Fasolakia: Greek Braised Green Beans in Olive Oil (Fasolakia Ladera)

Few dishes capture the everyday soul of the Greek kitchen quite like fasolakia — flat green beans braised slowly in tomato and a generous pour of extra virgin olive oil until they turn meltingly soft and sweet. You will also see it written as fasolakia ladera (φασολάκια λαδερά), and that second word is the whole secret: ladera means ‘in oil’, a family of vegetable dishes cooked gently in olive oil rather than water or stock. There is no meat, no cream and no fuss — just good vegetables, ripe tomato and honest olive oil doing the work.

This is home cooking at its most generous. A pot of fasolakia costs little, feeds a crowd, and tastes even better the next day. Here is how to make it properly, the way it is served across Greece from spring through late summer.

What is fasolakia ladera?

Ladera dishes are the backbone of Greek home and taverna cooking. Green beans, courgettes, peas, okra or artichokes are simmered slowly with onion, tomato and a good deal of olive oil, so that the vegetables soften completely and the oil, tomato and their own juices reduce into a silky, savoury sauce. They are traditionally eaten warm or at room temperature — never piping hot — which lets the flavours settle and the olive oil come forward.

Because ladera dishes are naturally plant-based, fasolakia has always been a staple during Orthodox fasting periods, and it fits neatly into a modern vegan or vegetarian table. But nobody eats it because it is ‘healthy’. They eat it because a plate of soft beans, bread and feta, with a slick of green oil on top, is one of the most comforting things you can put on a table.

The one ingredient that matters most

In a dish with so few components, the olive oil is not a background player — it is the flavour. It carries the sweetness of the onion, rounds out the acidity of the tomato, and gives the finished beans their gloss and body. This is why Greek cooks are famously unhesitating about the quantity: fasolakia should look glossy, not dry.

Use a proper extra virgin oil with real character. Our extra virgin olive oil from the Peloponnese is hand-harvested, naturally cloudy and unfiltered, with a fruity, peppery finish that stands up beautifully to slow cooking — exactly the kind of oil a ladera dish is built around. Add most of it during cooking and save a little raw to pour over at the end.

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side. Preparation 20 minutes, cooking about 45 minutes.

• 800 g flat green (runner) beans, or regular green beans, topped and tailed
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges (optional but traditional)
• 400 g ripe tomatoes, grated, or a tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 120 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 1 teaspoon sugar (to balance the tomato)
• A small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• A few sprigs of fresh dill or mint (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 250 ml hot water

How to make fasolakia (step by step)

1. Prepare the beans. Top and tail the beans and pull away any stringy edges. If you are using large flat runner beans, slice them in half on the diagonal so they cook evenly.
2. Soften the onion. Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent — you want it sweet, not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Build the base. Stir in the tomato purée and let it cook for a minute, then add the grated or tinned tomatoes and the sugar. Simmer for 3–4 minutes so the sauce loses its raw edge.
4. Add the beans and potatoes. Tip in the green beans and potato wedges and stir well to coat every piece in the oil and tomato. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Braise slowly. Pour in the hot water — it should come about halfway up the vegetables — and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover, lower the heat, and cook for 35–45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the beans are completely tender and the sauce has thickened around them. Ladera dishes are meant to be soft, so do not rush this or lift the lid too often.
6. Finish and rest. When the beans are meltingly soft and the liquid has reduced to a glossy sauce, stir through the parsley (and dill or mint, if using). Taste and adjust the salt. Turn off the heat, drizzle over a little raw olive oil, and let the pot rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Tips for the best fasolakia

Be generous with the oil. This is not the dish to economise on. The olive oil emulsifies with the tomato and bean juices to create the sauce; too little and the dish tastes flat and dry.

Cook it low and slow. Crunchy green beans are wrong here. The beans should be soft enough to cut with a fork. A gentle simmer, not a hard boil, keeps the oil from splitting and lets the flavours marry.

Let it sit. Fasolakia is best warm or at room temperature, and genuinely improves after an hour or a night in the fridge — make it ahead whenever you can.

What to serve with fasolakia

The classic pairing is a wedge of feta and plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce. A handful of Kalamata olives on the side and a glass of cold white wine complete the picture. As a light main it needs nothing more; as a side it sits happily next to grilled fish, roast chicken or lamb.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make fasolakia with frozen green beans?

Yes. Frozen flat beans work well and save on preparation. Add them straight from frozen and reduce the added water slightly, as they release moisture as they cook. The texture is a touch softer, which suits a ladera dish perfectly.

Why are my green beans still firm after cooking?

Two usual causes: the heat was too high, so the liquid evaporated before the beans softened, or there was not quite enough liquid and oil in the pot. Add a splash more hot water, lower the heat, cover, and give them another 10–15 minutes. Properly cooked fasolakia should be soft, never crunchy.

Is fasolakia served hot or cold?

Warm or at room temperature — that is the traditional way. Ladera dishes are deliberately rested so the olive oil and tomato flavours settle. Many Greek cooks think it tastes best the day after it is made.

Pour La Vie

Fasolakia is proof that the simplest food, made with real ingredients, is often the best. Choose ripe tomatoes, take your time, and above all use an olive oil worth pouring generously. Bring a pot to the table, tear some bread, and share it slowly — Pour La Vie.