Green bean stew: a tomato sauce that coats rather than floods
Prepare a comforting green bean stew with evenly cut beans and a sauce suited to rice.
Choose beans with the final texture in mind
Fresh green beans, frozen cut beans and canned beans begin at different stages of tenderness. Use the form named in the recipe. Trim fresh beans and cut them into pieces that fit comfortably on a spoon. A mix of very long and very short pieces makes the finished stew awkward to serve and harder to cook evenly.
Develop the tomato base
Cook the onion and garlic as directed before adding tomatoes so the sauce has a rounded base. Tomato paste is concentrated, while canned tomatoes bring more liquid, so they are not interchangeable spoon for spoon. Check the can for added seasoning. If the recipe includes meat, allow it to reach the intended tenderness before expecting the beans to complete the meal.
Related reading: Green fava beans with garlic and cilantro.
Watch the last part of the simmer
Green beans should be tender for a stew, but they do not need to dissolve. Test a piece and judge the sauce at the same time. If the liquid is excessive, reduce carefully with the recipe’s guidance rather than cooking indefinitely. Stir from the bottom gently to prevent sticking without breaking all the softened beans.
Serve a balanced spoonful
Rice is useful because it absorbs some tomato sauce while remaining a distinct texture. Spoon beans and sauce together instead of leaving vegetables stranded at the bottom of the pot. A fresh cucumber side can add crunch. For the market list, choose plain beans and tomatoes, and keep a ready-made vegetable stew separate from the ingredients needed for this home-cooked version.
COOK IT AT HOME
Olive oil green beans in tomato sauce
Green beans cooked in tomato sauce become tender and mellow rather than crisp like a quick stir-fry. Onion, garlic and olive oil create the base, and a little water prevents scorching while the beans soften. Finish uncovered so the sauce clings to the vegetables instead of flooding the plate.
- Makes
- 4 side servings
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Cook
- 40 minutes
- Additional time
- 10 minutes resting
A home-kitchen recipe to accompany this guide. Ingredient brands and equipment can change cooking times; use the texture and doneness cues below.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz), with juices
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Step-by-step method
- Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes with juices, water, salt and pepper, scraping the bottom of the pot.
- Add trimmed green beans and fold through the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 20–25 minutes, stirring carefully once or twice, until the beans are tender.
- Check the liquid during cooking. Add 2–3 tablespoons hot water if the bottom is drying before beans soften. Frozen green beans can be used, but check their package time and start testing earlier.
- Uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes to reduce the sauce. It should cling to the beans while remaining juicy. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and parsley.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving warm. Taste after the rest and adjust salt only if needed.
Helpful tips & substitutions
- Choose beans without tough strings. Very mature beans may need longer cooking and have a less tender texture.
- This dish is intended to be tender; if you prefer crisp beans, use a shorter sauté recipe rather than undercooking this tomato braise.
Storage & make-ahead
Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 165°F or serve cold directly from refrigeration. Freeze up to 2 months.
How to serve it
Serve with rice, bread and a small bowl of labneh.
Ingredients to explore at the market
Shop selected ingredients for this article and recipe. Check the form, quantity and package label against the recipe above; availability varies by store.
- green beans — Sunbulah Cut Green Bean 400g
- tomato paste — Ziyad Tomato Paste Jar 700g
- canned tomatoes
- olive oil — Al Dayaa Extra Virgin Olive Oil 750ml
- rice
Recipe & further reading
Explore this independent food blog for another approach and its full recipe or guide: Lebanese Green Bean Stew — Feel Good Foodie