Greek Green Beans are slowly cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with potatoes. Flavorful and tender. A healthy weekday meal that can even be served as a side dish.
If you're still wondering why Greek Cuisine is considered being so healthy, since it contains foods like Gyros and Moussaka for example then I'll tell you why.
Because these foods aren't on our daily table. Instead, our weekday meals consist of Ladera fagita (oily veggie dishes), and legume soups. Like bean soup (Fasolatha), lentil soup (Fakes), and chickpea soup (Revuthia).
So if you can keep up with the amount of olive oil we use to make them (the Ladera mostly) then you can enjoy some really healthy, fuelling & fulfilling Greek dishes.
Other Ingredients You Can Add To Fasolakia
What's great with Fasolakia (green beans) is that you can add other ingredients to them and give them a whole new definition of flavor.
Sometimes I also like to add zucchinis to them.
Green beans and zucchini are a flavorful combination. To add zucchinis to the Fasolakia simply do so, by adding them towards the last 15 minutes of cooking. As they don't take long to cook.
Or you can cook them together with pork or beef chunks and create a delicious meat stew with green beans.
Round Or Flattened Ones To Make Greek Green Beans In Tomato Sauce?
You can use either one. But I always prefer best the flattened ones, aka Romano beans.
Using Fresh Or Frozen Green Beans?
Well, as with each and every food, fresh is always best. But there are foods whose flavor and texture don't change so much from fresh to frozen.
And green beans are one of those foods. So you can use whatever is more convenient for you.
I personally use fresh ones, when I can get my hands on some good & tender ones. Mostly in the summer months. But use frozen ones for the rest of the year. Since Fasolakia is a dish we enjoy all year round.
How To Pick Fresh Green Beans
Pick the ones that feel crispy, not soft when you touch them. Avoid the older ones, that tend to soften up (dehydrate) and don't have an even coloration.
How To Tenderize Fresh Green Beans
In this recipe, you saute the beans in lots of olive oil until they soften. Another way to tenderize fresh green beans is to boil them separately first and drain them in a strainer before using them.
SERVE WITH: A big piece of feta cheese. Or try serving them along with this delicious Spicy Greek Sausage dish. Beans and sausages = the best combination ever!
Greek Green Beans In Tomato Sauce (Fasolakia Ladera)
Ingredients
- 1 kg /2.3 lb flat green beans (such as Romano beans) fresh or frozen
- 150 ml olive oil
- 1 medium-sized onion minced
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 large very ripe tomatoes grated
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 4 medium-sized potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
- a handful of fresh parsley
Instructions
- With a knife remove stem and tips of the beans. Pull away any strings they may have.
- Heat olive oil in a medium sized pot over high heat.
- Caramelize the onion and garlic.
- Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add the grated tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes more until tomato drains down a bit.
- Cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for about 30 minutes partly covered.
- Add the potatoes and the fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for another 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked and the liquid in the pot has reduced down to an oily sauce.
- Serve with a big piece of Feta cheese and lots of bread!
Notes
Nutrition
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