola oil.
• shallots – caramelizing shallots brings natural sweetness to these green beans, eliminating the need for additional sugar. You can also substitute with sweet onion, white onion, or red onion. Feel free to garnish with some green onions as well.
• garlic – use either fresh chopped garlic or minced garlic from a jar. I wouldn’t suggest garlic powder for this recipe, but if that’s all you have, it will suffice.
• soy sauce – just a tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce significantly enhances the flavor of these green beans and adds a touch of umami. You can swap soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos to make this dish gluten-free.
• salt and pepper – kosher salt (or sea salt) and black pepper are essential to season these green beans.

Instructions for Making Garlic Green Beans

1. Caramelize the shallots. In a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat, heat extra virgin olive oil or melt butter. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft and translucent, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Next, add the garlic and stir the mixture for another 30 seconds.
2. Simmer green beans. Introduce the green beans, a teaspoon of salt, pepper, soy sauce, and half a cup of water into the pan, bringing it to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the green beans, and let them simmer for about 8 minutes.
3. Complete the cooking process. Lift the lid and increase the heat to medium-high to high. Cook the green beans for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until all the liquid evaporates and the green beans are tender with shallots becoming jammy.
4. Serve and enjoy. Season the sautéed green beans with more salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to a serving dish. Serve warm and savour!

Serving Suggestions

Variations on the Recipe

• Make it spicy – introduce some red pepper flakes, a splash of hot sauce, sriracha, or some chili garlic sauce for added heat.
• Add mushrooms – sauté sliced mushrooms alongside the shallots for extra depth in flavor and nutrition.
• Add some crunch – incorporate sliced almonds, toasted pecans, or walnuts to enhance crunch and texture.
• Top with bacon – this adds a rich, smoky element to the green beans, balancing savory and salty notes with added crunch.
• Squeeze of lemon juice – add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or lemon zest to brighten the green beans, if desired.
• Sprinkle with cheese – a little parmesan cheese can be sprinkled for an extra flavor kick.

Preparation and Storage

Leftover green beans can be stored in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. When it’s time to reheat, warm them in a skillet with a splash of olive oil over medium heat, or microwave in 30-second intervals until thoroughly heated. I don’t advise freezing leftovers as the delicate green beans will lose texture upon thawing.

More Side Dish Options

Additional Green Bean Recipes

I hope everyone enjoys these Garlicky Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots! If you love this dish as much as we do, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! I love seeing all of your delicious recreations!