Olive Oil–Braised Green Beans with Potatoes and Tomato

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A Greek taverna classic where green beans are simmered low and slow in a generous pool of olive oil until they're silky and sweet rather than squeaky-crisp. Chunks of potato soak up the tomato broth, and a big shower of dill and parsley plus a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it bright. Serve it warm or at room temperature with crusty bread to mop the pan.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch coins

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 14.5-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, half juiced and half cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Snap or cut the stem ends off the green beans. If the beans are long, break them into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks, holding them in a bowl of cold water so they don't brown.
2. Warm the 1/2 cup olive oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart pot or deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes, until very soft and translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and carrot and cook 2 minutes more.
3. Push the vegetables to one side and add the tomato paste to the bare spot in the oil. Fry it, stirring, for 60 to 90 seconds until it darkens to a brick red and smells sweet, then stir it through the onions.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, oregano, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and the black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes to loosen the sauce.
5. Add the green beans and drained potatoes and stir gently to coat. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the vegetables; add up to 1/2 cup more water if needed. Bring back to a bare simmer.
6. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook at a lazy simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring gently every 15 minutes, until the beans are completely tender and olive-drab (not bright green) and a paring knife slides through a potato chunk with no resistance.
7. Uncover, raise the heat to medium, and simmer 5 to 8 minutes to reduce the sauce until the olive oil pools and glistens at the edges of the pan. Taste and add salt as needed.
8. Turn off the heat and stir in the dill, parsley, and the juice of half the lemon. Let the pot rest off the heat for at least 10 minutes so the flavors settle.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature in shallow bowls, drizzled with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread for the sauce.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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