Mother Would Know

Home Cooking Beats Take-Out

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • About
    • About Laura / Mother Would Know
    • Privacy Policy
    • Websites I Love
  • Recipes
    • Browse All Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beef & Lamb
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Sweets
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Grains
    • Pasta & Noodles
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Poultry
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Soups & Stews
    • Vegetables
  • Kernels of Wisdom
    • Browse All Kernels
    • Cooking Equipment
    • Definitions
    • Ingredients
    • Techniques
  • Archives
  • In The News
  • Work With Me
    • For Companies, Brands, & Trade Associations
    • For Individuals
  • Contact

String Beans and Shallots

June 26, 2018 by Laura 17 Comments

Sharing is caring!

139 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This String Beans and Shallots recipe is a quick and easy salad that keeps well at room temperature. It’s a favorite of ours all year round. Perfect for summer, it’s also great as a side dish in cooler weather. 

You can easily bring this dish to picnics, or make it for a barbecue or potluck. When I heard that our theme for this month’s Progressive Eats was Summer Barbecue, I knew that String Beans and Shallots (also known as Green Beans and Shallots) had to be my contribution. 

String Beans and Shallots on fork

The recipe comes from my good friend Mark Evans. He and his wife Carole love good food and are generous about sharing their culinary knowledge and skills. They are the source for my favorite guacamole recipe and Mark gave me my first lesson is sous vide cooking. (I still haven’t tried it on my own, but that’s on my bucket list for this coming year.)

Mark and Carole Evans, who gave me the recipe for string beans and shallots

When I asked Carole if there is a back story to this recipe, she responded that Mark had whipped it up when we asked them to bring a vegetable dish as their contribution to one of our dinners. That was probably a decade ago and we’ve been enjoying them ever since. 

Normally when I think of barbecue, I’m all about the meat. However, of late, I’ve realized that vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes are a must. Besides, there is nothing better than a delicious summer salad or grilled vegetables. If you make this dish for a barbecue, you’ll find even the confirmed meat-eaters hanging around to grab a few extra beans as they pile food on their plate. they might even come back for seconds – if there are any.

This String Beans and Shallots recipe is truly a breeze to make. It has only six ingredients, including salt and pepper. That means, each ingredient should shine. Fresh string beans (green beans) barely cooked, shallots (no subbing regular yellow onions, please), good kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper and Aleppo pepper (if you have it) make this simple dish memorable. 

Ingredients for String Beans and Shallots

I like to serve the dish at room temperature, but it’s also good cold. Even better the next day, make more than enough so you have leftovers. The shallots and garlic give it a nice kick. Aleppo pepper adds a slight hint of spiciness without overwhelming the dish. The olive oil makes the salad glisten, yet it isn’t oily. A great addition to the BBQ side table, people inevitably come back for more once they taste it. 

String Beans and Shallots in the pot, done and ready to go into a serving dish

String Beans and Shallots is versatile too. After I made the batch for this post, I refrigerated them and added them to a simple romaine lettuce and chopped tomato salad. What a fabulous combination! 

Progressive Eats logo

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in our menu this month features Citrus. Our host this month is Barb from Creative Culinary.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, the host chooses the theme for the month and members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party. Then you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

Progressive Eats logoA Summer Barbecue!

Cocktails & Other Beverages

  • Sparkling Blackberry Peach Sangria – The Redhead Baker

Appetizers

  • Ensalada Caprese Bites – The Wicked Noodle
  • String Beans and Shallots – Mother Would Know (you’re here!)

Bread

  • Grilled Crostini Four Ways – Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Main Courses

  • BBQ Green Chile Bacon Burger – The Heritage Cook
  • Grilled Skewers of Halloumi, Peppers, Tomatoes and Onions over Zoodles – The Wimpy Vegetarian

Side Dishes

  • Quinoa Tabbouleh with Grilled Vegetables – From a Chef’s Kitchen

Desserts

  • Reeses Rice Krispie Treats – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
  • Key Lime Pie with Whipped Cream and Lime Zest – Creative Culinary 
5 from 4 votes
Print

String Beans and Shallots

This six ingredient salad will surely become one of your go-to summer recipes. It takes only a few minutes to prepare and goes with any meat or vegetable main dishes at a barbecue or pot luck. 

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword green beans, shallots, string beans
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Laura

Ingredients

  • 1 pound string beans, ends clipped off if necessary
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 5 shallots (medium-sized), thinly sliced About 1 cup sliced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 pinch Aleppo pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Steam the string beans until barely cooked. (It will probably take less than 5 minutes - watch carefully and test one after a few minutes so they don't overcook.) Immediately after they are done, plunge them in ice cold water, add ice cubes on top. Once they are cooled, drain and dry them. 

    string beans in ice water after being steamed
  2. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven large enough to hold the beans. Sauté the shallots over medium-high heat for about 5 -7 minutes, until they are just starting to brown. Add the sliced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so. 

  3. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, add the (drained and dried) cooked beans. Toss them well and add salt and pepper to taste. Also add the optional Aleppo pepper if using it. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled

    String Beans and Shallots done in pot

String Beans and Shallots, in a bowl and ready to eat

Filed Under: Archives, Recipes, Salads, Vegetables Tagged With: barbecue, green beans, picnic, pot luck, Progressive Eats, shallots, string beans

« What is Aleppo Pepper and How to Use It?
Cast Iron Orange Olive Oil Upside Down Cake »

Comments

  1. Jane, The Heritage Cook says

    June 26, 2018 at 11:54 am

    5 stars
    This is one of my all time favorite side dishes that goes with any main course. My mouth is officially watering now!!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      June 26, 2018 at 5:14 pm

      Jane, We’re so alike in our food tastes. I do love this one, both for it’s taste and how easily it comes together. Perfect barbecue food.

      Reply
  2. Liz says

    June 26, 2018 at 11:58 am

    5 stars
    Such a scrumptious summer side! I can’t wait to try it—and I know I have some Alpeppo buried somewhere amongst my spices!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      June 26, 2018 at 5:12 pm

      Thanks Liz. It’s a great one to try while your kitchen is under renovation. You only need one burner and it’s not very messy:).

      Reply
  3. thewimpyvegetarian says

    June 26, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    This is a wonderful summer dish! I think I’ll make these this weekend. I even have Aleppo on hand. I actually tried to grow string beans one year, we love them so much, but it was a disappointing harvest. So now I just pick up a few handfuls whenever I’m at the store or Farmer’s market.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      June 26, 2018 at 5:12 pm

      Many thanks Susan. I’m not surprised that you have Aleppo pepper – you probably even have loads of ideas for recipes that use it. (I’m new to the spice, but enjoying it immensely already.) And while I love the idea of growing vegetables, in our tiny, shady urban backyard it’s not happening. So, like you, I pick up handfuls of string beans whenever I see them looking bright and crisp at the grocery or a farmers’ market.

      Reply
  4. Kristy Bernardo says

    June 26, 2018 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    My parents have a huge summer garden that I like to raid and now I have inspiration for the green beans! This dish looks heavenly!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 1, 2018 at 11:54 am

      Kristy, Delighted if I’ve given you inspiration. You’re lucky to have the bounty from your parents’ garden, maybe even without the need to weed and tend the plans as they grow:)

      Reply
  5. Karen says

    June 26, 2018 at 10:17 pm

    I could eat those like fries! They sound delicious and I love the story of your friends!

    Reply
  6. Carol Borchardt says

    June 27, 2018 at 2:39 pm

    5 stars
    These look great! Our beans are starting to come in like gangbusters so I’m always looking for new recipes for them. Going to try this!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 1, 2018 at 11:52 am

      So glad you like this recipe Carol. (It’s so easy and delicious.) I’m about to make another batch in just a few minutes.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome!

Join me for cooking adventures. You’ll gain confidence in your cooking abilities, find new ways to save time and money when preparing meals, and discover recipes and tips. Plus, we’ll enjoy ourselves.

Get 5 easy tips for home cooking success, checklists & recipes.

We never share your information.

Search

Follow Laura Kumin-MotherWouldKnow's board MotherWouldKnow Recipes & Tips on Pinterest.

Copyright © 2010-2025 Laura Kumin · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Implemented by WPopt

139 shares
  • 26
MENU & SEARCH
  • About
    • About Laura / Mother Would Know
    • Privacy Policy
    • Websites I Love
  • Recipes
    • Browse All Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beef & Lamb
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Sweets
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Grains
    • Pasta & Noodles
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Poultry
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces & Condiments
    • Soups & Stews
    • Vegetables
  • Kernels of Wisdom
    • Browse All Kernels
    • Cooking Equipment
    • Definitions
    • Ingredients
    • Techniques
  • Archives
  • In The News
  • Work With Me
    • For Companies, Brands, & Trade Associations
    • For Individuals
  • Contact