Brown Butter haricots verts with sage
If you’re looking for a side dish that’s simple yet packed with flavor, let me introduce you to brown butter haricots verts with sage.
The nutty richness of brown butter combined with the earthy aroma of sage takes these tender green beans to a whole new level. And it’s naturally gluten-free, so no need to worry about celiac allergies in the house.
So, what exactly are haricots verts? They’re the fancy French cousin of the green beans we all know and love. Slightly thinner, more tender, and with a delicate flavor, haricots verts cook quickly and look so refined on the plate.
Pairing them with brown butter not only enhances their natural sweetness but also adds a toasty, almost caramel-like depth that’s incredibly satisfying. Plus, the crispy sage leaves are a small touch that makes a big impression.
What’s great about this dish is its versatility. It pairs beautifully with roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or even a hearty steak. The savory, buttery flavors balance out rich mains, but it’s also light enough to complement vegetarian options.
gather your ingredients
- Haricots Verts – I almost always use these for our green beans. They cook faster and taste better to me. But you can also use regular green beans for this recipe
- Butter – we are going to use about half a stick of butter and toast it until it’s nutty and brown
- Sage – toasted sage adds an earthy, citrusy bite to these green beans. I’m using fresh sage here.
- Salt – everything needs salt, my friends.
- Lemon – this is optional, but a quick squeeze of fresh lemon on the finished dish adds a bright flavor.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It is so simple but tastes like an elevated side dish
- naturally gluten-free
- pairs well with many main dishes
recipe tidbits
Browning butter is not hard but it does take some practice so you can recognize when it’s done. Butter can go from melted to brown to burnt very quickly and no one wants to eat bitter burnt butter.
My best tip is to continue to stir the butter over medium-high heat – do not walk away! It will melt – foam – sizzle – turn golden – and finally create brown specks. The brown specks are the toasted milk solids. Once you see brown specks, take it off the heat. The whole process takes 5-7 minutes.
Brown Butter French Green Beans with Sage
Equipment
- pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 1 pound haricots verts washed and picked over
- 4 tbsp salted butter sliced up
- 3-4 sage leaves
- quick squeeze of lemon optional
Instructions
- Bring a salted pot or skillet of water to a rolling boil. Add in green beans and boil until tender but a little crisp, about 6 minutes. If you like your beans very crisp, you can take them out at 5 minutes. If you like softer beans, cook them for 7 minutes. Drain beans and then place in a serving dish.
- In a small pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add in the sage leaves. Stir the butter continuously during the browning process. You will first see it foam, and then after 5 minutes, it will turn golden. When you see brown specks in the mixture at the bottom (these are the toasted milk solids) – it's done. Remove from heat immediately and take out the crispy sage leaves. Set aside the sage aside.
- Pour the brown butter, including the brown specks, all over the cooked haricots verts. Top with the crispy sage leaves. Season with more salt if needed and serve immediately.
