Green Beans with Brown Butter, Crispy Shallots, and Hazelnuts
This green beans with brown butter, crispy shallots, and hazelnuts recipe is a simple yet elegant side dish. Get the easy steps for perfect crunch every time!
A natural next stop: Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta with Hazelnuts or Skillet Creamy Sweet Potatoes & Lentils.
Why Green Beans with Brown Butter and Crispy Shallots Work
Brown butter brings a nutty depth that green beans soak up beautifully, while crispy shallots add a salty crunch and toasted hazelnuts bring earthiness. It’s a simple side that feels special without much fuss. The trick is timing: the shallots need a good 12 minutes to turn golden, and the green beans only a quick 3 to 5 minutes in boiling salted water so they stay crisp. Everything comes together fast once the butter browns, just toss the drained beans in that fragrant butter, season, and top with the crispy toppings.
3 Reasons to Love This Green Beans Recipe
- Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor without needing a long ingredient list.
- Crispy shallots give you that satisfying crunch in every bite, and they stay crunchy even after cooling.
- This dish works for weeknights and special occasions like Thanksgiving; it’s easy enough for any cook but impressive enough to serve guests.
Key Ingredients for the Best Green Beans Recipe
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best so you can control the salt level. Watch it carefully while browning, it goes from golden to burnt quickly.
- Shallots: Look for firm, dry shallots with papery skins. Slicing them thinly and evenly ensures they fry uniformly without burning.
- Hazelnuts: Toasting brings out their flavor. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and the skins start to blister. Rub off the skins with a clean towel if you prefer.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need for This Easy Side Dish
- Medium skillet for frying shallots and browning butter
- Large pot for boiling green beans
- Slotted spoon to remove shallots from oil
- Wooden spoon for stirring brown butter
- Paper towels for draining crispy shallots
Tips for Perfect Brown Butter Green Beans Every Time
Watch the butter closely once it melts and starts to foam. Stir with a wooden spoon and remove the pan from heat as soon as the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, this happens quickly and burnt butter tastes bitter. For the shallots, start them in cold oil over high heat until bubbles appear, then drop to medium and stir often. They’ll go from pale to golden in about 12 minutes; drain them on paper towels so they crisp as they cool.
Don’t skip salting the boiling water for the green beans, it seasons them from the inside out. And pull the beans from the water while they still have a little bite; they’ll continue cooking slightly from the residual heat when you toss them with the brown butter.
How to Brown Butter Without Burning It
Brown butter is the backbone of this dish, and it’s easy to get right with a little focus. Cut the butter into pieces so it melts evenly. Melt it in a light-colored skillet (so you can see the color change) over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. After the butter melts, it will foam, that’s steam escaping. Keep stirring until the foam subsides and you see golden brown specks forming on the bottom of the pan. The second you smell a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl if you’re not using it right away, since the hot pan will continue to toast it.
3 Easy Variations for This Green Beans Side Dish
Swap the hazelnuts with toasted almonds or pecans for a different nutty note. If you want a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the brown butter before tossing the beans. For a dairy-free version, use a vegan butter substitute and brown it the same way, just know that the flavor won’t deepen quite as much, so consider adding a splash of tamari or a squeeze of lemon to boost complexity.
What to Serve with Brown Butter Green Beans
These green beans are a natural side for roasted chicken, grilled steak, or pan-seared fish. The nutty brown butter and crunchy shallots also pair well with creamy mashed potatoes or a simple rice pilaf. For a Thanksgiving spread, place them next to roasted turkey and stuffing, the bright green color and crisp texture stand out on a plate of soft, rich dishes.
How to Store Leftover Green Beans with Brown Butter
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The green beans will soften and the shallots will lose their crispness, so this dish is best enjoyed the day you make it. If you must prepare ahead, blanch the beans and fry the shallots separately, then finish with brown butter and assembly just before serving.
Best Way to Reheat These Crispy Shallot Green Beans
To revive leftovers, reheat the green beans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing occasionally until warmed through. The shallots will have softened, so consider sprinkling on a fresh batch of crispy shallots or additional toasted hazelnuts right before serving to bring back the crunch.
Green Beans with Brown Butter: Your Questions Answered
Can I use frozen green beans for this recipe?
Yes, but they’ll be more tender since they’re pre-blanched. Thaw them first and pat dry to remove excess moisture. Cook them for only about 2 minutes in boiling water just to heat through, then proceed with the brown butter step.
How do I prevent the shallots from burning?
Start them in cold oil over high heat until bubbling, then reduce to medium and stir often. They should cook for about 12 minutes until golden. If they start browning too fast, lower the heat slightly. Remove them with a slotted spoon as soon as they’re the right color, they’ll continue to crisp as they cool on paper towels.
Can I make the crispy shallots ahead of time?
Absolutely. Fry the shallots up to 2 days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay crunchy if kept dry. Just re-crisp them in a 300°F oven for 2-3 minutes if needed.
Recipe
Green Beans with Brown Butter, Crispy Shallots, and Hazelnuts
Fresh green beans with brown butter, crispy shallots, and hazelnuts. This simple vegetable side dish goes great with any meal.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp canola oil
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1.5 lb green beans, ends snapped off
- 3 tbsp butter
- 0.33 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place oil in a medium skillet and add the shallots. Turn the heat to high and cook until the shallots start to bubble. Reduce heat to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until shallots are golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. The shallots will crisp up as they cool.
- 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add the green beans and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Don't overcook the beans. You want them to be crisp.
- 3
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon as it starts to foam. Remove the butter from heat as soon as it begins to turn golden brown and smells nutty. Drain the green beans and add them to the skillet with the brown butter. Toss until all of the green beans are well coated. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- 4
Transfer green beans to a serving bowl or platter and top with crispy shallots and toasted hazelnuts. Serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calorie breakdown
How this was calculated — 7 of 7 ingredients matched
Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.
Open in analyzerKeyword: glutenFree, holiday, side dish, Skillet, thanksgiving, vegetarian
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