French Beans Recipe (Punjabi Style Aloo Beans)

Aloo Beans recipe is a spiced, flavorful, tangy and tasty Punjabi style dish made with fresh, tender, green french beans and earthy potatoes. Super easy to make and quick, this beans recipe is made with minimum ingredients and yet tastes very good. The recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

About This French Beans Recipe

Generally, either people like french beans or they don’t. Growing up, I was never fond of them. Later after many years, when I learned this homestyle, authentic Punjabi aloo beans sabzi from my mother-in-law, I started relishing french beans.

This is a simple beans recipe that does not call for much time or many ingredients. Together with the french beans and potatoes, you only need fewer ground spices that are easily available in an Indian pantry.

For some tanginess in the dish, we add dry mango powder. Dry mango powder is also called ‘amchur’ in Hindi.

If you do not have dry mango powder, simply drizzle some lemon juice once the aloo beans dish is complete and done.

Also this is a dry vegetable sautéed dish that does not include water or other liquids. I make this beans recipe often when I want something easy and healthy to make.

If you like french beans, you can also try this Beans Poriyal recipe from the South Indian cuisine, that I make often. I am sure you will like it.

How to make Aloo Beans Recipe

Sauté Potatoes

1: Start by rinsing, draining all the water and then cutting 250 grams french beans and 3 to 4 medium-sized potatoes. Cut the french beans to 1 inch pieces. Peel the potatoes and then chop them as you prefer – either in wedges or 1.25 to 1.5 inches cubes.

In a thick bottomed heavy kadai (wok) or frying-pan add 3 tablespoons oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the chopped potatoes. Mix the potatoes with the oil.

Reduce the heat to low or medium-low and sauté the potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes. Keep on stirring while sautéing for even cooking.

Note: A well seasoned and heavy pan ensures that your potatoes do not stick while getting sautéed.

Sauté Green Beans

2: Add the chopped green beans. Mix well and continue to sauté for 8 to 10 minutes on low heat.

Make French Beans With Potatoes

3: Sprinkle ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder and salt as required. Mix thoroughly.

Let the vegetables gently get sautéed in the oil on a low heat for a further 8 to 10 minutes. Stir at intervals for even cooking.

If you want the vegetables to cook quickly then you can cover the kadai or wok with a lid. But, remember to check it after a few minutes or so.

If you cover the veggies they will loose their crispiness. But this method works when you are in a hurry or short of time.

I don’t cover the kadai when cooking this recipe. I simply cook the veggies on a low heat, stirring as needed. This does takes some time but worth it.

4: When the vegetables are tender and cooked well, add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or as needed.

5: Mix and combine well. If you prefer you can garnish aloo beans with some chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestions

Serve aloo beans sabzi warm or hot with roti, paratha and curd (yogurt). If choosing to have this aloo beans recipe with a side of yogurt, then sweeten the yogurt with some sugar.

You can also choose to serve this beans recipe as a side vegetable dish with any Indian main course. It also pairs well as a side dish with dal-fry and steamed rice.

Storage

Refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 1 day. While reheating, simply warm the veggies by sautéing in a frying pan, sprinkling some water if needed.

Expert Tips

• Cooking green beans, option 1: For the beans and potatoes to cook faster, it is better if you cover your pan or kadai with a lid or plate. To ensure that the veggies don’t get burnt, add some water on the lid of the pan. This is applicable only if you are using an external plate with a side rim that can hold water.
• Cooking french beans, option 2: If you are using a pan which has its own lid, then just cover it and let the french beans and potatoes cook on a low heat. If the veggies start to stick to the pan, add some splashes of water. Mix and continue to cook. Generally, when we make this beans aloo recipe, we just let the veggies cook in the kadai on a low heat without covering with any lid. However, If you choose to cover with the lid then the veggies will cook fast but will lose their crispiness.
• Add-ins: If you add 2 to 3 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala to this aloo beans recipe, it tastes awesome. This aloo beans recipe can also be made with capsicum (green bell pepper) instead of French Beans. Get that recipe here – Aloo Capsicum Recipe.
• More tanginess: If you want the aloo beans sabzi to be more tangy and sour, then add a total of 1½ to 2 teaspoons of amchur powder. If you do not have dry mango powder, then squeeze about ½ to 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice once the dish has completed cooking. 
• Fats: Instead of vegetable oil, you could use ghee and even olive oil to make this recipe.

Few more tasty recipes for you!

1. Aloo Gobi
2. Potato Fry
3. Aloo Methi
4. Aloo Baingan

If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it in the recipe card or leave a comment below – I’d love to hear your feedback. For more vegetarian inspiration, sign up for my email updates or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or X.

This French Beans recipe from the blog archives was first published in Jun 2009. It has been updated on December 2024.