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Haricots verts persillés

Green beans with garlic and parsley

Haricots verts persillés: French green beans with butter, garlic and parsley

Haricots verts persillés are the green beans that sit beside roast chicken, an omelette or a plate of potatoes in homes all over France, especially in June and July when fine beans are at their best. They are blanched until just tender, then tossed in foaming butter with a little garlic and lots of chopped parsley, so they stay bright green with a slight snap. Using olive oil instead of butter makes them vegan. The most common mistake is cooking the beans in too little water, so it stops boiling and they turn olive-grey; use a big pot of well-salted water. Chef's tip: cool the beans in iced water after blanching if you want to make them ahead, then warm them in the butter just before serving.
Total time
15 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4
  • 1 ⅛ lb fine green beansstalk ends trimmed
  • 1 tbsp saltfor the water, plus a pinch to finish
  • ⅞ oz butteror 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlicvery finely chopped
  • ½ oz flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil with most of 1 tbsp salt.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb fine green beans and boil uncovered until bright green and tender with a slight bite, 4–5 minutes for fine beans. Bite one to check.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Drain well. Melt ⅞ oz butter in the empty pot or a frying pan over a medium heat until it foams, add 1 clove garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant but not coloured.

  4. Step 4: Add the beans, ½ oz flat-leaf parsley, ¼ tsp black pepper and a pinch of the remaining salt and toss for 1 minute until glossy and hot through. Serve straight away.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
80 kcal
Protein
2 g
Carbs
7 g
Fat
5 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does haricots verts persillés take?
About 15 minutes in total: 7 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
What can I use instead of garlic?
½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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