Learn how to make Fasolakia with this traditional recipe. Green beans gently simmer with potatoes in a rich olive oil and tomato sauce until they’re silky and bursting with Greek flavor!
In Egypt we call this dish Fasolia. Greeks call it Fasolakia Lathera. The word Lathera means, “ones with oil,” and it describes a whole category of dishes where vegetables are meant to literally swim in quality extra virgin olive oil. Nothing better, in my opinion!
The olive oil gently softens the green beans as they braise, making them velvety-tender but never mushy. It also preserves them in the most delicious way, infusing them with the aromatics and deepening the flavor over time.
Just like with other olive oil-based recipes, from the roasted vegetable dish briam to stewed okra, these Greek green beans taste best at room temperature. They’re the perfect thing to keep on hand for quick dinners and healthy lunches.
Table of Contents
What is in Greek Green Beans? Ingredients and Substitutions
In case it isn’t obvious already, a quality extra virgin olive oil is essential for this fasolakia recipe! Here’s what else you’ll need:
- Green beans: This recipe is very forgiving, use the type of green bean you have on hand. That includes frozen green beans–no need to thaw them first!
- Extra virgin olive oil: Just be sure to use a high quality variety with a pleasant flavor. I recommend a rich and complex Greek olive oil, like our Early Harvest from the Kotsovolos Family Estate in Christianoupolis.
- Yellow onion: Substitute with white onion or a handful of shallots.
- Garlic: Adds sweet and savory depth.
- Spices: Cumin, bay leaf, and oregano bring an aromatic and warming quality. Kosher salt and black pepper wake everything up.
- Canned tomatoes: Look for peeled whole tomatoes, which break down into satisfying hunks.
- Potatoes: Thicken the sauce and make this vegan dish satisfying enough to be the main course. I love buttery Yukon Gold potatoes, but again use what you have.
- Lemon juice: Lime just is your best substitute.
- Parsley: You can substitute other tender green herbs if you don’t like parsley, such as cilantro or basil. It may not be traditional but I always hate to skip the fresh herbs! They bring such a vibrancy to this simple dish.
How to Make Greek Green Beans
For this fasolakia recipe, I start the beans on your stovetop to develop the flavor. Then I gently braise them in the oven so they’re deliciously silky-tender. Here are the steps:
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Finely chop 1 large yellow onion. Mince 5 garlic cloves. Trim and cut 1 1/2 pounds green beans into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cut 3 Yukon Gold potatoes into small pieces (1/2 to 3/4-inch).
- Simmer the beans. Add 1 (28 ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes, 1 cup water, 1 bay leaf, the green beans beans, and the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a high simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cover and transfer to the heated oven. Cook until the sauce slightly thickens, and the beans and potatoes can easily be cut with side of your fork; about 35 minutes or so. (It’s a good idea to check once partway through cooking, add a little bit of water if needed.)
- Season and serve. Remove from oven and stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Fasolakia
Greeks often enjoy Fasolakia as a main course, perhaps with a side of crusty bread for dipping. Because it keeps so well in the fridge, I love to make a big batch to enjoy throughout the week. I’ll eat it on its own for a light lunch. The next night (or three), it becomes a an easy side to simple proteins, like lemon and oregano chicken or roasted branzino.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 (28 ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (frozen green beans work wonderfully in this recipe)
- 3 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 pound), cut into small pieces (1/2 to 3/4-inch)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
- Soften the onions. In a large Dutch oven, heat half of the olive oil over medium. Add the onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic, cumin, and oregano. Cook another 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Simmer the beans. Add tomatoes, water, bay leaf, green beans beans, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a high simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cover and transfer to the heated oven. Cook until the sauce slightly thickens, and the beans and potatoes can easily be cut with side of your fork; about 35 minutes or so. (It’s a good idea to check once partway through cooking, add a little bit of water if needed.)
- Season and serve. Remove from oven and stir in the lemon juice, parsley, and remaining olive oil. Enjoy!
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- These green beans are also great as a side dish atop Lebanese rice and next to your favorite protein, chicken kabobs, for example. See more suggestions in the post under “what to serve with Greek Green Beans.”
Nutrition
Try Our Authentic Greek Olive Oil
Prized agoureleo from the Kotsovolos Family Estate in Christianoupolis, where it is organically grown and processed from native Koroneiki olives.
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
This was incredible! Didn’t think I could get excited about vegetables, but it was so flavorful. Wish I could eat just this with a loaf of good bread only! Thank you for sharing!
Awesome, Brenda! I am so happy to hear it.
Best veggies ever! So flavorful! Perfect for any protein or by themselves!!
So glad you enjoyed this dish, Maria! Thanks for taking the time to share.
Do you had the tomatos whole?
Yes, these are canned whole tomatoes, they go in as is and then they easily break up as you cook them (a wooden spoon helps.)
correction it is Yukon Gold potato Not Yokon Gold potato.
Thanks for catching that typo!!!
I love this dish, my second time of cooking it today. It’s even better if you have enough leftover the next day. I reheated it with some feta crumbled on top which was absolutely fabulous, so this time I’m going to add the lemon juice and extra olive oil and put it back in the oven for a couple of minutes with the feta on top, then sprinkle on the parsley….can’t wait!
Wonderful! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
First recipe I tried from your website and it was delicious! I didn’t have potatoes (unfortunately) so obviously left them out this time but added some leftover green peas that I had in the fridge. Can’t wait to make it again with potatoes.
Thanks for sharing your recipes! I look forward to trying other ones too.
Welcome to our community, Anais! Thank you for the kind comment. I hope you find more recipes to try!
This was great. Entire family liked it. Would it freeze well?
I’m so glad! Thanks for sharing. I’d store the rest in the fridge; you’ll be good I think for 3 to 4 days or so. As with most vegetable dishes, freezing can sometimes compromise the texture. But I haven’t tried freezing this one personally because we don’t typically have so much leftovers to freeze 🙂
I am going to try this recipe today!! It so like it will be very tasty!
It’s one of our favorites. Enjoy!
what if I dont have a dutch oven? any other substitutes for cooking?
Anthony, any oven-safe pot will work such as cast iron or ceramic. Or, once you’re done with the stove-top portion of the recipe, transfer to an oven-safe dish with a lid.
I want to make this for Easter to go with leg of lamb. I’m wondering if canned artichokes added to this would work. My nephew is a vegetarian, so I’m trying to jazz-up the veggie dishes. In any case, looking forward to making this!
This was a delicious dish! I never used to be fond of tomato based dishes but I seem to be trying more and more. The Peas and Carrots Stew is also a keeper. Thank you so much for your recipes, they are making my Mediterranean dinners extra special.
Cat, this makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing!
I really try to eat a whole food plant based diet. I came across this recipe and it was so flavorful. We ate it for dinner last night and today I had some for a snack. I have eaten wonderful Greek food in restaurants and tried to duplicate green beans and never realized how bad they were. Thank you for creating this recipe and sharing it with us. I will make it on a regular basis without a doubt.
Oh I am so glad you enjoyed this one, Carol! Hope you try more of our recipes here!
This is an awesome recipe! Has become a staple for my wife & I, reminds me of how my Yia-Yia used to make it!
Awww, thanks so much Peter! YiaYia’s food is always best. What an honor that this recipe brought memories of your YiaYia’s cooking!
Have you ever tried this in a slow cooker?
Beth, I have not, but I imagine it would work beautifully. I’d do slow-cooker on high for 4 hours and see from there or on low for 6 hours and add time if needed. Enjoy!
First time making these, they were a hit.
My first time doing Mediterranean food
Thanks so much for giving them a try, James! I’m so glad you decided to give Mediterranean food a go 🙂
This is the best green bean recipe! I omit the cumin out of preference and add extra lemon. My kids devour it! And the longer it sits the better it is. Definitely my go to recipe
Awesome, Cindy! Thank you for giving it a try!