Green Beans with Tomato, Garlic and Chilli
Pugliese-style green beans are a simple and flavourful side dish from Puglia, made by boiling green beans and then sautéing them with tomatoes, garlic, chilli and extra virgin olive oil. It is a rustic recipe that turns everyday ingredients into something rich, vibrant and deeply Italian.
Like many dishes from Puglia, this recipe reflects the region’s love for vegetables and honest home cooking. It works beautifully as a contorno, but it can also be served warm or at room temperature, making it ideal for family lunches and summer tables.
Green beans Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 kg green beans
- 2 garlic cloves
- about 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 fresh chilli
- salt, to taste
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 450 g peeled tomatoes
Method
- Trim the green beans, removing any tough ends or strings, then wash them well.
- Boil them in salted water for about 15 to 20 minutes until tender, then drain.
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Pass the peeled tomatoes through a sieve or crush them until smooth.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan with the garlic and fresh chilli.
- Let the garlic turn lightly golden, then add the tomatoes and cook over a lively heat for a few minutes.
- Add the green beans, season with salt and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the chopped parsley and serve.
Tips and Variations
- Serve them warm, lukewarm or at room temperature.
- Use tender young green beans for the best texture.
- For a smoother sauce, pass the tomatoes through a sieve as in the original version.
- They also work well as a pasta sauce with grated cheese on top.
History of Pugliese-Style Green Beans
As the name suggests, this dish comes from Puglia, a region known for its generous variety of vegetables and its strong tradition of simple, produce-led cooking. Recipes like this show how Southern Italian cuisine often builds deep flavour from just a few ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and fresh vegetables. This same philosophy can be seen in iconic regional dishes like Orecchiette with Cime di Rapa, where simplicity meets bold flavour, and in coastal classics such as Mussels in Tomato Sauce Taranto Style, which highlight the connection between land and sea in Pugliese cuisine.
