Simple Stewed Green Bean Recipe with Tomatoes

This simple Stewed Green Bean Recipe is a favorite summer side dish. The fresh green beans soak up the flavors of the onions, tomatoes, garlic and herbs as they cook. Best of all, the cooking time is about 10 minutes and you only dirtied one pot!

Recipe first posted in 2010. Last updated July 11, 2022.

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I first posted this recipe all the way back in 2010 but find myself making it so often that I thought it deserved some new pictures and a face lift.

I got it from Cat Cora who attributes it to her Greek upbringing but my Mexican mother-in-law makes a very similar dish, sometimes with green beans and on occasion with nopales or cactus paddles.

It’s no surprise that this method of cooking crunchy green vegetables spans the globe. It is a wonderful, easy way to cook them.

You completely skip the two-step blanching process normally done with sautéed green beans, and simply toss all the ingredients together. As the green beans cook they soak up the flavors of the onions, garlic and herbs.

They are loaded with nutrition (high in both protein and fiber), low-calorie and low-sodium and have a minimal cook time.

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Green Bean 101

Fresh green beans are everywhere in the summer (and actually year round) but if you’ve only ever had green bean casserole made from canned green beans at Thanksgiving then you may not know what to do with the fresh kind.

The first step is to start with nice looking beans. Green beans that have brown spots or are wrinkled and dried out should be composted (or not bought in the first place). If you’ve had some green beans in the fridge for a bit and they still look halfway decent but are a little tough, this recipe is a great one to use. Simmering the green beans with garlic, tomatoes, and onion will soften up old green beans.

To prepare them, you don’t need to soak them before cooking. Just rinse clean then snap off about 1/2 inch from both ends and continue with any number of easy green bean recipes.

Ingredients To Make This Green Bean Recipe

Minimal ingredients lists are where it’s at! Use whichever variety of green beans that look good at the market. Your local farmer’s market will have the best selection. The beans pictured here are green beans and yellow wax beans.

• Fresh green beans or yellow wax beans or string beans or Romano beans or a combination of any of these.
• Olive oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• Yellow onion or white onion
• Ripe tomatoes or a small can of diced tomatoes
• Dried Mexican oregano or dried Mediterranean oregano
• Kosher salt and Black pepper
• Water

How To Prepare Green Beans!

If you like your green beans more on the softer side, this recipe is for you! The (relatively) longer cooking time means they are cooked all the way through but still with loads of flavor from the tomatoes and oregano.

step one

Prep the veggies. Snap about 1/2-inch off each end of the green beans and then cut them into 2-inch long pieces. Dice the tomato and onion and mince the garlic.

step two

Sauté the onion. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stir frying, until starting to soften. Don’t add the measured amount of salt here, just a generous pinch to get the onions to start releasing their juices.

step three

Add remaining ingredients. Add green beans, garlic, tomatoes, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup water. Stir to combine, bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and simmer, cooking the green beans until they are nice and tender, but not mushy, about 10 minutes.

step four

Serve. Pick out a green bean and see how it tastes. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. The tomatoes should add enough acidity but if they need more, add a squeeze of lemon juice then serve immediately while still warm.

What To Serve With Them

These green beans are really something that goes with almost any meal and is an easy way to incorporate more veggies in your diet. That being said, here are a few favorite main courses I like to serve them with:

• Chicken Mole Verde
• Sheet Pan Flank Steak with Tomatoes and Shallots
• Feta Stuffed Burger with Grilled Mexican Street Corn
• Double Pork Pork Burgers (from our sister site, Kate’s Best Recipes)

More Side Dish Recipes To Try!

• How to Roast Brussels Sprouts (again, from Kate’s Best Recipes)
• Papas Con Chile {Crispy Potatoes in Red Sauce}
• Jicama Slaw with Ginger Molasses Vinaigrette
• Oven Baked Avocado Fries with Harissa Ranch
• Sweet and Sour Braised Cabbage (from KBR)
• Coconut-Cilantro Rice with Almonds
• Quinoa Fried Rice with Mushrooms and Bacon

Your Weeknight Dinner Deserves An Upgrade

And this simple recipe for green beans is it! Once you try this green bean dish let me know how it goes by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, make sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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