Fasolakia: Greek Green Beans Braised in Tomato and Olive Oil

Fasolakia (fasolakia lathera) are Greek green beans braised slowly in tomato and plenty of olive oil, usually with potatoes, until they are completely soft and the sauce is thick and glossy. Unlike crisp-tender green beans, these are meant to be meltingly tender. It is an everyday summer dish, served as a main course with feta and bread, and it tastes even better the next day.

Fasolakia recipe (Greek green beans in tomato and olive oil)

Serves: 4 servings as a main, 6 as a side. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: about 1 hour. Total: about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) green beans, flat (Romano) or round, trimmed
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil, such as our Rapti Koroneiki olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced (optional)
• 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) chopped tomatoes, or 4 ripe tomatoes, grated
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp sugar (optional, if the tomatoes are sharp)
• A small bunch of parsley or dill, chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• About 1 cup (240 ml) water
• Feta and bread, to serve

Method

1. Wash the beans, trim the ends and pull off any strings. Cut long flat beans in half.
2. Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and carrot and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomatoes, sugar if using, 1 tsp salt and some pepper. Simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add the beans and potatoes and stir so everything is coated. Pour in enough water to come about halfway up the vegetables.
5. Cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beans are very soft and the potatoes are cooked. Add a splash of water if the pot gets dry.
6. Uncover for the last 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and turns glossy with the oil. Stir in the herbs, taste for salt, and rest for 15 minutes before serving with feta and bread.

A classic Greek ladera dish

Lathera (or ladera) means “with oil”, and it names a whole family of Greek vegetable dishes cooked slowly in olive oil and tomato. Visit Greece describes these olive-oil dishes as popular in Greek cooking all year and especially valued during Lent, when many people avoid meat and dairy. Other members of the family include briam, gemista and spanakorizo. The oil is part of the sauce, so choose a fruity Greek extra virgin olive oil you enjoy.

Which green beans to use

Greeks use both flat beans (similar to Romano or runner beans) and round green beans. Flat beans have more texture and hold up well to long cooking. Frozen green beans work too: add them straight from frozen and reduce the cooking time by about 15 minutes. Avoid very thin French beans, which fall apart.

Tips for the best fasolakia

• Cook them longer than you think. The beans should be soft enough to cut with a spoon.
• Don’t drown them. Add only enough water to come halfway up; the beans release their own juice.
• Shake, don’t stir hard. Gently move the pot rather than stirring, so the potatoes don’t break up.
• Rest before serving. Like all lathera, fasolakia taste best warm or at room temperature.

Variations

• With courgettes: add 2 sliced courgettes for the last 20 minutes.
• With meat: brown chunks of beef or lamb first, then cook the beans with the meat for a heartier stew.
• Herbs: mint and a pinch of dried Greek oregano are good alternatives to parsley.
• Spicy: add a chopped chilli with the onion.

What to serve with fasolakia

A slab of feta, crusty bread for the sauce, and Kalamata olives are traditional. For a fuller table, add tzatziki or a Greek salad.

Storing leftovers

Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours, then eat within 3 to 4 days, as the USDA advises for leftovers. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, or let them come back to room temperature. Fasolakia also freeze well without the potatoes.

Find our olive oil in the Greek olive oil collection and more vegetable dishes in our Greek pantry recipes.

Sources

• Visit Greece: Culinary traditions of Lent (ladera, bean soups, baked giant beans)
• USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety

Fasolakia: frequently asked questions