• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Gift of Hospitality logo

  • Home
    • About
  • Recipes
  • Hospitality How-Tos
  • Newsletter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
    • About
  • Recipes
  • Hospitality How-Tos
  • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Recipes » Side Dishes » Italian Green Beans

    Italian Green Beans

    Published: Nov 16, 2017 · Modified: Nov 16, 2021 by Kate Shungu · This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe
    italian green beans in a scalloped white dish on a beige tablecloth.
    italian green beans in a scalloped white dish on a beige tablecloth.
    italian green beans in a scalloped white dish on a beige tablecloth.
    italian green beans in a scalloped white dish on a beige tablecloth.

    Italian Green Beans are a flavorful, healthy side dish that your family will love. They’re easy enough for a weeknight but fancy enough for the holidays. And you can make them in less than 30 minutes!

    italian green beans in a white scalloped dish on a beige tablecloth.

    I’ll admit that green bean casserole isn’t my favorite. The green beans are often mushy, and I’m not a fan of cooking with condensed soup. I’ll gladly pass on it and scoop up more sweet potatoes.

    But these Italian Green Beans are a game changer. They’re perfectly cooked and chock-full of delicious add-ins like shallots, garlic, tomatoes, olives, and parmesan cheese. No cream of mushroom soup here!

    This recipe is a spin on a green bean dish that my mom makes every Christmas. She uses canned green beans and feta, but I freshened it up with fresh green beans and added parmesan instead of feta to keep the flavors Italian-inspired.

    The finished dish is a gorgeous combination of red tomatoes and green beans, so while I served this for Thanksgiving, it would also be perfect for a holiday celebration!

    italian green beans in a scalloped white dish on a table with pumpkins and leaves.

    Ingredients

    • Green beans are the star of this dish. You can use fresh or canned.
    • A can of diced tomatoes contrasts the flavor and color of the green beans beautifully.
    • Shallots, olives, garlic, and dried oregano add lots of flavor.
    • A sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top completes the dish.

    Fresh green beans can come in so many sizes. In the summer, they get really thick. In the fall/winter, they’re a little thinner.

    I tend to like the thinner green beans a little better—they’re quicker to cook and often more tender.

    Around the holidays, they’re usually pretty inexpensive, too! I got mine for 99¢/lb, but let me know if you found a better deal and I’ll be jealous! 🙂

    How to make Italian green beans

    The recipe is fairly straightforward. I used my largest nonstick sauté pan (we received these Zwilling nonstick pans as a wedding present—they’re perfectly nonstick!).

    1. Add oil and shallots to the sauté pan, and cook until the shallots are tender.

    2. Add green beans and water, then cover the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, then uncover and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the water evaporates. I don’t have a lid for my pan, so I tore off a sheet of aluminum foil and laid it over the top to steam the green beans.

    3. Add in the tomatoes, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine, and cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes are warmed through.

    4. Stir in the olives and transfer to a serving dish. Top with parmesan cheese and serve!

    Italian green beans in a white scalloped dish, topped with cheese and sitting on a beige tablecloth.

    FAQs

    Can I substitute canned green beans for fresh?
    Yes! Substitute two 14.5 oz cans of green beans for the fresh green beans. Drain them before adding them to the pan. There’s no need to cook them, so just add them along with the tomatoes, oregano, and salt, and cook everything until it is warmed through. You can use either regular cut green beans or french style green beans.

    Can I make this dish dairy-free?
    Simply omit the cheese to make this dish dairy-free. You can pass the cheese separately at the table, so guests can add it themselves if they would like.

    Serving the green beans

    I served the Italian Green Beans as part of my Friendsgiving with Kelley of Haviland Events. Kelley was our wedding planner and now good friend, and she is the definition of a gracious hostess. When I bring food to her house, she gives me back my dishes and they’re already clean!

    For this Friendsgiving, she set the table with mini pumpkins, eucalyptus, red leaves from a tree outside, and my favorite addition: blood oranges. All of the colors and flavors flowed so wonderfully into a memorable Friendsgiving.

    abundant thanksgiving table including a plate filled with thanksgiving food.

    Here’s what was on the menu:

    Olive Oil & Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
    Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Olive Oil, Thyme, and Parmesan
    Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
    Italian Stovetop Green Beans (recipe below)

    If you make the green beans, please leave me a comment below, or tag me on Instagram or Pinterest. I love hearing from you!

     
    Italian green beans in a white scalloped dish on a beige tablecloth.

    Italian Green Beans

    Published by Kate
    This easy and flavor-packed side dish is made on the stovetop in just 30 minutes.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 135 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 small shallots, minced
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1½ lbs green beans, trimmed
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes. drained
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup pitted olives (I used kalamata)½
    • ½ cup shredded parmesan

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 3–4 minutes.
    • Add the green beans and ¼ cup water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for 2 minutes, or until the water mostly evaporates.
    • Add the tomatoes, oregano, and salt. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the green beans are tender.
    • Remove from the heat and stir in the olives. Top with parmesan and serve.

    Notes

    If you don’t have a lid large enough to fit your sauté pan, use a piece of aluminum foil instead. No need to curl it around the edges, just place a large flat sheet of foil on top and it’ll do the trick. 
    You can substitute two (14.5 oz) cans of green beans for the fresh green beans, if you’d like. Drain the green beans and add them along with the tomatoes. Since they are canned, they don’t require cooking like fresh green beans do. They just need to be warmed up! 
    You can also substitute ½ of a large yellow onion in place of the shallots. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 6gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 504mgPotassium: 278mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 899IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword italian green beans
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @giftofhospitality and let me know how you liked it!

    This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for reading GiftofHospitality.com and helping me to provide quality content.

    « Brined Turkey Breast with Olive Oil and Herbs
    Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes »
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    kate

    About Kate

    I’m a believer, wife, mom, and big fan of old cookbooks. I live in Chicago with my husband and two young sons. I love discovering old fashioned recipes that will transport you back in time! Read more...

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome

    Kate from Gift of HospitalityI’m Kate. I love discovering old fashioned recipes that will transport you back in time. Learn more here
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Summer Recipes

    strawberry spinach salad topped with almonds and sliced strawberries in a white bowl.

    Strawberry Spinach Salad with Almonds

    red potato salad topped with hard boiled eggs and paprika in a white dish.

    The Best Red Potato Salad

    strawberry preserves on toast on a white plate.

    Easy Strawberry Preserves

    strawberry pies, ice cream, and trifle.

    10 Old Fashioned Strawberry Desserts

    chicken salad with grapes on a croissant.

    Chicken Salad with Grapes

    two glasses of raspberry lemonade garnished with fresh mint.

    Raspberry Lemonade

    More Summer Recipes Here....

    Most Popular Recipes

    slice of sausage and egg casserole on a white plate.

    Sausage and Egg Casserole

    asian cabbage salad in a blue and white decorative bowl.

    Asian Cabbage Salad

    slice of ding dong cake in a cake pan with more ding dong cake in the pan.

    Easy Ding Dong Cake

    french toast casserole in a white casserole dish.

    Overnight French Toast Casserole

    ritz cracker sandwiches stacked on a white platter

    RITZ® Crackers Party Sandwiches

    special k bars on a green glass serving platter

    No-Bake Special K Bars

    Desserts of the Decades

    Get vintage dessert recipes from throughout the decades, straight to your inbox!

    Web Stories

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Work with me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright Gift of Hospitality © 2022