Green Beans with Tomatoes
I love these braised Green Beans with Tomatoes flavored with olives and capers, and this is a delicious way to use fresh green beans!
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For years I used to love having a garden where I could grow a lot of my own vegetables, so I know that keeping up with garden vegetables can be a challenge and if you’re not diligent vegetables quickly grow too big. Green beans were always the plant I’d have the hardest time with; they come on so quickly that often when I picked them I’d find a bunch of over-sized green beans.
If you have garden where the beans sometimes get a little too big, this recipe for Green Beans with Tomatoes is a good method for making larger beans tender. The method used here of braising the green beans on low with canned tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and capers will tenderize the beans and also create amazing flavor.
I’m mentioning that just as a public service announcement, since the pictures in these photos are those thin green beans from Costco! But whether you have fresh garden green beans or buy them at the store or farmers market, Green Beans with Tomatoes is always an amazing way to cook fresh green beans!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- fresh green beans
- minced fresh garlic or Minced Garlic (affiliate link) from a jar
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
- canned petite diced tomatoes
- Pitted Kalamata Olives (affiliate link)
- Capers (affiliate link)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Do you have to use Kalamata olives for the Green Beans with Tomatoes?
I know the slightly bitter flavor of Kalamata olives is appealing for many people, and I love them myself. But if those aren’t a hit at your house, I would just make this recipe with regular black olives.
What canned tomatoes did we use for Green Beans with Tomatoes?
We made this recipe with regular petite diced tomatoes, with no added seasonings. But if you wanted to use Italian seasoned diced canned tomatoes, or fire-roasted canned tomatoes, those would also be delicious.
Are you a fan of fresh green beans?
If you’re growing green beans or are a fan of fresh green beans, you can use Green Beans to see all the recipes using them on this site.
How to make Green Beans with Tomatoes:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Trim the end of one pound of fresh green beans. (I trim by standing up a handful of beans in my hand, then laying them down and cutting off the ends. Then repeat with the other end.)
- Mince fresh garlic, measure Capers (affiliate link), and coarsely chop 8 Kalamata olives.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet, saute garlic, then add beans and toss to coat with hot oil.
- Add canned tomatoes and juice, Kalamata olives, capers, and water and bring beans to a simmer. Cook on low until beans are tender.
- Remove lid, increase heat a little and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated.
- Serve hot. You can sprinkle with some chopped fresh herbs if desired, but next time I wouldn’t bother with that.
Make it a Low-Carb Meal:
The Green Beans with Tomatoes would be great with Very Greek Grilled Chicken, Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Breasts, Paprika Chicken, Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Capers, or Artichoke Chicken Bake for a low-carb meal.
More Recipes for Fresh Green Beans:
- Lemony Green Beans
- Roasted Green Beans with Mushroom, Balsamic, and Parmesan
- Garlicky Green Beans Stir Fry
- Garlic Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds
Green Beans with Tomatoes
I love these Green Beans that are braised with tomatoes, olives, and capers and if you don't have any garden beans this recipe is a good reason for buying green beans at the store!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
- 2 tsp. finely minced fresh garlic
- 1 T olive oil
- one 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
- 8 Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
- 2 T capers
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim or cut ends from greens beans. (I do this by standing up a handful of beans, letting them fall down to the cutting board so ends are lined up, then trimming across the end with a knife; repeat with the other end.)
- Coarsely chop the Kalamata olives and mince the garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet with a lid, using medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook about 1 minute, just until the garlic is getting fragrant.
- Add the beans and stir until beans are all coated with the hot oil.
- Add the canned tomatoes with juice, chopped Kalamata olives, capers, and 2 T water.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until beans are just starting to get tender. I checked them and stirred a few times. (If you have bigger beans, they will take a little longer to cook.)
- When beans are barely tender, remove lid, raise heat to medium, and cook cook until any remaining liquid is evaporated, probably not longer than a minute or two.
- Season beans with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and serve hot.
Notes
Recipe from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop, one of my most well-used cookbooks. (affiliate link)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 417mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 6gSugar: 7gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
These Green Beans with Tomatoes are a perfect side dish for any phase of the original South Beach Diet, or any type of low-carb eating plan, and the tasty beans are also vegan and gluten-free.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Green Beans or Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one.Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for braising green beans with tomatoes was first posted in 2010 when I had lots of green beans in my garden. It was last updated with more information in 2023.
31 Comments on “Green Beans with Tomatoes”
That really looks like comfort food to me, and I wish I had it right now – only I'm just too tired to lift a finger to make anything.
Eileen, so glad you like it!
Green beans are some of my favorite vegetables–and this combination with super-flavorful olives and tomatoes sounds perfect for late summer! Hooray!
Oh yes, more garlic is always good!
Wow – GREAT flavor!! I used a whole bulb of garlic, though. 🙂 As I always do! I'll use up some onions as one of your posts considered.
Janet, so glad you liked it!
This looks really delicious – a great combination of flavours. 🙂
Olusola, have fun! Just check it a few times while it's cooking, otherwise simple to make.
Thanks for the enlightenment ….i think i can now make this on my own.
Patrice, glad I can help with your green bean surplus! (Still growing like crazy here too!)
I'm up to my eyeballs in green beans and am so happy to find this recipe! I thought I'd about exhausted every way to cook beans, but this one looks fabulous! Thank you!
Ayla, thanks! Glad you are enjoying the blog.
this green beans looks yummy, i love your recipes
Dara I am with you on the capers and olives! I love them in everything.
SinfullySpicy, thanks! I really liked the blend of flavors here.
Christie, just put a few more olives and skip the capers, no worries!
I too have trouble keeping up with the garden harvest. All those seeds are so little in May. By August I'm scrambling to harvest.
Thanks for the new way to cook green beans. Doubtful about the capers, but love the olives!
Mouth watering!
I m a big time lover of tomatoes & green beans & this combo is just too good!
Caper and olives make my world go round. This is a really nice way to dress up green beans and I like your tip for tenderizing large green beans.
Elaine, I think this would be great with just garlic and onion, maybe even red onion?
I make a similar dish, but use only onion and lots of sliced garlic with the beans (DH doesn't like olives or capers) and one can of stewed Italian flavoured tomatoes. It's really delicious and tasty.
Maris and Dana, thanks; these beans were fantastic (if I do say so myself!)
This sounds like the perfect summer side dish! Yum!
I've never tried braising green beans but these sound so delicious!
The Housewife, thanks, I think the combo of Kalamata olives and capers really flavor the beans here.
Joanne, me too. This was a keeper.
I bet that this would be GREAT alongside a nice pork chop! I don't have a garden but I'm always looking for new veggie recipes! Yum.
I'm not much of a beans person but I love the combination you've put together… anything with capers works for me! 🙂
Lydia, I did love the flavor combination here. Definitely not bland with the tomatoes, olives, and capers!
I love all the colors working together in this dish. Beans always seem a bit bland to me; the olives and capers are a great way to perk them up.
Brenda, I love that carrot salad! Have fun with it. Loved these beans too.
I can't wait to try this! I want to try your carrots with mint this week, so maybe next week I can try these green beans.
Chris, that's a fun memory. There is a Greek dish called Fasolakia that's kind of similar to this (but it's cooked much longer and uses fresh tomatoes, also sometimes has potatoes.)
oh yum! So many great flavors! This reminds me of a dish my mom used to make, but hers was just the beans and tomatoes. This dish brings it to a whole new level! 😉 Brava!