Fasolakia Giaxni / Lathera (Greek Stewed Green Beans)
Fasolakia (Greek stewed green beans) is a delicious vegetarian/vegan main course or side dish. With only 6 ingredients plus seasonings, this simple dish builds incredible slow-cooked flavor in less than an hour from start to finish.
1 ½pounds(680 grams) fresh green beanstrimmed, thoroughly washed and drained (or frozen)
¼cupextra-virgin olive oil
1cupfinely chopped onion
5clovesgarlicminced or crushed
1pound(450 grams) ripe tomatoesgrated
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2tablespoonschopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
In a large skillet or medium Dutch oven with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir and cook for about 15 to 30 seconds until fragrant, and then stir in the grated tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
When the tomatoes start to bubble, add the green beans and stir to coat. Cover with the lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
If the pan appears dry partway through cooking, add a little water to the pan. Conversely, if it has too much liquid at the end of cooking, cook briefly uncovered to evaporate some of it.
Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Notes
Serve as a side dish or as a vegetarian main dish with Greek pita bread or crusty bread to soak up the juices. These green beans are great hot, warm, or even at room temperature.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
There are many variations of this simple but flavorful dish, some even including potatoes. I keep mine very straightforward and simple, focusing only on the beans and intense tomato-onion-garlic sauce. If you'd like to add a couple potatoes, peel and cut them into small pieces (so they cook quickly and evenly) and add them with the green beans.