This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Green beans with olives and capers in a simple garlic and tomato sauce. This recipe is super easy and packed with flavour. It’s the perfect side dish to meat or fish and comes together in just 30 minutes.
I love green beans in tomato sauce; it’s such a classic Italian side dish, so I wanted to create another version with a bolder pizzaiola-style flavour.
I kept the sauce quick and simple with garlic, tomato and oregano, then added capers and olives for a burst of umami flavour.
The recipe is super easy and absolutely delicious. We love to serve this with chicken thighs or fish for dinner, but it’s the perfect dish to bring along to barbecues or picnics, too.
Ingredient notes
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It- Canned tomatoes and tomato paste – I highly recommend using good-quality tomatoes (we used Mutti polpa). Good tomatoes make a big difference in the overall flavour of the dish.
- Green beans – wash then trim the tops and bottoms before using.
- Capers – I use capers jarred in brine and always have them in my fridge to add flavour to recipes. If you have capers stored in salt, you’ll need to rinse them first.
- Olives – you can use any olives you prefer here. When it comes to black olives, kalamata are my go-to.
- Herbs – As well as dried oregano, you could also add some fresh basil, which we do sometimes, and it’s really delicious!
Recipe tips
Make it spicy – for a spicy kick you can add chilli flakes or fresh red chilli to the sauce.
More garlic flavour – for a stronger garlic flavour, you can finely chop or mince the garlic before adding to the sauce.
Yes, this is such a great dish to make in advance. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated on the stove or served at room temperature.
Frozen green beans will work well, but I don’t recommend using canned beans as they’ll be too soft and turn mushy.
More delicious side dishes to try
If you’ve tried this Green bean side dish or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest or sign up to our Newsletter to see more of our delicious food
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
Green Beans with Olives and Capers
Equipment
- large pan with a lid
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400g) green beans, tops and bottoms trimmed
- 14 oz (400g) chopped tomatoes , (we used Mutti polpa)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled but kept whole
- 2 tablespoons capers, jarred in brine
- ½ cup (70g) Kalamata olives
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a large pan on a medium-low heat and add around 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the two whole, peeled garlic cloves and fry gently until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, then fill the can halfway with water (about 200ml or 3/4 cup) and add that to the sauce alongside the tomato paste, oregano and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Stir everything until combined, then add the trimmed green beans. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes or until the green beans are cooked through.
- Add the olives and capers and stir them through for a minute, remove the garlic then serve.
Notes
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
