Fasolakia (Greek Green Beans And Potatoes)
‘Fasolakia’ has to be one of the most delicious ways to eat green beans! There are a few potatoes in it, making it surprisingly satisfying eaten by itself in a bowl with plenty of feta cheese and bread to mop up the delicious tomato and olive oil sauce. Greek green beans also make a perfect ‘fancy but easy’ side dish, and they won’t even take up oven space – just simmer on the stove.
Servings: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (or a bit more for an even more authentic result)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 medium potatoes sliced into roughly 8 pieces (or one large potato, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces)
- 14 ounces green beans (4 to 5 cups) with the tough ends cut off
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced or crushed
- 14 ounces canned tomatoes or 1 can (chopped or crushed)
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 bunch fresh parsley chopped
Optional additions (not essential, but nice for extra flavor)
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon paprika
To serve
- 5 ounces feta cheese (good quality Greek or Greek style)
- fresh crusty bread
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil into a large heavy based pan with a lid (a cast iron dutch oven works well). Heat it on a medium high heat until hot, then add the onion and potatoes. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is softened and the potato has started to cook.¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 medium potatoes
- Add the green beans and garlic to the pan, and stir for around another minute. Add the oregano, cinnamon and paprika at this point as well, if using.14 ounces green beans, 4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon paprika
- Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and around 1 cup of water. Stir and push the green beans and potatoes down a bit. The liquid should be covering the bean mixture about half way.14 ounces canned tomatoes, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Put the lid on the pot. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for around 45 minutes. About 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time, you can take the lid off the pot and let the sauce reduce and thicken a bit more. On the other hand, if the mixture seems dry, just add a drizzle more water.
- Finally, stir in the fresh parsley (you can also add fresh dill at this point, if you like). Serve with big chunks of feta cheese and fresh crusty bread, or serve as a side dish with a generous amount of feta cheese crumbled over the top.1 bunch fresh parsley, ¼ cup fresh dill, 5 ounces feta cheese, fresh crusty bread
Notes
Green beans: I prefer fresh, whole green beans/string beans. You can, however, use frozen green beans if out of season. I still suggest whole beans rather than chopped.
How to serve: Fasolakia are traditionally served by themselves as a light(ish) meal with lots of feta cheese and bread. However, they also make a fabulous all-in-one vegetable and potato side dish. They'd be great served as a Thanksgiving or Christmas side!
Bread: If serving your Greek green beans to guests. I highly recommend trying this Greek bread recipe to serve with them. It's amazing!
Storage: You can store the beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They also freeze well in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months. To reheat, let defrost, then gently heat on the stove again. You may need to add a drizzle more water.
Note about the nutrition info: Note that this does not include any bread served with the dish, since this will vary depending on type and amount.
Nutrition
Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 1155mg | Potassium: 1257mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2511IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 308mg | Iron: 5mg
