French Green Beans with Shallots and Sesame Ginger Sauce

These blistered French green beans with shallots and sesame ginger sauce make a perfectly elevated Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish! This recipe calls for just 7 ingredients and 20 minutes of your time. They’re also gluten-free!

They can even be made ahead and simply tossed in the pan for 5 minutes before serving! Just the time it takes to drink half a Thanksgiving cocktail in the kitchen, and done!

French Green Beans with Shallots and Sesame Ginger Sauce

Goodness! It’s the tastiest time of the year, and I think I have my Thanksgiving side dishes all set! I’m going to serve these blistered French green beans with baked mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and herbed goat cheese, these pretty vegan squash rosettes and a roasted Brussels sprouts salad with deviled quail eggs!

I also think I’m going to make this White Pumpkin my signature cocktail and either pumpkin flan with chai whipped cream or cranberry apple crisp with maple granola for dessert… or both!

A Few Tips!

1. Slice your shallots nice and thin.

Slice the shallots about half-an-inch thin, they’ll get nice and crispy that way. It’s also OK if one side of them blackens a little bit in the pan – just make sure not to blacken both sides. Then they’re just burned 😉

2. Snip the little ends of the beans.

Make sure to slice off the little stems of the beans before sautéing. They’re not very appetizing, even when cooked.

A Few Common Questions:

1. What’s the difference between a shallot and an onion?

A shallot is a more mildly-flavored vegetable than an onion, making them ideal for salads and eating raw. They also have a bit of a garlic essence that onions don’t have, so even though they’re mild, they still have a nice, distinctive flavor. I like shallots for this recipe because I want the sesame and French beans to be the stars of the show, and onion would be a bit overpowering.

But if you have trouble finding shallots in your food store, you can simply replace them with either pearl onions or small red onions. Just use only 8 oz. of onion once sliced.

2. What’s the difference between French green beans and regular green beans?

French beans (or “haricot vert” in French) are thinner, shorter and are more tender than green beans. They cook faster and I like them for this recipe because since the ends are thin, they get a little crispy while the rest of the bean stays nice and tender.

You can certainly replace them with green beans if you have trouble finding french beans, but you’ll want to sauté them for 2-3 more minutes.

3. Can you make this recipe ahead of time and reheat?

Yes, but you’ll want to undercook them a little. This recipe calls for blistering the beans for a 7-8 minutes. I would let them sit in the pan for just 5-7 minutes, so they don’t wilt when reheating.

Cook the shallots as the recipe instructs, but again, sauté the beans in a pan for 5-7 minutes, combine with cooked shallots and sesame sauce, then refrigerate in a container with a lid. To reheat, sauté them again in a pan for just 4-6 minutes and serve.

4. What do I need to make this recipe?

• Cutting board
• Sharp knife
• vegetable peeler
• zester/fine grater
• sauté pan
• spatula
• small mixing bowl

How to Make French Green Beans with Shallots and Sesame Ginger Sauce – Step by Step

1. Peel and grate 1 tbsp. of fresh ginger. Set aside.

2. Slice 6 small-medium shallots into half-inch slices, yielding 12 oz. (340g) when sliced.

3. Add 2 tbsp. sesame oil to a sauté pan, then evenly distribute the sliced shallots. Turn heat to medium.

4. Sauté shallots for 4 minutes without moving them, then loosen them from the pan and flip them with a spatula. Add 1 tbsp. ginger, and allow shallots to evenly brown for 4 more minutes. When nice and brown, remove shallots and ginger from the pan and set aside.

5. Add 2 more tbsp. of sesame oil to the pan with 12 oz. (340g) French beans. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and allow beans to blister for 7-8 minutes, tossing them with the spatula, occasionally.

6. While beans blister, mix together 3 tbsp. sesame oil, 1½ tsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce), 2 tsp. honey mustard, 1 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice. Once the beans are finished, turn off the heat, add the shallots and sesame sauce. Use the spatula to toss the beans and shallots in the sauce until nicely coated. Remove from pan and serve.

You can also give them a nice sprinkle of sesame seeds to make them a little more exciting 😉

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