This green bean and mushroom side dish is a delicious combination of tender green beans, shallots, earthy mushrooms, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Elegant, simple, and full of flavor, it pairs well with almost any main course.
Green beans are one of those vegetables that are always a hit at the dinner table. When cooked just right—tender yet crisp and vibrantly green—they become the perfect addition to any meal. This green bean and mushroom dish takes things up a notch with the addition of sweet pearl onions, earthy mushrooms, and aromatic shallots. The garlic brings a rich depth of flavor, while a splash of balsamic vinegar adds the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. It’s a simple yet elegant side dish that’s packed with flavor and ready to complement a variety of main courses.
What I love about this dish is how the ingredients all come together so beautifully. The green beans remain crisp and fresh, while the mushrooms and onions soak up all the savory goodness from the garlic and balsamic. It’s such a great way to elevate a basic vegetable side, turning it into something truly delicious. Plus, it’s incredibly versatile—whether you're serving it with roasted chicken, grilled steak, or even a vegetarian meal, this dish works wonders alongside almost anything. Best of all, it’s quick and easy to prepare, making it a go-to for weeknight dinners and special occasions alike.
Ingredients:
1 lb green beans
1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ lb pearl onions, fresh or frozen, peeled (defrost if using frozen)
1-2 shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 garlic cloves
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
How To Make Green Beans With Mushrooms
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
While you are waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat and add the sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes.
Add the pearl onions, season with more salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until both the mushrooms and the onions are golden.
Add the shallots and the garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes more. Add the balsamic vinegar, scraping the bottom of the skillet to get all the browned bits loosened. This will add a lot of flavor to the dish. If your skillet still has a lot of brown bits, pour in a bit of water or broth.
When the water has boiled, add the green beans and cook for about 3 minutes, just until the beans are tender but still vibrant green and crisp. Drain the green beans. Add the green beans to the skillet with the mushrooms. Mix to combine. Serve immediately. You can reheat the green beans very well in a skillet.
Green Beans With Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans
- 1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lb pearl onions fresh or frozen, peeled (defrost if using frozen)
- 1-2 shallots thinly sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat and add the sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes. Add the pearl onions, season with more salt and pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until both the mushrooms and the onions are golden. Add the shallots and the garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes more. Add the balsamic vinegar, scraping the bottom of the skillet to get all the browned bits loosened. This will add a lot of flavor to the dish. If your skillet still has a lot of brown bits, pour in a bit of water or broth.
- When the water has boiled, add the green beans and cook for about 3 minutes, just until the beans are tender but still vibrant green and crisp. Drain the green beans. Add the green beans to the skillet with the mushrooms. Mix to combine. Serve immediately. You can reheat the green beans very well in a skillet.
This was great! Easy and delicious. A nice alternative to sautéed or roasted.
Thank you, Tatyana:).
I never tried making dish with green beans. I want to give it a try. I'm just curious how it tastes. Thanks Olga! Contacts on your new home!
It's hard to explain. Green beans are crisp and taste like green beans.I really can't think of anything to compare them to. We really like them.
A question that I constantly have with your blog -- what is a shallot?????? And what's a pearl onion? What do you recommend as a substitute - regular onion, leek, green onion, etc?
Here in the land of tulips and windmills, there are sweet onions, red onions, regular yellow-ish onions (don't know their name), and tiny pickled "silver onions."
This recipe looks yummy, though - just gotta fill in the gaps in my culinary knowledge!
That's a great questing, Jessica. Shallots are much more mild than onions, so I really like them for certain recipes. Pearl onions can be commonly found in the freezer section of the grocery store if they're not available with the fresh vegetables.
If you can't find either, just use regular onions.
Olga, I am completely in love with your kitchen so far. I dream of kitchen just like yours. Huge bonus is that you can just take pics right where you work! Looking forward to your post.
Thank you so much, Natasha!
Green beans are also our favorite, even kids love to eat them! Usually I just make them with mushrooms and I add shredded Parmesan cheese right before serving
That's awesome, Natasha.
Green beans are so versatile; there are so many different ways to prepare them.