Authentic Greek Green Beans-Fasolakia Lathera
The original recipe for Greek green beans! Smooth and velvety green beans with potatoes stewed in tomato, herbs and olive oil. They will melt in your mouth! Perfect as a main course or a side. And they are vegan and gluten free.
This particular recipe is a classic. Green beans stewed in olive oil, tomato, onions and herbs. We call them fasolakia lathera (pronounced fah-soh-LAH-kiah). Served with feta and bread it is delicious! Some people make them plain, others add potato and carrots as well. It is very easy, but the secret to making it delicious, is the olive oil. Do not -I repeat- Do not, try and make this with a few teaspoons of olive oil, you will need 1/3 cup of olive oil per one pound of vegetables.
Lathera – Greek Technique of Cooking
This dish belongs to the Greek category of “Lathera” dishes, it is a whole category of Greek recipes where vegetables are cooked in olive oil and tomato along with herbs. The word lathera refers to dishes cooked in olive oil. I love lathera! We eat this as a main course along with bread and feta cheese. I would say that this is the secret weapon of the Greek diet, it is why Greeks consistently have the highest intake of vegetables (per person) in the world. These dishes are very filling, because you basically consume about 4 servings of vegetables in one sitting, plus the olive oil provides satiety.
You probably will have guessed this, but lathera are very healthy. Not only are they a vegetable based meal, they are rich in fiber, antioxidants, good fats, vitamins and they are cheap. One serving does not cost more than 2 dollars.
And yes, they are easy to make. Lathera are made with seasonal vegetables. For example in the winter a typical dish is cauliflower, in the summer green beans and okra are very common. But lathera are perfect for the summer, especially as the warm weather has us craving vegetables rather than meat.
Greek Green Beans Ingredients
- Green Beans: Ideally you would want fresh green beans, nothing beats the flavour of fresh., Having said that I use frozen green beans all the time and the dish will come out wonderfully. However, DO NOT use canned green beans, it will ruin the flavour, beauty and nutritional value of this recipe.
- Olive Oil: Remember, these type of dishes belong to the category of lathera, they need the olive oil. Use extra virgin olive oil and use the amount that is required in the recipe. Do not try and use less, you will just end up with a watery and tasteless green bean dish.
- Tomatoes: If making this in the summer, fresh tomatoes are the best. You can grate them or chop them. In the winter I use crushed tomatoes (I look for BPA free containers) for a smoother texture or chopped tomatoes if you want a slightly chunkier version.
- Sugar: This can be optionally but my yiayia would add a pinch.
- Potatoes: Potatoes are typically added to this dish to provide some sustenance as this was consumed as a main course, but I sometimes leave them out.
How to Make the best Greek Green Beans- Fasolakia Lathera
- Start with the sauteing. Add the olive oil in the pan and saute the chopped onion. Just to understand the importance of olive oil in these dishes, the word “lathera” means “the ones with the oil”. Not adding the olive oil will result in watery green beans that will taste bland. Olive oil helps bring out all the flavors and make this dish feel rich. You may be worried about calories, but remember that this is a main course and the rest of the ingredients pretty much have minimal calories so the result is a moderate calorie dish.
- Add the potatoes (if using). You may soak the potatoes in water for 20 minutes ahead. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until the potatoes are coated in olive oil.
- Add the green beans and stir some more.
- Now you add the rest of the ingredients: parsley, salt, sugar and pepper. stor until everything is mixed.
- Now add just enough hot water to cover the beans halfway. Do not cover completely, better to start off with less water and add as needed. You do not want watery green beans. Authentic Greek beans are soft and velvety in their sauce (olive oil and tomato) there should be no water left.
- Simmer with the lid on for about 40 minutes (do not boil). Check the water levels. The beans are ready once there is no water left and the beans are soft.
- Turn off the heat and let them sit with the cover on for 10 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
- Accompany with bread and feta.
- Store i the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What to serve with Greek Green Beans
Greeks usually enjoy this as a main course as I mentioned earlier. It is served with a slice of bread and feta cheese. You eat a large portion and it is filling. It also work well as a side dish, it pairs well with Juicy Roasted Greek Meatballs – Keftedakia, 5 Ingredient Glazed Honey Lemon Chicken Legs or Greek Burgers – Biftekia. And it’s great as a Thanksgiving side dish.
You may also like these recipes
- Greek Style Peas-Arakas Latheros
- Greek Braised Cauliflower with Tomato – Kounoupidi Kapama
- Greek Spinach and Rice – Spanakorizo
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Greek Green Beans-Fasolakia Lathera
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a medium pot, heat olive oil at medium to low heat. Sauté onion until soft.
- Add potatoes and heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add beans and mix until covered with the olive oil.
- Add the tomatoes, parsley, sugar and salt and pepper and mix.
- Add hot water just enough to half cover the beans.
- Simmer with the lid on for about 40 minutes (do not boil).
- The beans are ready once there is no water left and the beans are soft.
- Enjoy with bread and feta cheese
Notes
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
- Accompany with bread and feta.
- Store i the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Photos by Elena Paravantes © All Rights Reserved
Hi Kelly. Do you steam frozen beans first or sauté them from frozen? Thanks!!
The beans are sautéed directly from frozen.
Love this recipe, thank you, my fasolakia tasted just like my mum’s.. the secret of the olive oil
Hi, I am making this right now, and steps 6 says to cook for 40 minutes with the lid on after half covering with water. Step 7 – The beans are done when the water is gone. Where does the water go? Should this by any chance be cook with the lid off?
Forgive the questions, but when serving feta and bread with this, how do you use the feta? Do you sprinkle chopped feta on top of the dish after serving or just serve cubes on the side?
Hi Bev! We usually take a chunk about an ounce and place it on the side and smash it with a fork, right on the plate.
I made this yesterday. My family loved it! So flavorful! It was very satisfying as a main dish. Your recipe is now part of my weekly meal plan. Thank you Elena!
Yay! Happy you enjoyed it!
This was really good (4 stars without feta and 5 stars with the feta). I used sliced baby yellow potatoes, crumbled herbed feta, and home grown haricot verts. A great way to use up the overabundance in the garden!
Thank you Jackie! Feta makes everything better!
I love the recipe. Perfect summer recipe when I have lots of tomatoes and beans to use in the garden. I eat wfpb so just sub vegetable broth for the oil and its still amazing. Thanks for the recipe.
I made this substituting carrots for the sugar. It adds sweetness and nutrition
I do the same thing; I, too, add carrots for sweetness, and for the extra nutrition, of course, or cinnamon rather than sugar.
I make this often when I just don’t feel like much else, I feel it fills me, it’s warm and cosy and I get all I need when I have it with feta and sourdough bread. Satisfying meal.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I crave it! I do add a teaspoon of Greek seasoning to the beans. Just adds a nice kick to it.