Green Beans with Hazelnuts and Crème Fraîche is the side dish recipe you didn’t know you needed in your life! Tender green beans are sauteéd with shallots and tossed with lemon and créme fraîche to make a tangy, bright sauce. Add some chopped hazelnuts and fresh soft herbs and you’ve got a totally unexpected, fresh and fast take on green beans.
But ugh, I can’t believe I’m sharing these pictures with you…
Full disclosure: I photographed this recipe months ago (read: 6 months ago). They are a perfect example of where my skill level was at this point-very inconsistent! And I remember taking these on a day when I didn’t really feel like taking pictures…and it shows. But they are a part of me, my process, and my (hopefully obvious) growth as a food photographer so here we go!
I found this recipe when I was planning a big French dinner for a group of friends shortly before we left for a two week trip to France. I needed a side dish and what could be more French than haricots verts with crème fraîche, tarragon and parsley? You can use any soft fresh herbs you like (e.g. parsley, dill, chervil, chives, or tarragon) but start slowly with the less-familiar, more potent herbs (dill and tarragon) because they can quickly overwhelm the dish if you add too much. And don’t you be tempted to substitute sour cream here! The beauty of this recipe is the luxurious, tangy crème fraîche to coat the green beans. (Side note: I buy mine at Trader Joe’s; it’s delicious and very reasonably priced-and I put it on everything.)
If you’re looking for a totally unique side dish for the holidays, this might be it. Try it out on your unsuspecting family! Did I mention it can be on your table in less than 15 minutes?!
And whew! Glad to get this one off my chest. Thanks for sticking around to see it through.
Green Beans with Hazelnuts and Crème Fraîche
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Tender green beans are sauteéd with shallots and tossed with lemon and créme fraîche to make a tangy, bright sauce. Add some chopped hazelnuts and fresh soft herbs and you’ve got a totally unexpected, fresh and fast take on green beans.
Ingredients
- 1 pound haricots verts or green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 3 to 4 tablespoons crème fraiche
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves, optional
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to set the color.
- In the same pot, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beans and toss to combine; cook until warmed through. Add the lemon juice and crème fraîche, stirring to coat the beans. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with the lemon zest, hazelnuts and fresh herbs.
Notes
Inspiration: Green Beans in Hazelnuts and Crème Fraiche on cookingchanneltv.com
- Category: Vegetable Sides
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