These vibrant and crunchy Garlic Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots create a quick, wholesome, and delicious side dish that can be prepared in merely 15 minutes! No need for blanching. Ideal for hectic weeknights or as part of a festive feast.
Table of Contents
You are going to adore these garlicky green beans with shallots! This straightforward, nutritious, and tasty side dish comes together in just 15 minutes. These fresh, crunchy green beans paired with caramelized shallots and garlic are bursting with savory-sweet flavors that are incredibly easy to prepare. Perfect for those busy evenings, yet refined enough for special events or your Thanksgiving feast. This green bean with shallots recipe is bound to become your favorite!
Why You’ll Appreciate This
- Quick and convenient – these green beans can be ready in just 15 minutes in a single skillet, requiring minimal prep time and no blanching!
- Nutritious side option – green beans are full of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, making this side dish both wholesome and delectable.
- Basic ingredients – you only need a handful of simple pantry items to whip up this scrumptious side.
- Flexible – easily adapt this dish to suit your family’s preferences. Add a bit of heat, toss in some crunchy nuts, or sprinkle with parmesan cheese for added flavor.
Ingredients You Will Require
- green beans – a pound of fresh green beans or French green beans (also known as haricot verts) is needed for this recipe. Canned green beans are not an option!
- olive oil – I prefer using good extra-virgin olive oil or butter for caramelizing the shallots. You can also mix both or substitute with avocado oil or canola oil.
- shallots – caramelizing shallots brings natural sweetness to these green beans without the need for added sugar. You may also substitute sweet onion, white onion, or red onion for the shallots. Feel free to add some green onions too.
- garlic – use fresh chopped garlic or minced garlic in a jar. I don’t suggest garlic powder for this recipe, but if it’s all you have, it will suffice.
- soy sauce – a tablespoon of low sodium soy sauce significantly enhances the flavor of these green beans and adds a hint of umami. You can swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
- salt and pepper – kosher salt (or sea salt) and black pepper are essential for seasoning these green beans.
How to Prepare Garlic Green Beans
- Caramelize the shallots. Heat extra virgin olive oil or butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook until they are soft and translucent, stirring frequently, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Introduce the garlic and sauté the shallot mix for another 30 seconds.
- Simmer green beans. Incorporate the green beans, roughly a teaspoon of salt, pepper, soy sauce, and half a cup of water, bringing the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover the beans, and simmer for about 8 minutes.
- Complete the cooking process. Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook the green beans for another 5 to 6 minutes, stirring regularly, until all the liquid has evaporated, the beans are tender, and the shallots are syrupy.
- Serve and enjoy. Season the sautéed green beans with more salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm and relish!
My favorite aspect of this recipe is that there’s no need to boil and drain the green beans or submerge them in ice water for blanching! This saves you two entire cooking steps, meaning no large pot or extra bowls to clean.
How to Present
Recipe Variations
- Add some heat – introduce red pepper flakes, a splash of hot sauce, sriracha, or chili garlic sauce for an extra kick.
- Incorporate mushrooms – sauté sliced mushrooms with the shallots for additional depth of flavor and nutrition.
- Add some crunch – mix in sliced almonds, toasted pecans, or walnuts for extra texture and crunch.
- Top with bacon – gives a rich, smoky flavor to the green beans complementing the salty and savory elements with delightful crunch.
- Fresh lemon juice – a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or lemon zest can brighten up the flavors of the green beans, if desired.
- Sprinkle with cheese – a little parmesan cheese can provide extra flavor.
Prep and Storage
Leftover green beans can be stored in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When it’s time to reheat, warm them in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of olive oil, or microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through. Freezing leftovers is not recommended, as the tender green beans will lose their texture upon thawing.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
More Side Dishes
More Green Bean Recipes
Hope you all enjoy these Garlic Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots! If you love this as much as we do, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
- Caramelize the shallots. Heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook until they are soft and translucent, stirring frequently, for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
Simmer green beans. Combine green beans, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and half a cup of water, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the beans, and simmer for about 8 minutes.
Finish cooking. Remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high. Cook the green beans for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, stirring regularly, until all liquid evaporates, green beans are tender, and shallots are syrupy.
Serve and enjoy. Season the sautéed green beans with more salt and pepper, as required. Serve warm and enjoy!
Serving: 1/4th of recipe | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.8g | Protein: 1.7g | Fat: 6.8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 291.4mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 0.8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.