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Fasolakia

By Snejana Andreeva

on Oct 19, 2021, Updated Jun 12, 2024

Fasolakia, aka Green Bean Stew aka Zelen Fasul , is an incredibly comforting, savory vegetable stew. This dish is very popular in Greece 🇬🇷, but I’m introducing the Bulgarian 🇧🇬version that’s authentic to my family. If Fasolakia had a long-lost brother, it would be this recipe 😆. In my version, yellow beans reign supreme 👑. Green beans are a fine substitute, but the yellow variety are mine and my mom’s favorite; they’re more tender, sweet, and delicious. Here they’re slow-cooked until meltingly tender , in a simmering pot of delicious garlic tomato 🍅 sauce with plenty of dill.

• Why You’ll Love Fasolakia
• How to Prepare Fasolakia
• Nonna’s Tip
• Variations and Substitutions for Fasolakia
• Similar Recipes
• Best Served With
• Common Questions
• Fasolakia Recipe

Why You’ll Love Fasolakia

Come late summer, try to get your hands on fresh yellow beans (sometimes called wax beans), which are green bean’s superior cousin 🙌. Stew them in a pot alongside tomato sauce, garlic, dill, and oregano for the most velvety, flavorful stew. This dish is nutritious, comforting, and easy to put together . This recipe is all about simple, seasonal ingredients, so seek out the best quality produce you can find, then sit back and let the slow-cooking work its magic 🪄.

How to Prepare Fasolakia

🧅 Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

🍅 Add the carrot, garlic, oregano and paprika, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and stir between adding each ingredient. Season to taste with salt. Add the flour and stir well, then add the beans and stir until coated. Pour in just enough hot water to cover the beans.

⏲ Cover the pot and leave a little indent for the air to escape. Once the contents come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring one time gently halfway through. The sauce should be reduced and thickened and the beans should be fork-tender.

🌿 Lastly, add the dill and remove the pot from the heat. Enjoy!

Nonna’s Tip

Yellow beans, sometimes called wax beans , enter their peak season from midsummer to early fall . Look for them at farmers markets or European grocery stores.

Variations and Substitutions for Fasolakia

1. Greek 🇬🇷 Fasolakia often includes chunks or slices of potatoes 🥔 that cook with the green beans.
2. Of course you can make these with fresh green beans instead of yellow beans.
3. Use any fresh herbs you love. 🪴 Dill is the preferred herb but instead, you can also use other herbs, such as parsley or oregano .
4. Any tomato sauce 🥫 works here, such as store-bought or homemade .

Similar Recipes

Asian Style Green Beans

15 mins

Grilled Zucchini Recipe

10 mins

Italian Tomato Sauce

2 hrs 45 mins

Stuffed Peppers with Feta

50 mins

Best Served With

• Keep it Greek and serve these beans as a side to a Roasted Leg of Lamb .
• This begs to be served alongside a Spatchcock Greek Lemon Chicken 🍗.
• My No Knead Peasant Bread is perfect for sopping up the delicious juices in this dish.
• Make it a Bulgarian 🇧🇬 and serve Fasolakia alongside Banitsa , Spanakopita Toast , or Bulgarian Cheese Feta and Egg Toast .

Common Questions

You can store leftovers in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

No, because we want these velvety soft and fall apart to the touch; not al dente.

The flour helps thicken the stew. You can also use cornstarch, chickpea flour, or a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.

Yes, you can certainly use green beans. Green beans are a fine substitute but they must be fresh, not canned nor frozen.

I love to enjoy a big bowl of these beans with some crusty bread. You can also serve it as a side alongside grilled chicken, meat, or fish.

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Video

Equipment

• ▢ Cutting Board
• ▢ Chefs Knife
• ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
• ▢ Large Pot

Ingredients

• ▢ ⅓ cup avocado oil , or olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion , diced
• ▢ 1 carrot , peeled and diced
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic , diced
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons dry oregano
• ▢ 2 teaspoons paprika
• ▢ 1 cup tomato sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• ▢ salt , to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 pounds yellow beans , ends trimmed
• ▢ 2 ½ cups hot water
• ▢ ⅓ cup fresh dill , chopped, for garnish

Instructions

• ▢ Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• ▢ Add the carrot, garlic, oregano and paprika, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and stir between adding each ingredient. Season to taste with salt (I recommend a minimum of 1 1/2 teaspoons). Add the flour and stir well. Add the beans and stir until they’re coated in tomato sauce. Add just enough of the hot water to cover the beans.
• ▢ Cover the pot and leave a little indent for the air to escape. Once the contents come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring one time gently halfway through. The sauce should be reduced and thickened and the beans should be fork-tender.
• ▢ Add the dill and remove the pot from the heat. Enjoy!

My Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Fasolakia

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Chefs Knife
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Large Pot

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 carrot peeled and diced
• 6 cloves garlic diced
• 2 ½ teaspoons dry oregano
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 pounds yellow beans ends trimmed
• 2 ½ cups hot water
• ⅓ cup fresh dill chopped, for garnish

Instructions

• Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the carrot, garlic, oregano and paprika, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and stir between adding each ingredient. Season to taste with salt (I recommend a minimum of 1 1/2 teaspoons). Add the flour and stir well. Add the beans and stir until they’re coated in tomato sauce. Add just enough of the hot water to cover the beans.
• Cover the pot and leave a little indent for the air to escape. Once the contents come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring one time gently halfway through. The sauce should be reduced and thickened and the beans should be fork-tender.
• Add the dill and remove the pot from the heat. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Fasolakia https://themodernnonna.com/fasolakia/ October 19, 2021