Fasolakia are simple and cheap to make
Fasolakia are green beans cooked in a tomato sauce, and are one of the many wonderful Greek vegetable dishes. As children we used to eat fasolakia often, and I can’t imagine there is a Greek household that doesn’t eat them on a regular basis. Not only are they delicious, they are also simple and easy to make, as well as an economical and healthy option.
One of the many ‘lathera’ dishes in Greek cuisine
The full name for this dish is ‘fasolakia lathera’. The Greek word for oil is ‘lathi’, and the term ‘lathera’ refers to the category of traditional Greek dishes stewed in oil. It basically means ‘oily’, although the dish doesn’t actually taste oily. To make fasolakia, you stew the beans in an onion, garlic, tomato and olive oil based sauce. Oregano and fresh flat leaf parsley are usually added to flavour the beans. Above all, it is important to use very good quality olive oil, and fresh, flavourful ingredients. As the dish is simple, with only a few ingredients, this will ensure a tasty result.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free
In Greece, we traditionally serve fasolakia as a main dish, with a chunk of feta, a few olives and some fresh crusty bread on the side. As an alternative, I love to serve them with homemade wholewheat pita bread. Don’t forget to use the bread to mop up all the delicious sauce! Many restaurants offer fasolakia as a vegetarian option on their menus. They make a lovely starter, vegetable side, or snack as part of a mezes. Like many other Greek vegetable dishes, fasolakia are also completely vegan. Just simply leave off the feta when you serve them. In addition, the dish is gluten free, so it is a great option if you are serving people with lots of different dietary requirements.
Fasolakia or Greek Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
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Ingredients
- 70ml olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly diced
- 1 potato (approx. 200g), peeled and cut into chunks
- 500g green beans, topped and tailed
- 2-3 medium tomatoes (approx 300g) OR ½ tin of tomatoes
- 2 ½ tbsp. flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp. oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of sugar
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- To SERVE:
- Olive oil to drizzle
- A piece of feta, olives and crusty bread or wholewheat pita bread
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot with a lid.
- Add the onion and fry till just soft and just starting to colour. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the potato and fry for 1 minute, stirring to coat well with oil.
- Add the beans and fry for 1 minute, stirring to coat well with oil.
- Add the tomatoes, 2 tbsp. parsley, oregano, ¾ tsp. salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Stir through.
- Add 300ml water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook gently for approximately 45 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Once the potatoes and beans are soft, remove the lid and continue cooking for a few more minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a saucey consistency. Stir through the remaining ½ tbsp. parsley.
- Taste, and add more salt, pepper, sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, as needed.
- To serve, drizzle with olive oil and serve with feta, olives and fresh crusty bread or whole wheat pita bread.
