Easy Garlic French Green Beans (Haricots Verts)

These Easy Garlic French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) are elegant, quick, and so crisp. Sautéed in oil and garlic, they’re a healthy and versatile side dish with big flavor!

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Crisp and never soggy Easy Garlic French Green Beans are ready in no time and can be enjoyed for any occasion.

With unique flavors and a beautiful presentation, this isn’t your average veggie side dish. French style beans are simple to prepare, just like most green bean recipes, and go with almost anything. It’s a stress-free side dish and only takes 15 minutes from start to finish!

With only 4 ingredients, we’re transforming simple French green beans into a savory and satisfying side dish. Sautéed with olive oil and garlic, the list of flavors and aromatics can fit in the palm of your hand. Make it your next go-to side dish when you need something fancy in a flash!

What are French style green beans (Haricots Verts)?

Haricots Verts translates to “green beans” in French. Just think of them as the slightly longer and thinner version of regular green beans. 

Their shape makes them look a little more fancy and refined, plus they have a distinctly crisp and flavorful taste. French green beans can be a little more expensive but are worth it when you want to go all out at a dinner party.

Ingredients you need

Look for the greenest, crispiest green beans you can find. They shouldn’t have many brown spots or blemishes. For the best presentation, make sure your beans are uniform in shape and size.

This is what you need:

• French green beans
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Sea salt

How to make garlic French green beans

This simple side dish takes only 2 steps and under 15 minutes to prepare. It’s low maintenance and looks elegant once it’s done.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Sauté the green beans: Heat your olive oil in a pan over high heat. When it’s hot, add the green beans and turn down the heat. Cook for around 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
2. Add the garlic: Sauté the garlic in the pan for 1 minute, then season with salt to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Can you roast the green beans instead?

Roasting green beans in the oven is still very easy and only takes a few extra minutes. To roast, preheat your oven to 425ºF and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or oil. Roast the green beans with the garlic and salt for around 20 minutes or until the beans are just about fork tender.

What goes well with garlic green beans?

Feel free to mix and match to boost the flavor. You can sauté the beans with sliced shallots and lemon juice in the pan, or go ahead and add diced ham for a little protein. Once they’re done, top the beans with toasted almonds, parmesan cheese, or crunchy bacon.

You can serve this dish on the side of almost anything. Green beans go well with my everyday baked chicken breast, rib eye steak, or even pork chops. If you’re looking for something a little lighter, serve the beans next to baked salmon, shrimp skewers, or cauliflower steaks.

Recipe variations

• Make it creamier by substituting the olive oil for unsalted butter.
• Can’t find French style green beans? Just use regular, uniform green beans instead.
• Want to make it oil-free? Replace the olive oil with water or vegetable or chicken stock.
• Need a classic Thanksgiving side dish? Use French green beans for extra flavor in a traditional green bean casserole.

More side dishes

Your next great dinner party will be a hit with all of these tasty side dishes:

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Sautéed Garlic Mushrooms With Thyme
• Miso Butter Glazed Carrots
• Sautéed Broccolini

If you fall in love with these Easy Garlic French Green Beans (Haricots Verts) as much as I think you will, make sure to post and tag @lenaskitchenblog on Instagram and use #lenaskitchenblog!