Italian Italian Green Beans
The title of this recipe is not a typographical error. This is a recipe for Italian green beans, prepared in an Italian style.
Many food bloggers confuse this recipe. There are two issues here, thus the reason for a redundant title. First, there is the green bean itself, called an Italian green bean (sometimes called Romano beans). They are different from American green beans, which are most typically the Blue Lake variety.
Then there is the manner of preparation itself, which is an Italian style of preparing the legume. You can prepare any green bean in this style, which is the point of confusion.
Italian green beans are broader, flatter, and longer than typical American green beans. Blue Lake beans are rounder and slimmer. Italian green beans tend to be a little meatier and slightly chewier. They have a thicker pod wall, which can make them feel more substantial when cooked. They are often described as having a deeper, more pronounced "bean" flavor — richer and a little earthier. Blue Lake green beans are milder and a bit sweeter.
Because of their thickness, Italian green beans hold up better to longer braises or sautés. Blue Lake types are often favored for quick steaming, blanching, or eating raw because of their tenderness.
The one drawback to Italian green beans is that I have never seen them sold fresh. Because the Italian green bean pod is flatter and substantially longer than the typical American green bean, US consumers won't buy them. So the only alternative is to buy them canned and luckily, Del Monte does a good job of that.
San Marzano Tomatoes
This recipe requires a San Marzano or San Marzano Style whole, peeled tomato. The difference between the two is that one is specifically grown in the San Marzano area of Italy, south of Rome. They are protected and regulated by the Italian DOP, or Denominazione Di Origine Protetta (Protected Designation of Origin), which will be so noted on the can. Any other San Marzano tomato, using the same seeds but grown elsewhere, must use the “Style” moniker.
Either kind of San Marzano tomato will work with this recipe, but don’t be tempted to use another more generic kind of whole, canned tomato. They do not taste the same. San Marzano tomatoes are sweeter, less acidic with fewer seeds than other American canned tomatoes.
I give credit to the shelovesbiscotti website for inspiration for this dish and to her credit, she didn’t use Italian green beans, so she named her recipe “Italian Style Green Beans with Tomatoes” (emphasis is mine). Further to her credit, she used fresh green beans and fresh Roma tomatoes. I took a different route, decidedly less work and arguably, just as delicious.
This recipe is an excellent accompaniment to any pasta dish that doesn’t also use tomatoes, like the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Shrimp Scampi on Angel Hair Pasta, but of course, works well as a side dish with most any meal.
Italian Italian Green Beans
The title of this recipe is not a typographical error. This is a recipe for Italian green beans, prepared in an Italian style.
Ingredients
- 2 14.5-oz cans Italian green beans, drained (like, Del Monte)
- 1 small sweet onion, finely diced (like, Vidalia or Texas-1015)
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 28-oz can San Marzano Style tomatoes, whole peeled, un-drained (like, Delallo or Hunt's)
- 1 tbsp dried sweet basil
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, bring the olive oil to a shimmer, then sauté the onion until translucent and beginning to caramelize, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the red pepper flakes and minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes and crush them with the back of a spatula or mixing spoon. Cook the tomatoes for 20 minutes on a gentle simmer.
- Add the green beans and combine well with the tomatoes.
- Add the salt, basil and parsley, stir well, then bring to a simmer for 2 minutes so the green beans are heated through.
