The quickest and best way to cook green beans is in a wok. The beans cook evenly, stay bright green, and have a crispy deliciousness that gets lost with other cooking methods. If you don’t have a wok, you can do well with a large cast iron skillet.
One of the best things about this cooking method is that the beans can be prepared ahead of time and served at room temperature. Watch out for nibblers who might find these delicious beans irresistible for snacking.

French Green Beans With Hazelnuts and Mustard Seeds Recipe
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag of cleaned haricots verts available at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup toasted crushed hazelnuts
- 1 tbsp. brown mustard seeds
- Zest of half a lemon
- 1 tsp. flake sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat a wok or cast iron skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat until just smoking.
- Add beans. Stir beans and let them blister in spots for 3-4 minutes.
- Add hazelnuts, mustard seeds, and salt. Toss to combine. Add lemon zest and remove from heat.
- Beans should be bright green and well integrated with nuts and seeds.
Serve at room temperature.