We returned from our trip late on Monday night and while we enjoyed every minute of our time away, we were also very happy to be home. And as much as I appreciated leaving behind menu planning and food shopping for a bit of time, I was also very pleased to jump back in and start cooking.
I had the dish I am sharing with you on my mind the last few days of our trip, probably because we were with our daughter and this is one of her favorites. In fact, both of our girls love this simple dish that for us truly means home and family. It’s a dish that my mother used to make and which is common on Armenian tables, although our version is unique in that it doesn’t have any meat. Often the dish is prepared with ground lamb. If my memory serves me correctly, my grandmother made oven roasted lamb riblets to serve with it (if you love lamb, you need to try riblets!).
After traveling to countries where beef and pork are central to the cuisine, I thought my husband and I needed a break from heavy food and a meal that would bring us back to center. My husband loves these beans as much as our girls do. We eat them throughout the year and when I prepare a Thanksgiving meal, they are always on the menu.
A pot of green beans. Could anything be simpler? Easy to prepare, their flavor improves after a night in the fridge so they are a great make ahead dish and are delicious at room temperature or even cold. My recipe uses crushed tomatoes, but you can add some diced tomatoes in if you want more texture. The recipe is very flexible and you can make it your own. We like to pair them with Easy Roast Chicken and Armenian Rice Pilaf but I served them with bulgur wheat pilaf instead this week. Oh, and the pronounciation is fa-soo-ya. Enjoy.
Fresh green beans and sauteed onions are slowly simmered in crushed tomatoes yielding a warming side dish to go with just about any protein. We traditionally serve this with rice pilaf and it always appears on our Thanksgiving menu when we celebrate at home. Green beans are a terrific source of Vitamin K and a very good source of dietary fiber.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil or another flavorless oil (grapeseed, vegetable)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 1/2 pounds green beans, rinsed and trimmed
- 1, 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the oil and the onions. Sprinkle with some kosher salt and saute the onions until they are translucent, about 10 minutes. You do not want the onions to brown.
- Add the cleaned green beans, the crushed tomatoes and the water. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. At the end of 30 minutes, adjust the cover of the pot so that the beans are partially exposed and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the beans are tender.
- If the sauce gets too thick, you can thin it with a little more warm water. Season with kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper and serve.
I make this often Val and usually saute a red bell pepper along with the onion and add a good handful of chopped fresh dill just before serving. Sometimes I even add a can of chick peas for a one-pot meal. So delicious!
That sounds great, Francine. Chickpeas and dill – yummy!
I can’t wait to try-these foods are among my favorites. Perfect for the season too. I love that it comes from your family.
Thank you, CC! I hope you enjoy them.