I often find myself waking up with a pack of frozen green beans and not knowing what to quickly prepare for fasting. Usually, I open the fridge and find onions, a carrot, some forgotten greens on the shelf, and garlic. This is one of the recipes I return to because it doesn’t require anything special and can be made in a pot with just a few basic ingredients. This green bean dish is simple, uncomplicated, and works even when not fasting, especially if you want something light.
Quick Info
Total time: about 40 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes (depending on the beans)
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: fasting food, quick lunch or dinner
Ingredients
1 kg frozen green beans
2 onions
1 carrot
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
parsley and dill (to taste)
100 ml oil
salt
pepper
Preparation Method
1. Clean and finely chop the onion. I use two medium onions so the dish isn’t too sweet.
2. Put the oil in a large pot and add the chopped onion. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften and turn slightly golden.
3. Slice the carrot thinly. Add it to the onion and continue to sauté over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until the carrot softens.
4. Add the two tablespoons of tomato sauce. Mix well and let everything simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes. The sauce adds flavor and color.
5. Add the frozen green beans. Do not thaw them beforehand. Add enough water to cover the beans, no more.
6. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The beans are ready in about 20-25 minutes, but it depends on how thick or tender they are.
7. When the beans are cooked, add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Crush the two cloves of garlic and add them to the dish, stirring gently. Now add the chopped greens (parsley and dill, as much as you have).
9. Remove from heat and let it sit for a few minutes with the lid on to combine the flavors.
Why I make this recipe often
It's one of the simplest fasting meal options, requiring no expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. It cooks quickly, is easy to adapt to what you have at home, and doesn't create much mess in the kitchen. Plus, it can be eaten cold if there are leftovers for the next day.
Tips and Variations
Tips
If using fresh beans, be sure to trim the ends before cooking.
Don’t overdo the water; just enough to cover the beans. If it reduces too much, you can add a little more as you go.
The tomato sauce can also be diluted tomato paste if you have nothing else on hand.
Substitutions
You can also use yellow beans if you don’t have green ones.
The onion can be white or red; it doesn’t matter much.
If you don’t have dill or parsley, you can skip them, but it’s a shame because they add good flavor.
Variations
Sometimes I add a chopped tomato instead of the tomato sauce if I have one.
If it’s not fasting, a bit of sour cream or yogurt can be served on the side.
You can replace garlic with 1-2 chopped green onion stalks added at the end.
Serving Ideas
I eat it plain with bread.
It also works as a side dish with rice or boiled potatoes.
It can be served cold as a main dish at a summer meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can this dish be made with fresh beans instead of frozen?
Yes, it works with fresh beans too. Just trim the ends and break them into pieces if they are too long. They cook about the same speed, sometimes even faster than frozen ones.
2. Can I use homemade tomato sauce?
Yes, any tomato sauce works. If you have tomato puree or paste, just dilute it with a little water so it’s not too concentrated.
3. Can it be made without garlic?
Yes, but the flavor is simpler. Garlic adds a subtle aroma at the end, but if you don’t want to or can’t use it, you can omit it.
4. Do I need to blanch the frozen beans beforehand?
No. You put them directly in the pot; there’s no need to boil them separately.
5. If I want to make more food, do I double the ingredients?
Yes, you can double everything, just use a pot large enough and adjust the amount of water to cover the beans.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, per serving:
Calories: ~220 kcal
Protein: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 20-22 g
Fats: 13-15 g
Most of the calories come from oil and beans. It’s a relatively low-fat dish if you reduce the oil, and the carbohydrates mainly come from the vegetables.
Storage and Reheating
Store in the fridge in covered containers for up to 2 days. If the beans harden or the liquid reduces, add a little water when reheating on the stove or in the microwave. I don’t recommend keeping it for more than 2 days as it loses flavor.
Quick Info
Total time: about 40 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes (depending on the beans)
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: fasting food, quick lunch or dinner
Ingredients
1 kg frozen green beans
2 onions
1 carrot
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
parsley and dill (to taste)
100 ml oil
salt
pepper
Preparation Method
1. Clean and finely chop the onion. I use two medium onions so the dish isn’t too sweet.
2. Put the oil in a large pot and add the chopped onion. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften and turn slightly golden.
3. Slice the carrot thinly. Add it to the onion and continue to sauté over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until the carrot softens.
4. Add the two tablespoons of tomato sauce. Mix well and let everything simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes. The sauce adds flavor and color.
5. Add the frozen green beans. Do not thaw them beforehand. Add enough water to cover the beans, no more.
6. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook over medium heat. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The beans are ready in about 20-25 minutes, but it depends on how thick or tender they are.
7. When the beans are cooked, add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Crush the two cloves of garlic and add them to the dish, stirring gently. Now add the chopped greens (parsley and dill, as much as you have).
9. Remove from heat and let it sit for a few minutes with the lid on to combine the flavors.
Why I make this recipe often
It's one of the simplest fasting meal options, requiring no expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. It cooks quickly, is easy to adapt to what you have at home, and doesn't create much mess in the kitchen. Plus, it can be eaten cold if there are leftovers for the next day.
Tips and Variations
Tips
If using fresh beans, be sure to trim the ends before cooking.
Don’t overdo the water; just enough to cover the beans. If it reduces too much, you can add a little more as you go.
The tomato sauce can also be diluted tomato paste if you have nothing else on hand.
Substitutions
You can also use yellow beans if you don’t have green ones.
The onion can be white or red; it doesn’t matter much.
If you don’t have dill or parsley, you can skip them, but it’s a shame because they add good flavor.
Variations
Sometimes I add a chopped tomato instead of the tomato sauce if I have one.
If it’s not fasting, a bit of sour cream or yogurt can be served on the side.
You can replace garlic with 1-2 chopped green onion stalks added at the end.
Serving Ideas
I eat it plain with bread.
It also works as a side dish with rice or boiled potatoes.
It can be served cold as a main dish at a summer meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can this dish be made with fresh beans instead of frozen?
Yes, it works with fresh beans too. Just trim the ends and break them into pieces if they are too long. They cook about the same speed, sometimes even faster than frozen ones.
2. Can I use homemade tomato sauce?
Yes, any tomato sauce works. If you have tomato puree or paste, just dilute it with a little water so it’s not too concentrated.
3. Can it be made without garlic?
Yes, but the flavor is simpler. Garlic adds a subtle aroma at the end, but if you don’t want to or can’t use it, you can omit it.
4. Do I need to blanch the frozen beans beforehand?
No. You put them directly in the pot; there’s no need to boil them separately.
5. If I want to make more food, do I double the ingredients?
Yes, you can double everything, just use a pot large enough and adjust the amount of water to cover the beans.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, per serving:
Calories: ~220 kcal
Protein: 4-5 g
Carbohydrates: 20-22 g
Fats: 13-15 g
Most of the calories come from oil and beans. It’s a relatively low-fat dish if you reduce the oil, and the carbohydrates mainly come from the vegetables.
Storage and Reheating
Store in the fridge in covered containers for up to 2 days. If the beans harden or the liquid reduces, add a little water when reheating on the stove or in the microwave. I don’t recommend keeping it for more than 2 days as it loses flavor.