Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 pounds green beans, trimmed ((young, small beans are best))
  • 1 sweet onion (Mayan or Vidalia), peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped or 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh minced oregano (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar ((omit for low carb))
  • Salt and pepper

Instruction

  • If using young small green beans, you can keep them whole without trimming if you like. For larger green beans, chop them into 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces.
  • Heat the oil in a wide sauté pan over medium. Sauté the diced onions for 5 minutes till softened. Add the minced garlic and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes till fragrant.
  • Add the green beans to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and oregano to the pan. Stir till all ingredients are blended.
  • Add hot water to the pan till the green beans are about 80% covered. Add sugar to the pan, and season with salt and pepper to taste. I usually add about 1 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.
  • Stir all ingredients and bring to a slow boil for 2 minutes.Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Let the green beans cook for 10-50 minutes, depending on how soft you like the green beans. If using small young beans, you will only need about 10-15 minutes of cooking to make them tender, then uncover the pot and let the sauce simmer and reduce a bit before serving. For larger beans, 20 minutes will produce a tender-crisp "al dente" texture; 50 minutes will make them very soft. I like to cook them for about 30 minutes, so they're tender but not mushy.
  • Serve the green beans warm as a side dish, or at room temperature (which can be nice during the summer months). The tomato sauce is perfect for dipping fresh bread.