Greek green beans (fasolakia lathera)

5 from 3 votes

Greek green beans (fasolakia lathera)

Greek green beans (fasolakia lathera) with potatoes in tomato sauce is one of my favorite childhood memories. I still make them as often as I can, and as with any vegetable stew, I always serve them with feta cheese and Greek village bread (horiatiko psomi). This is not a side dish. It’s a full, comforting meal that just happens to be healthy, vegan, and naturally gluten-free.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 495kcal

Author: Makos

Ingredients

⅓ cup olive oil
2.2 pounds frozen green beans see note#1
1 large onion chopped
2 medium carrots sliced
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic minced or whole, see note#2
⅓ cup tomato paste see note#3
2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 medium sized-potatoes cut in 2-inch cubes
½ bunch fresh parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a large pot over high heat and add the olive oil, green beans, onion, carrots, and coriander seeds. Stir gently for 8-10 minutes or until the beans look glossy and the onion translucent.
Add the black pepper, garlic, and tomato paste and stir gently for 2-3 minutes.
Add the water/stock, salt and potatoes. Shake the pot to distribute everything evenly and check the level of the liquid. It should be about 1 inch lower than the beans and potatoes. If not, add water as needed.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook covered for 30 minutes.
Add the parsley, and taste to adjust the salt. Stir gently with a wooden spoon and continue cooking until the potatoes are fork-tender (about 10 more minutes).
👉 Serve with crusty bread and feta cheese on the side.

Video

Notes

Note #1: String beans are my favorite but you can also use flat beans, snap green beans or French green beans.

Note #2: For a milder taste, use the garlic clove whole and discard after cooking.

Note #3: You can replace the ⅓ of tomato paste with 2 cups of pureed tomatoes (fresh or canned) and reduce the water/stock to just half a cup.

Note #4: Some people change the order in which they add the ingredients (first saute the onion, then add the potatoes and afterwards the beans). You can experiment with this, but either way, they will turn out great.

Note #5: In Greece, we eat our green beans very soft (which means they're not bright green when cooked through). Feel free to reduce cooking time if you prefer them with a bite (but make sure to cut the potatoes in smaller pieces so that they cook faster).

More healthy Greek and Mediterranean dishes:

Nutrition