This haricot vert recipe with caramelized onions is a crisp and delicious side dish. Savory brown mushrooms and pearl onions pack extra flavor!
Recipe Science
- Caramelizing onions in oil brings out their sweetness, breaking down their sugars during slow cooking for a deep, rich flavor.
- Blanching haricot verts briefly softens them while preserving their vibrant green color and tender crisp texture.
- Shocking the beans in an ice bath stops cooking, locking in their color and firmness and preventing overcooking.
Jump To a Section
Featured Comment 4
Just made these tonight and they were delicious! Even my kids loved the caramelized pearl onions!! Thank you for sharing a delicious recipe and easy to follow steps!—Kristen
Why It Works
If you’re looking for an elegant and flavorful side dish, my haricot verts with caramelized onions and mushrooms are the perfect choice. The French green bean recipe pairs beautifully with the rich, savory flavor of caramelized onions and earthy mushrooms. It’s a versatile side dish for any meal, especially your Thanksgiving dinner.
What makes this recipe work is the careful layering of flavors and techniques. Blanching the haricot verts locks in their color and crispness. Caramelizing the onions adds sweetness; the sautéed mushrooms bring a rich, umami flavor. These steps ensure a perfectly balanced vegetable side dish that’s easy to prepare but impressive enough to serve at any gathering.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Beans: When buying green beans at the grocery store, look for haricot verts on the packaging label. French green beans are thinner and more tender than regular or string beans.
- Onions: Pearl onions are great for caramelizing because of their natural sweetness and small, uniform size, which allows them to cook evenly. Shallots are sauteed in butter for a delicate onion and garlic taste.
- Mushrooms: Brown mushrooms, such as cremini or baby bellas, have a rich, earthy flavor that complements the fresh, crisp taste of green beans. Their meaty texture adds depth and heartiness to the dish.
- Oil: Fruity olive oil caramelizes the pearl onion and saute the mushrooms.
- Herbs: Thyme adds a subtle earthy and herbal note. Its slightly woodsy and peppery aroma pairs well with the vegetables.
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper enhance the savory taste of the haricot vert recipe.
- Broth: Vegetable broth absorbs more savory flavor into the fresh green beans.
- Butter: The melted butter coats the ingredients and adds richness.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This haricot verts recipe is easy to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Green Bean Swaps: If you can’t find haricot verts, use traditional green beans. Cut them down into smaller 3 to 4-inch pieces. Add more cooking time if needed to tenderize the thicker beans.
- Onion Substitutes: Use other types of onions, such as yellow, white, red, or sweet. Slice into 1/4-inch pieces, then carmelize the onions.
- Mushroom Options: Use other types of mushrooms like the white button, oyster, king, or portobello.
- Butter Swap: Use coconut oil, margarine, or plant-based butter.
- Herbs: Add concentrated herb flavor with Italian seasoning. Add chopped sage, tarragon, chives, basil, or oregano.
- Seasoning: Add garlic power, minced garlic, onion powder, cumin, paprika, or cayenne for heat.
- Citrus: Serve the haricot verts with a squeeze of lemon juice or orange. Grating fresh zest and tossing with the vegetables adds a beautiful citrus aroma.
How to Make Haricot Verts
Step 1: Cook the Onions
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook undisturbed until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium-low if needed to prevent burning. Flip and cook until both sides are golden and tender, about 30 minutes. Adjust the cooking time as needed to caramelize the onions.
Step 2: Cook the Green Beans
The green beans are cooked using the “blanch and shock” method. Boil them in a pot of salted water until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. The beans are quickly blanched to preserve their color and crisp texture. Immediately transfer the beans to the ice water to stop cooking, locking in their vibrant green hue and freshness. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly and set aside.
Step 3: Cook the Mushrooms
Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the mushrooms until they release moisture and brown, about 6 minutes. As the liquid evaporates, the mushrooms will develop a rich, savory flavor and a golden-brown color, adding depth to the dish.
Step 4: Add the Seasoning
Cook the shallots, thyme, caramelized onions, salt, and pepper in melted butter. The thyme adds an earthy aroma, while the caramelized onions deepen the savory flavor. Pour in the broth and simmer, allowing the liquid to reduce and concentrate the flavors.
Step 5: Reheat the Beans
Reheat the blanched beans in melted butter in the same pan used to cook the onions. This allows the beans to absorb the rich flavors from the onions and butter while maintaining their tender yet crisp texture.
Step 6: To Serve
Transfer the haricot verts to a serving dish, then pour the savory mushroom mixture over the top. It pairs perfectly with roast turkey and mashed potatoes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Haricot verts, also known as French green beans, are a thinner and more delicate variety of green beans. They have a finer texture and cook more quickly than regular green beans because they are harvested earlier, resulting in a smaller size. They are typically more tender and have a slightly more pronounced flavor, making them ideal for quick cooking methods like blanching, sautéing, or steaming.
Why caramelize onions? Because they add a sweet, savory umami punch that elevates any dish. It takes some patience—around 30 minutes—but the result is worth it. Use a thin layer of oil over medium-low heat (butter burns too quickly), and if the onions brown too fast, lower the heat. Cook them in a single layer, cut side down, to avoid steaming and allow moisture to evaporate. This lets the sugars in the onions caramelize, creating rich brown color and deep flavor. Stir occasionally for even browning, and cook until the onions are soft, sweet, and richly browned.
Serve This With
If you tried this Haricot Vert recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Haricot Verts Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled, halved if large
- 12 ounces haricot verts
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 ounces brown mushrooms, ¼" thick slices
- ¼ cup minced shallots
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
Instructions
- Cook the Onions – Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, without moving, until golden brown. If needed, reduce heat to medium-low if browning too quickly. Turn the onions over and let them cook until both sides are tender, about 30 minutes total. Set aside.
- Cook the Haricot Verts – Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the beans until bright green and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and add to the ice water, cool for at least 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
- Cook the Mushrooms – Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and reduce the heat to medium. Saute until they release all their liquid and start to brown, about 6 minutes.
- Add the Seasoning – Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Add shallots, thyme, salt, pepper, and reserved caramelized onions. Saute until shallots have softened, about 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer until the stock is reduced about 2 minutes.
- Reheat the Beans – In the large pan used to cook the onions, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the beans, stir and cook until hot, about 5 minutes.
- To Serve – Transfer the haricot verts to a serving dish. Pour the mushroom mixture on top.
Notes
- Pearl Onions Substitute: Use yellow onions sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Stir and cook until caramelized.
- Storing: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Kristina Beville says
The flavor profile on these were amazing! I switched the Pearl Onions and Shallots out for Leeks (Still learning online shopping—I ended up with SO MANY) and fresh thyme for dried (did not have fresh)… These paired very well with game meat (Red Meat). Thank you so much! Post COVID meal definitely brought some soul back into me 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
I’m so happy to hear that cooking is been a great outlet for you. Thank you for making the haricot verts recipe!
Kristen says
Just made these tonight and they were delicious! Even my kids loved the caramelized pearl onions!! Thank you for sharing a delicious recipe and easy to follow steps!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you Kristen! That means a lot if the kiddo’s liked them too 🙂