Italian Green Beans (Authentic and Traditional)
Italian green beans with tomatoes are one of the healthiest, tastiest dishes that will satisfy everyone from vegans to carnivores!
Originally published June 25, 2012.
As a rule, I don’t really like green beans.
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However, when made “Italian-style,” I love them! Italian green beans is a meal I make about once every two weeks or so because it’s so delicious, yet healthy. It is rare that I have a dry cured Italian sausage to add to it, so I usually make it vegetarian (actually, vegan.)
You may have seen other recipes I have shared which fall under the typical “cucina povera” cuisine, and this is definitely another. Anything where you sop up the juice with some crusty bread usually falls into this category!
If you live somewhere (like Toronto, Canada) and are able to get this type of cured Italian sausage, you’re very fortunate.
You may also enjoy this easy fava/broad beans recipe.
What are Italian Green Beans?
Maybe you’re thinking of Romano beans? These are more flat and wide than skinny French beans and the more “middle of the road” green beans we are accustomed to in the US and Canada. These tend to be the beans which are more popular in Italy and they are very tasty! However, you can use any type of green beans in this recipe; and they can be fresh, or frozen. Please do not use canned green beans for this dish.
My family eats this as a main dish, with crusty bread, but it can easily pass as a side, too. Will it win any beauty contests? Probably not, but for flavor, you simply can’t beat it!
Another way to make green beans like the Italians do: in a salad!
If you’re looking for a hot and delicious non-meat lunch, this is for you.
Italian green beans are extremely easy to make, and once again, the measurements are not critical, I provide them as a guideline, but feel free to add more onion, tomato, or liquid, for example, to your liking.
Italian Style Green Beans
recipe passed down within my family, by Christina Conte serves 3
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
- extra virgin olive oil
- onion
- celery, preferably with leaves
- tomato purée
- fresh or frozen green beans, French or Romano etc.
- OPTIONAL: shelled beans or canned beans, like Borlotti
- salt and pepper
- (optional: one dry-cured Italian sausage)
Place olive oil in a large heavy pot on medium high heat, then add the chopped onion and celery pieces (and dried sausage, if using.) Sauté until the onions just begin to brown.
Add tomato purée, and stir. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring often.
Next, add about 1 cup (8 oz) water, and about 3/4 teaspoon of Kosher or sea salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for a few minutes.
Now add the fresh or frozen beans.
Simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until beans are almost cooked, then mix in the Borlotti or other pre-cooked, shelled beans. This is completely optional, but I do love the extra beans added. Today, I’m using some beans I cooked ahead of time along with some I bought.
I definitely recommend buying dry beans and cooking and freezing them yourself. I keep some of the packaged ones on hand for emergencies or when I don’t have my own. It’s definitely cost effective.
Cook until green beans are ready, taste for salt and pepper, adding if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat and take out the celery and leaves, if desired.
Serve with crusty Italian bread, eating it with the italian green beans.
However, don’t forget to leave some bread to soak up the tasty liquid at the bottom of the bowl. This is true “Italian style” and is called “a fare la scarpetta”.
If you like my Italian bowls, you may like this Italian-made serving bowl. Buyer beware as many Italian-style dishes are actually made in China.
Buon Appetito!
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Italian Green Beans
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery preferably with leaves, cut in half or thirds
- ¾ cup tomato purée or crushed tomatoes
- 1 lb green beans French or Romano, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup shelled beans or a can of beans, like Borlotti
- ⅛ tsp salt to taste
- ⅛ tsp pepper to taste
- 1 link dry-cured Italian sausage optional
Instructions
- Place olive oil in a large heavy pot on medium high heat, then add the chopped onion and celery pieces (and dried sausage, if using.) Sauté until the onions just begin to brown
- Add tomato purée, and stir. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Next, add about 1 cup (8 oz) water, and about ¾ teaspoon of Kosher or sea salt. Bring to a boil, simmer for a few minutes.
- Now add the fresh or frozen beans. Simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until beans are almost cooked, then mix in the Borlotti or other pre-cooked, shelled beans.
- Cook until green beans are ready, taste for salt and pepper, adding if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat and take out the celery and leaves, if desired. Serve with crusty Italian bread, eating it with the italian green beans.
Notes
- I definitely recommend buying dry beans and cooking and freezing them yourself. I keep some of the packaged ones on hand for emergencies or when I don’t have my own. It’s definitely cost effective.
- I prefer Borlotti, precooked, but you can use kidney or cannellini, too
Nutrition
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Hey, this looks amazing!
I’m in the UK and what you’ve described as tomato purée, doesn’t quite look the same as what we call tomato purée here (I think what we call tomato purée is tomato concentrate in the US). Would passata or tinned tomatoes work?
Hi Danielle, it doesn’t have to be smooth tomatoes (passata = purée) so either one works, yes! :)