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Haricots verts, also known as French green beans, are hands down my favorite type of green bean. These slender beauties have a delicate flavor and a perfect, crisp-tender texture when cooked just right. Overcooking them, though, is a common mistake—it can make them lose that vibrant green color and turn mushy, which no one wants!
The best part about haricots verts is that you really don’t need to fuss with them. They’re so naturally delicious that just a little bit of seasoning can go a long way. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them is by mixing them with caramelized shallots. The sweetness of the shallots adds a beautiful depth to the green beans, making it a simple yet satisfying side dish.
In Vietnamese cooking, which I love to share here, shallots are used more often than regular onions. Caramelizing them enhances their natural sweetness, which complements the beans perfectly. If you don’t have shallots on hand, onions will do, but shallots bring a slightly richer, sweeter touch that really makes this dish sing. Try it out next time you’re cooking green beans, and you’ll see what I mean!
Haricot Vert with Caramelized Shallots
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil, or any neutral cooking oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp + a pinch kosher salt
- ¼ tsp + a pinch black pepper
- 1 lb haricot vert
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a pan on medium heat, add cooking oil, unsalted butter and shallots.
- Add a pinch of salt on the shallots and fry them for a minute.
- Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, for 30 minutes until shallots caramelize.
- After 30 minutes, turn heat to medium and cook the shallots until you get a nice caramel color, occasionally stirring the shallots.
- Add green beans, salt, pepper and sugar. Mix together and turn heat to medium high.
- Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low.
- Cover with lid and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid and turn heat to high. Toss the green beans and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Nutrition
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