Simple and delicious, these Green Beans in Tomato Sauce make the perfect side dish. Tender green beans, sweet tomatoes, and fresh garlic give this dish incredible flavor.
These Green Beans in Tomato Sauce are so easy to make and bring tons of flavor to your meal. Simple seasonings and pungent garlic make the green beans taste amazing. And the tomato sauce is made with the sweetest cherry tomatoes.
This side dish goes well with most recipes, especially pasta and proteins. And with simple ingredients and a few easy steps, this is definitely a recipe you want to have in your repertoire. You can tweak it to your preference and make it just right for you. Let's look at what you'll need to make these Green Beans in Tomato Sauce.
Video Tutorial
Main Ingredients
- Green Beans. Of course, you'll need good quality and fresh green beans for this dish.
- Tomatoes. I use Flavor Bombs cherry tomatoes because they are the best tasting and very sweet.
- Oil. Olive oil is best for this recipe.
- Garlic. Use more or less, depending on personal preference.
- Spices. Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for a little heat (optional).
How to make it
1. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt to it. Throw in the green beans and cook for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like the beans (I prefer them on the soft side).
2. While the beans are cooking, make the tomato sauce. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and start to fall apart, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook for another minute or two.
4. Lastly, add the green beans to the tomato sauce, stir well, and cook for 3-5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. Serve.
Tips for the best Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
- Trim the green beans. With fresh green beans, you don't have to trim off the ends, but you can for a neater look and softer beans. Just cut off the ends with a sharp knife before cooking.
- Cook the green beans a little under. Depending on if you like them softer or more firm, keep an eye on them as they cook. Cook them a little under what you like because they will cook a bit more in the sauce.
- Don't overcook the tomatoes. You want them just falling apart so there are still some larger pieces in the sauce for texture and little bursts of sweet flavor.
- Let the flavors combine. Stirring the ingredients together at the end allows them to meld and the flavors to bloom. Make sure you do this step before turning off the heat and serving.
Variations to this Recipe
- Substitute different tomatoes. If you don't have cherry tomatoes, you can also use grape tomatoes or Roma, but the sweeter the better. You can also use diced or crushed tomatoes in the can.
- Add fresh herbs. You add some extra flavor with fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro, oregano, or chives.
- Add other vegetables. Try this dish with onion, spinach, asparagus, or mushrooms. The green beans and tomatoes have flavors that go well with most veggies.
- Add a protein. Diced tofu, chicken, or shrimp would all taste delicious in this recipe. Add them in to make this side dish a main course.
How to Store and Reheat it
This Green Beans in Tomato Sauce dish can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can enjoy it cold, or reheat it in the microwave or warmed on the stovetop.
What to Serve this with
- Meat. These Green Beans in Tomato Sauce can be served alongside Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast or Creamy Mushroom Chicken.
- Seafood. Serve Crunchy Baked Shrimp, Easy Lemon Butter Salmon, or Baked Cod with this side dish.
- Potatoes. This recipe is delicious with Roasted Baby Potatoes, Pan-Fried Potato Cake, and Parmesan Mashed Potato Cakes.
- Pasta. Creamy Pasta with Prosciutto, Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Garlic, or Chicken Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce work well with this recipe.
- Grains. Serve this vegetable dish with rice, quinoa, couscous, or other grains. Try it with Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans or Quinoa with Mushrooms and Feta.
This delicious Green Beans in Tomato Sauce is so good. Easy to make and only using a few ingredients, this dish is going to be a great addition to your table.
More tasty recipes to try:
Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 16 oz. green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 12 oz. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ tsp. sea salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp. pepper or to taste
- ⅛ tsp. red pepper flakes or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt to it. Throw in the green beans and cook for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like the beans (I prefer them on the soft side).
- While the beans are cooking, make the tomato sauce. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and start to fall apart, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook for another minute or two.
- Lastly, add the green beans to the tomato sauce, stir well, and cook for 3-5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together. Serve.
Notes
Variations to this Recipe
- Substitute different tomatoes. If you don't have cherry tomatoes, you can also use grape tomatoes or Roma, but the sweeter the better. You can also use diced or crushed tomatoes in the can.
- Add fresh herbs. You add some extra flavor with fresh herbs, such as basil, cilantro, oregano, or chives.
- Add other vegetables. Try this dish with onion, spinach, asparagus, or mushrooms. The green beans and tomatoes have flavors that go well with most veggies.
- Add a protein. Diced tofu, chicken, or shrimp would all taste delicious in this recipe. Add them in to make this side dish a main course.
Tammy says
Just wondering if this could be canned? If lemon juice and salt were added, as with other tomatoes being canned, I think it may work!
Tania Sheff says
Hi Tammy! Yes, I think so, although I never tried canning this. Let me know if you do!
D says
How much oil should be used? The directions mention it but it’s not in the list of ingredients.
Tania Sheff says
Thanks for catching that, D! I already fixed the mistake. 🙂 It's two tablespoons.
Barbara says
Happy New Year,
I made this dish for the first time and loved it and so did my husband.
I paired it with garlic rosemary pork chops, delish.
I will definitely fix this for company.
Thank-You,
Barbara
Tania Sheff says
Thank you, Barbara! This means a lot to me. Happy New Year!