This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about a Fresh Green Beans With Tomatoes, Garlic, and Chili Recipe!
My life changed when I discovered this great way of enjoying the humble green bean. I was introduced to an Italian green bean dish that included rich and flavorful tomatoes along with garlic in the book "Elizabeth David on Vegetables."
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The Inspiration For This Easy Recipe
Elizabeth David was a British cookery writer who revolutionized cooking in her country. She lived in many different countries, including Italy, and learned about the local cuisines where she lived. How thrilling it must have been for her to share her knowledge of simple and delicious Italian and Mediterranean foods that she learned abroad with her countrymen.
Ms. David's sublime recipe, which inspired the green bean recipe you find here, is called "Haricots verts a l'italienne," or green beans with tomatoes and garlic.
I have adapted Ms. David's recipe to include fresh chili and butter, which she doesn't include in her recipe. But I have used her same technique of first boiling and then sautéing the green beans.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
You will absolutely adore this recipe. Let me entice you with this:
- This dish is pure magic. It's amazing how a few simple ingredients can combine to give you what I think is the most delicious way of enjoying green beans
- The prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is only 11 minutes, so you can have this simple side dish on your table ready to enjoy in less than half and hour
- The cooking process is easy and you'll get great tasting results every time
Are you ready to indulge in this delicious and easy side dish? If so, then allow me to tell you what you'll need to make this delightful dish!
🥘 Ingredients
The simple ingredients you will need for this dish can be found at most grocery stores. This perfect side dish requires the following ingredients:
- Fresh green beans
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Butter
- Tomatoes and tomato sauce
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Chili (optional but oh so good!) - I used a red Thai chili for this dish
- Salt
- Black pepper
This great recipe deserves the best quality ingredients for the best results. So, I highly recommend that you use Italian San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes for this dish.
San Marzano Tomatoes are a great quality tomato with amazing flavor. They cost a little more, but I think you'll agree with me that the extra cost is worth it.
The fresh chili is a wonderful addition to this dish. I love using Thai chilies, but if you want to add some spice and don't have Thai chilies, you can sub a few red pepper flakes.
So now on to the super easy instructions!
🔪 Instructions
To begin, if you are using Italian peeled tomatoes, use some kitchen scissors or a spoon to break them up until you have a nice chunky sauce. Set this aside for a future step.
Add a teaspoon salt and bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Now add topped and tailed green beans, and boil gently for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Now add the butter and olive oil to the large pot on a medium heat, and heat until the butter has melted.
Add the boiled green beans, the tomatoes, chili, minced garlic, and the salt and pepper.
Stir everything well and then cook this for around 6 minutes on a medium to a medium-low heat. Cook this for a few minutes longer is you prefer the beans to be more tender. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you desire.
Your very tasty beans are now ready to enjoy! Place them in a beautiful serving bowl and admire them on your dinner table before digging in!
Suggestions For Serving
This Italian style sautéed green beans dish will delight your taste buds! I love serving this as a side to accompany Italian main course dishes such as Chicken Scallopini or Veal Parmigiana.
By the way, a splash of balsamic vinegar wouldn't go amiss. 😉
This is such a great vegetable side dish for busy weeknights. I hope you and your family will enjoy these green beans time and time again!
FAQ
It's a good idea to add salt to water when blanching or boiling green beans to add flavor.
Perking up green beans is as simple as adding seasoning, garlic, butter, and some very flavorful tomatoes! This is Italian style green beans and they are so flavorful you may not want to have them any other way!
Store leftover green beans in an airtight container in your fridge, and consume within 3-4 days.
Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
Here are some other recipes you may enjoy:
- Delicious Veal Parmigiana Recipe
- Italian Broccoli Recipe With Garlic and Lemon
- Italian Peas and Ham Frozen Peas Recipe
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Cheers!
Grace
Fresh Green Beans With Tomatoes, Garlic, and Chili Recipe
Equipment
- large pot to boil the beans
Ingredients
- ½ lb fresh green beans topped and tailed
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup tomatoes and sauce it's highly recommended to use San Marzano Italian peeled tomatoes. If using these, cut them up with scissors or a spoon until you have a nice chunky sauce. You can also use a good quality diced tomato product.
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 chili minced; this is optional but including the chili adds a lovely bit of heat! I used one Thai chili for this recipe, but you can sub another chili or some red pepper flakes
- ¼ ts salt plus additional teaspoon for salting the water and any extra to taste
- ⅛ ts pepper plus additional to taste
Instructions
- If you are using Italian peeled tomatoes, use some kitchen scissors or a spoon to break them up until you have a nice chunky sauce. Set this aside for a future step.
- Add a teaspoon salt and bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Now add topped and tailed green beans, and boil gently for 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Now add the butter and olive oil to the large pot on a medium heat, and heat until the butter has melted.
- Add the boiled green beans, the tomatoes, chili, garlic, and the salt and pepper.
- Stir everything well and then cook this for around 6 minutes on a medium to a medium-low heat. Cook this for a few minutes longer is you prefer the beans to be more tender. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you desire.
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