Fasolakia – Greek Green Beans with Potatoes
Fasolakia is a Greek dish made with green beans, potatoes, and tomatoes slowly braised in plenty of olive oil. This traditionally vegan dish is served as a main course in Greece and tastes wonderful with fresh white bread. This authentic Fasolakia recipe is inspired by the cuisine of southern Crete, where I came to know and love vegetable dishes like this one.
Jassu, Fasolakia!
The full name of this dish is actually “Fasolakia Lathera me Patates” (Φασολάκια λαδερά με πατάτες). Fasolakia (Φασολάκια) simply means “green beans” in Greek.
The “Lathera” (λαδερά) in the name already tells you quite a bit about how the dish is prepared: Lathera are traditional Greek vegetable dishes that are slowly cooked or braised in plenty of olive oil, usually with tomatoes.
During my time in southern Crete, I ate Lathera in all kinds of variations. Besides Fasolakia, there was Briam with different summer vegetables, for example, as well as okra. To this day, these simple vegetable dishes are inseparably linked to Greek cuisine for me.
For Lathera dishes, onions are typically sautéed in good olive oil first. Tomatoes, vegetables, herbs, and a little water are then added, and everything is left to braise together.
In Fasolakia, the green beans are naturally the stars of the show – and since we’re making “me Patates” (με πατάτες, “with potatoes”), potatoes go into the pot as well. At the end, we add another splash of olive oil. Yes, even more.
We loved it!
Ingredients for Fasolakia
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make Fasolakia. Here are a few tips and notes on some of them:
- Green beans: Fresh green beans are wonderful, of course, but I don’t limit Fasolakia to green bean season. In winter, I usually use frozen green beans. Not quite in the spirit of fresh Greek cooking, but I’d rather have Fasolakia this way than no Fasolakia at all!
- Tomatoes: In summer, I love using fresh, flavorful tomatoes. In winter, I usually reach for canned tomatoes – I much prefer them to watery fresh tomatoes at that time of year.
- Potatoes: “Me Patates” means “with potatoes,” and they make the dish wonderfully satisfying.
- Olive oil: A good olive oil, ideally Greek, and plenty of it is an essential part of this dish – it’s not just there for sautéing.
- Herbs and spices: Oregano, thyme, and bay leaf provide that Mediterranean flavor. And because chili finds its way into almost everything I cook, a little goes in here too.
Fasolakia Take Time
The ingredients are very simple, but making Fasolakia is by no means a quick affair, as the vegetables are left to simmer away at their own leisurely pace. Typically Greek: “siga siga” – slowly, slowly, no stress.
Really give your Greek green beans time to simmer. The beans should become beautifully soft, the potatoes should be tender, and the tomato sauce should have time to reduce. Unlike many other green bean dishes, we’re not aiming for crisp beans here – that soft, braised texture is exactly what Fasolakia is all about.
What to Serve with Fasolakia
For me, fresh white bread is an absolute must with Fasolakia – perfect for mopping up that wonderful tomato and olive oil sauce.
In Greece, Lathera dishes are often served with feta. I use my homemade vegan feta instead. Not quite Greek, but equally delicious thanks to its slightly tangy flavor: a dollop of homemade vegan sour cream.
Apart from these little add-ons, Fasolakia is eaten just as it is. Greek green beans and potatoes make a satisfying main dish in their own right.
How to Store and Reheat Fasolakia
Store leftovers in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days. Fasolakia taste at least as good the next day, once all those flavors have had time to mingle.
To reheat, simply return them to a pot and warm gently over low to medium heat. If the tomato sauce has become too thick, add a small splash of water.
Kali orexi!
As you may have noticed by now, I love Greek cuisine. That’s why you’ll find quite a few more of my Greek favorites here: my spinach rice Spanakorizo, spinach-filled Spanakopita, vegan almond feta, vegan Tzatziki, and my vegan zucchini fritters inspired by Greek Kolokithokeftedes.
So: Kali orexi – enjoy your meal!
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Fasolakia – Greek Green Beans with Potatoes and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 400 g tomatoes fresh or canned
- 350 g potatoes
- 10 tablespoons olive oil Greek
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup water see notes
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or more if using fresh
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or more if using fresh
- 1 bay leaf
- 500 g green beans fresh or frozen
- vegan feta alternative optional for serving (the link takes you to my almond feta recipe)
Instructions
- Prepare the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and potatoes: Finely chop the onion and garlic. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. If using fresh tomatoes, chop them as well.
- Sauté the onion: Heat 8 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is translucent. The onion and garlic should not brown.
- Add the tomatoes: Add the tomato paste and tomatoes and stir well.
- Add the potatoes, water, and seasonings: Add the potatoes, water, salt, some black pepper, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Prepare the green beans: While the potatoes are simmering in the tomato sauce, trim both ends of fresh green beans and cut very long beans in half. Frozen green beans can be used straight from the freezer.
- Add the green beans: Add the green beans, cover, and simmer everything together for another 20 minutes, until the potatoes and green beans are beautifully soft. Stir occasionally and check whether you need to add a little more water. The vegetables shouldn’t be swimming in water, but the pan shouldn’t be completely dry either – a little sauce is exactly what we want.
- Finish with olive oil: Once the green beans and potatoes are beautifully soft, turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Serve the Fasolakia with fresh white bread for mopping up the wonderful Lathera sauce and vegan feta, if you like.
Notes
- Olive oil: This is a Greek dish – don’t skimp on the olive oil!
- If using frozen green beans: Start with just ¼ cup (approx. 60 ml) water and add more only if needed.
There are many versions of this recipe out there. Hard to choose, but this one is lovely
– Jean (comment)