You can use thinly sliced onion in place of the shallots or substitute bacon or diced ham for the pancetta if that is what you have on hand. The secret to delicious green beans is using beans that are crispy fresh to begin with! Bend one in half; if it breaks easily, it’s fresh, if it just bends, without breaking, then it’s a little passed its prime and you’ll have a tougher time getting the beans to turn out well. The second tip is to not overcook the beans (though if they are older, you might have to cook them longer than usual to get them tender), and to douse them in an ice water bath after boiling to seal in their bright green color and to stop the cooking.
More Great Recipes for Green Beans!
Green Bean Casserole from Scratch Pressure Cooker Green Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon Green Beans with Bacon Creamy Green Beans and Mushrooms Stir Fried Green Beans with Ginger and Onions
Note: Test one, if it is “chewy” keep the beans cooking a bit longer. If you are using French cut beans, or extra thin beans, they may not need to cook as long as 4 minutes; start testing them at 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir constantly until the beans are hot and are well mixed with the shallots and pancetta. Serve immediately.
