Cozy French Green Beans with Mushrooms and Leeks

Vibrant green beans and B-vitamin rich mushrooms topped with a creamy wine-based sauce—is this the ultimate healthy comfort food?

Serena Poon, CN, CHC, CHN   |  

Sep 10, 2024

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This French green bean recipe is a very traditional side dish, with some added nutritional and energetic benefits. Adding a variety of mushrooms into the dish gifts this recipe with a dynamic flavor profile and grounding energy. Earthy dishes can be extra comforting when experiencing stress and chaotic energy—or any time you’re simply craving a cozy meal.

Benefits of Eating French Green Beans with Mushrooms

Energetically, green beans can help balance the heart chakra, which guides openness, compassion and love. A balanced heart chakra can help you forge deeper connections with family and friends.

Wild mushrooms deliver an array of health benefits—these incredible fungi have been used in functional medicine for centuries. The wild mushrooms in this recipe are rich in B-vitamins, which support energy and vitality and also have antiviral properties—most of us will happily take any extra defense against cold and flu viruses that we can get, especially if they’re tasty!

Sautéed Green Bean Recipe

My French Green Beans with Mushroom Wine Sauce and Fried Leeks recipe seems like a sophisticated dish, but is actually fairly simple to make with minimal prep time and time on the skillet. To save even more time, you can prepare the sauce and beans six hours ahead and chill until use.

Ingredients

Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms and Leeks

• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 1 lb fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned, sliced and stemmed (shiitake, oyster, crimini, chanterelle, porcini are all good choices) 
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs3 TB chopped shallots
• ½ C Madeira wine (Marsala, Sherry, sweet dry rice wine also okay to use)
• 1 C whipping cream (coconut cream or cashew cream as vegan options)
• 1 lb fresh haricot verts (french green beans), trimmed Fresh ground black pepper, Himalayan or sea salt
• Avocado oil (for deep-frying)2 ea large leeks, thinly sliced crosswise (white parts only) 

Preparation

• Over med-high heat, melt 2 TB butter/vegan butter in a large heavy skillet or sauté pan.
• Add all the mushrooms and thyme sprigs and sauté for 4-5 minutes.
• Add 2 TB of shallots and continue to sauté until mushrooms are tender, about another 2-3 minutes.
• Add Madeira and simmer until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
• Add cream/vegan cream and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Set sauce aside.
• In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add a little bit of salt.
• Par-cook green beans in the large pot of boiling salted water until just tender (al dente), about 3-5 minutes. Drain.
• Transfer green beans to a bowl of ice water; allow to cool, about 3-4 minutes. Drain.
• Pour enough avocado oil into a large, deep saucepan to reach a depth of about 1.5”.
• Heat oil to 350°F.
• Place ¼ of sliced leeks in a small metal strainer.
• Lower strainer into oil; fry until golden, about 20-30 seconds. Lift strainer from oil. Drain leeks on paper towels.
• Repeat with remaining leeks in 3-4 more batches or until finished.
• Season leeks lightly with salt.
• Melt remaining 1 TB butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• Add green beans and remaining 1 TB shallots
• Lightly toss green beans to heat through, but not cook further.
• Season beans with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place beans on platter.
• Bring sauce to simmer.
• Spoon sauce over beans.
• Sprinkle the dish with the fried leeks as garnish.

 **Note: Sauce and beans can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover separately, chill until use. 

By Serena Poon, CN, CHC, CHN

Serena Poon CN, CHC, CHN, Certified Nutritionist, Celebrity Chef & Longevity Wellness Expert Serena Poon, CN, CHC, CHN combines ... More about Serena Poon, CN, CHC, CHN