Tender green beans are braised in a savory tomato sauce with onions and garlic in this traditional Fasolakia or Greek Green Beans recipe. A perfect side dish for a weeknight meal, Fasolakia Ladera can be served with your favorite Mediterranean roasted chicken, beef or seafood recipes.
Fasolakia Ladera
Greek-style green beans are made with generous amounts of olive oil, known as Ladera. In Greek, Ladera consists of plain or stuffed vegetables cooked in tomato, onion, garlic, and olive oil sauce.
Ladera dishes are popular in the summer when fresh vegetables are in season, and they are also consumed in large quantities during Lent when meat is not consumed.
My Vegan Gemista, or Greek Stuffed Vegetables is also categorized as Ladera.
Ingredients in Greek Green Beans
Greek Green Beans are made with simple ingredients that you are likely to have on hand in your pantry.
- green beans - fresh or frozen beans can be used. I prefer frozen for weeknight meals as they cook much faster than fresh green beans.
- extra virgin olive oil - the base of the sauce is olive oil, so use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for cooking the green beans and drizzling on the top at the end of cooking.
- tomato paste - adds depth of flavor by adding a touch of umami to the dish as well as thickening the sauce.
- tomato sauce - one 8 oz can of low sodium tomato sauce is used as the braising liquid for the green beans.
- garlic paste - the texture of garlic paste is ideal for fasolakia as it adds texture to the sauce as well as great garlic flavor. You can also mince fresh garlic if you prefer.
- sweet onion - sweet onions help offset the acidity of the tomato sauce and add delicious flavor to the fasolakia.
- sugar - adding ½ teaspoon of granulated cane sugar cuts the acidity of the tomato sauce. It does not add sweetness as this is a savory dish.
- vegetable broth - one to two cups of vegetable broth is used for cooking the green beans
How to Make Fasolakia Greek Green Beans
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the diced onions and saute over medium heat until tender (about 5-6 minutes)
Next, you'll add the tomato paste and ½ teaspoon cane sugar and cook for one minute.
Lastly, add the trimmed green beans, season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir, then add the tomato sauce, garlic paste, and vegetable broth.
Simmer until the beans are cooked through (about 15 to 20 minutes for frozen green beans, up to 60 minutes for fresh green beans)
What to Serve with Greek Green Beans
Greek Green Beans can be eaten as a main dish with a side of bread and feta cheese, but are traditionally served as a side dish. Serve as a side to a pan-seared salmon, oven-roasted chicken, or even with pastitsio.
Greek Green Beans Fasolakia
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans, fresh or thawed frozen beans ends trimmed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste 3 cloves crushed garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup vegetable broth 2 cups may be needed if using fresh green beans
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the diced onions and saute over medium heat until tender (about 5-6 minutes)
- Add the tomato paste and ½ teaspoon cane sugar and cook for one minute.
- Add the green beans, season with salt and pepper to taste, stir, then add the tomato sauce, garlic paste, and vegetable broth.
- Simmer until the beans are cooked through (about 15 to 20 minutes for frozen green beans, up to 60 minutes for fresh green beans)
Alice says
Had these green beans in Greece last summer. They were outstanding. Can’t wait to try your recipe. Thx for sharing.