Fasolakia is a classic Greek dish of green beans braised in a tomato sauce laden with olive oil. Potatoes are usually included in the dish, sometimes carrots as well, but not this time.
What’s also not included this time is the copious amounts of olive oil. Not because I have anything against my dishes being drowned in olive oil, I am Greek after all, but simply because, sometimes, you want a lighter version of a dish, that’s all.
So, here it is, my lighter version of fasolakia.
Have your feta and bread ready, the classic accompaniments to this dish, and enjoy!
P.S.1 This is a Greek dish that belongs to the category of “ladera”. Ladera means “with oil” or “oily” (ladi is the Greek word for oil) and denotes dishes, specifically vegetable main dishes, that are prepared with olive oil and without the addition of any other type of fat.
There are two varieties of ladera: a) vegetables that are braised/stewed or baked in an olive oil and tomato sauce, and b) vegetables that are braised/stewed or baked in an olive oil-based sauce without tomato and with the addition of a variety of fresh herbs. This dish is of the first variety.
P.S.2 Promise to share with you the olive oil-heavy version of fasolakia —potatoes and all—, soon.
Fasolakia ladera, a lighter version – Greek braised green beans in a fresh tomato sauce
This type of flat green beans (called barbounia in Greek) are best for this dish but, frankly, you could use any other type of fresh green bean available in your part of the world. In Greece, I also use tsaoulia beans. You could even use frozen green beans if you want to make this in the winter. The beans will take a bit longer to cook but they will be delicious nonetheless.
This will probably be your last chance to use fresh, sweet tomatoes this year, but even if you can’t find good fresh tomatoes, you can always use good quality canned tomatoes, preferably whole tomatoes that you can smash up with your hands or a fork before adding to the pan.
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
800 g fresh flat green beans (weight after you trim them will be around 600 g), rinsed well
4-5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red onions (about 150 g), peeled
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
250-300 g fresh tomatoes (or canned whole tomatoes)
1½ tsp tomato paste
A handful of fresh parsley, stalks and leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes (use ¼ tsp chilli if you don’t enjoy the heat of chilli)
Freshly ground black pepper, 7-8 grinds of the pepper mill
Salt
1 cup hot water
Special equipment: small food processor
Preparation
Using a small, sharp knife, top and tail the beans and also cut off the vein/string that runs around the sides of the bean. If you leave it on, the beans will be unpleasant to eat. Cut the beans in half if they are too long.
Add the onions and garlic in a small food processor and process until they are finely chopped and they start releasing their juices.
In a large and wide pan with lid, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until they dry out a bit. You don’t want them to brown. Then add the prepared green beans and toss them around for 1-2 minutes in order to get covered with the olive oil and onions.
In the meantime, in the same food processor, add the fresh tomatoes and process until they become almost liquid but there are some small pieces still intact. If you are using canned whole tomatoes, you can smash them with a fork or your hands, or process them in the same manner in the food processor. Add them to the green beans together with the tomato paste and stir well to mix all the ingredients together.
Then add the parsley, paprika, dried red chilli flakes, black pepper, salt and the water and stir well. Put the lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Then turn heat down to medium-low and allow the beans to cook, stirring them from time to time and checking if they need more water (you don’t want them to dry out or catch), for 50-60 minutes or until they are tender and you have a nice, chunky and somewhat thick sauce. You don’t want the sauce to be watery, so if this is the case, take the lid off and cook for a few minutes so that the excess water evaporates and the sauce has the desired consistency. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed.
This is a dish that is best served lukewarm or even at room temperature and it tastes better the next day. Bear in mind that due to the fact that this dish doesn’t contain a lot of olive oil, the next day it will not be as juicy, but it will be more flavorful.
Serve with fresh bread and feta, and enjoy!
What’s also not included this time is the copious amounts of olive oil. Not because I have anything against my dishes being drowned in olive oil, I am Greek after all, but simply because, sometimes, you want a lighter version of a dish, that’s all.
So, here it is, my lighter version of fasolakia.
Have your feta and bread ready, the classic accompaniments to this dish, and enjoy!
P.S.1 This is a Greek dish that belongs to the category of “ladera”. Ladera means “with oil” or “oily” (ladi is the Greek word for oil) and denotes dishes, specifically vegetable main dishes, that are prepared with olive oil and without the addition of any other type of fat.
There are two varieties of ladera: a) vegetables that are braised/stewed or baked in an olive oil and tomato sauce, and b) vegetables that are braised/stewed or baked in an olive oil-based sauce without tomato and with the addition of a variety of fresh herbs. This dish is of the first variety.
P.S.2 Promise to share with you the olive oil-heavy version of fasolakia —potatoes and all—, soon.
Fasolakia ladera, a lighter version – Greek braised green beans in a fresh tomato sauce
This type of flat green beans (called barbounia in Greek) are best for this dish but, frankly, you could use any other type of fresh green bean available in your part of the world. In Greece, I also use tsaoulia beans. You could even use frozen green beans if you want to make this in the winter. The beans will take a bit longer to cook but they will be delicious nonetheless.
This will probably be your last chance to use fresh, sweet tomatoes this year, but even if you can’t find good fresh tomatoes, you can always use good quality canned tomatoes, preferably whole tomatoes that you can smash up with your hands or a fork before adding to the pan.
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
800 g fresh flat green beans (weight after you trim them will be around 600 g), rinsed well
4-5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red onions (about 150 g), peeled
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
250-300 g fresh tomatoes (or canned whole tomatoes)
1½ tsp tomato paste
A handful of fresh parsley, stalks and leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp dried red chilli flakes (use ¼ tsp chilli if you don’t enjoy the heat of chilli)
Freshly ground black pepper, 7-8 grinds of the pepper mill
Salt
1 cup hot water
Special equipment: small food processor
Preparation
Using a small, sharp knife, top and tail the beans and also cut off the vein/string that runs around the sides of the bean. If you leave it on, the beans will be unpleasant to eat. Cut the beans in half if they are too long.
Add the onions and garlic in a small food processor and process until they are finely chopped and they start releasing their juices.
In a large and wide pan with lid, heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until they dry out a bit. You don’t want them to brown. Then add the prepared green beans and toss them around for 1-2 minutes in order to get covered with the olive oil and onions.
In the meantime, in the same food processor, add the fresh tomatoes and process until they become almost liquid but there are some small pieces still intact. If you are using canned whole tomatoes, you can smash them with a fork or your hands, or process them in the same manner in the food processor. Add them to the green beans together with the tomato paste and stir well to mix all the ingredients together.
Then add the parsley, paprika, dried red chilli flakes, black pepper, salt and the water and stir well. Put the lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Then turn heat down to medium-low and allow the beans to cook, stirring them from time to time and checking if they need more water (you don’t want them to dry out or catch), for 50-60 minutes or until they are tender and you have a nice, chunky and somewhat thick sauce. You don’t want the sauce to be watery, so if this is the case, take the lid off and cook for a few minutes so that the excess water evaporates and the sauce has the desired consistency. Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed.
This is a dish that is best served lukewarm or even at room temperature and it tastes better the next day. Bear in mind that due to the fact that this dish doesn’t contain a lot of olive oil, the next day it will not be as juicy, but it will be more flavorful.
Serve with fresh bread and feta, and enjoy!
