My version of Italian Green Beans (Fagiolini alla Genovese) is tender, blanched beans tossed in a bold, zippy dressing made with anchovies, lemon juice, and garlic-infused olive oil. Finished with crispy garlic chips, it’s a quick, flavor-packed vegetable side dish that’s both easy and elegant.
Liguria, in Italy, is famous for gorgeous basil pesto, and clearly, the Ligurian people know what they’re doing when it comes to vegetables because they’ve given us another winner with these green beans.
This green bean salad recipe is my version of Fagiolini alla Genovese, a recipe I stumbled across from an Italian chef on Instagram. I forgot to save the recipe, and I don’t even remember the chef’s handle so I wasn’t able to go back to it. But thankfully, I was able to recall the most important part of the recipe: the bold, zippy dressing made with anchovies, lemon juice, and olive oil.
The beans themselves were blanched. No problem there. I went to work on the dressing from memory. My taste buds were pleasantly surprised by the bold, yet perfectly balanced flavors. I added some fresh herbs and called it done!
It’s a perfect side dish for roasted chicken or broiled salmon, and it works just as well served at room temperature as it does warm, so it’s a great option for entertaining.
Table of Contents
What’s in Italian Green Beans?
The most important part of this recipe for Italian-style green beans is, without a doubt, the beans themselves, as there are so few ingredients this is a case where quality really makes a difference!
- Green beans: Fresh, crisp green beans are the star. You can also use whole frozen green beans for this recipe. Choose the whole ones as they tend to get less soggy, blanch them just until they’re warmed through, and then proceed with the recipe.
- Anchovy fillets: These little powerhouses add depth, saltiness, and umami to the dressing. Look for high-quality cured anchovies packed in olive oil, either canned or jarred. To make this recipe vegan, you can replace the anchovies with capers.
- Lemon: The zest and juice of a lemon add brightness and zing to the dressing, balancing the richness of the anchovies and olive oil.
- Garlic: You know I love garlic! Its pungent flavor makes the dressing come alive. I like to sizzle thin slices in extra virgin olive oil so they turn into little, golden chips, a fun garnish.
- Extra virgin olive oil adds richness to the dressing and gives these green beans a luscious shine. I use our Early Harvest Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil when developing this recipe, because I love how it’s both rich and peppery, and excellent with vegetables.
- Kosher salt and black pepper enhance all the other flavors in the recipe. Take a light hand with the salt, since the anchovies already add plenty.
- Fresh herbs: A sprinkle of chopped parsley and chives adds a fresh, fragrant finish. You can make it without them, or substitute basil if you like.
How to Make Italian Green Beans
Everybody needs a vegetable side dish that comes together fast. The only trick to this one is not overcooking the beans or the garlic chips! This is really an instance of less is more. Here’s the whole process, step by step.
- Blanch the green beans. Set a bowl of cold water and ice near the stove. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt the water very well (estimate about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per quart of boiling water). Drop 1 pound trimmed fresh green beans into the boiling salted water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until bright green. Then, use tongs to transfer the green beans to the bowl of iced water and let cool (this will stop the cooking process so the beans stay crisp).
- Make the garlic chips. In a small saucepan, warm 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Drop in 1 to 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves and cook for about 30 seconds or until the garlic has turned golden brown and crispy (it should not be burned). Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside for now.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, 3 to 4 finely chopped cured oil-packed anchovy fillets, and the zest and juice of 1 lemon. Pour the olive oil slowly into the bowl while whisking continuously until the dressing has emulsified. You may not need all of the oil. Taste and, if needed, add a small pinch of salt and whisk again to combine.
- Finish and serve. Drain the green beans well and transfer to a serving platter. Pour the dressing all over the beans and toss gently. Garnish with the crispy garlic and serve.
How to Choose the Best Green Beans
- Buy fresh, whole beans.
- Look for smooth, slender beans. Knobby beans are too mature and tend to be starchy and not as sweet
- Trim the stem end only—you can keep the curled tips.
- Pre-trimmed “haricots verts,” yellow wax beans, or a mix of different string beans will also work for this recipe.
What to Serve with Italian Green Beans
This flavorful green bean recipe walks the line between salad and side. You can serve it at room temperature, chilled, or even with the green beans still slightly warm. The garlic-lemon-anchovy trifecta makes it a great pairing for richer meats, including pork chops—either brined and grilled or pan-seared with lemon.
In the late summer, when beautiful fresh beans are abundant, it’s wonderful as a side for chicken spiedini, grilled trout with a zippy parsley-caper sauce or a roasted whole fish.
Once winter arrives, I will have no issue making this one with whole frozen beans to enjoy alongside lemon chicken pasta or a warm pan of three cheese-stuffed manacotti.
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Italian Green Beans (Fagiolini alla Genovese)
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 to 4 cured oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
Instructions
- Blanch the green beans. Set a bowl of cold water and ice near the stove. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt the water very well (estimate about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per quart of boiling water). Drop the green beans into the boiling salted water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until bright green. Then, use tongs to transfer the green beans to the bowl of iced water and let cool (this will stop the cooking process so the beans stay crisp).
- Make the garlic chips. In a small saucepan warm the olive oil over medium heat until just shimmering. Drop the sliced garlic in and cook for about 30 seconds or until the garlic has turned golden brown and crispy (it should not be burned). Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside for now.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the chives, parsley, finely chopped anchovies, lemon zest and juice. Pour the olive oil slowly into the bowl while whisking continuously until the dressing has emulsified. Taste and, if needed, add a small pinch of salt and whisk again to combine.
- Finish and serve. Drain the green beans well and transfer to a serving platter. Pour the dressing all over the beans and toss gently. Garnish with the crispy garlic and serve.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- Buying the best green beans: I recommend buying beans whole and then trimming the stem end only. You can keep the little curled tips! Look for slender beans that don’t have a knobby look to them. This is an indicator that the beans inside are overly mature and they tend to be starchy and not as sweet. If you can get the packages of pre-trimmed “haricots verts” they will work beautifully for this recipe, as will yellow wax beans.
- Can you use frozen green beans? Yes, you can also use frozen green beans for this recipe. Choose the whole ones if you can (they tend to get less soggy), blanch them just until they’re warmed through and then proceed with the recipe.
- Storage: Leforver Italian green beans will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Since they’re dressed with olive oil and lemon, the flavor actually deepens as they sit, though the beans may soften a bit. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
Nutrition
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