Runner Beans in
Olive Oil
Runner beans in olive oil is an easy, vegan recipe with a tangy flavour.
About Runner Beans in
Olive Oil
In this dish, runner beans cooked in olive oil along with onion, garlic and tomatoes. It can be served as a main, meze or side dish.
SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 MINS
COOK TIME: 55 MINS
This is one of the most common vegan dishes in Turkey during the hot summer months because, like many olive oil-based Turkish dishes, it’s served at room temperature. But if you are not a big fan of eating food at room temperature, like my husband, you can still warm it up a bit. It has a tangy and refreshing flavour. It’s best to cook it in advance and let it soak in all the flavours overnight. Don’t forget to bring it to room temperature before serving though.
The method I have used below is quite unusual for dishes cooked in olive oil. I have adapted it from a recipe given to me by a friend of my brother. He was a horn player and I remember the day he came to the UK for a concert. It was a double whammy for me. Not only did I get to immerse myself in his beautiful classical music, but also with all the news about Turkey and my brother. It was so lovely to see a familiar face after such a long time. He gave me the recipe, and since then I have been cooking runner beans religiously this way. It’s a straightforward one-pot dish.
Some Tips & Suggestion for Making Great Runner Beans in Olive Oil
- I always serve this dish as a main with some crusty bread and bulgur pilaf, but you can serve as a part of a selection of mezes or as a side dish along with grilled meat or fish instead. You can also squeeze a lemon if you wish.
- Alternative, Quicker Method: If you don’t want to spend time on the presentation like I do in below recipe, you can first pour olive oil in a wide saucepan. Then add the chopped onions followed by all the beans making sure they are spread evenly in the pan. Add chopped garlic and then cover the beans with chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle some salt and sugar. Cover it with a lid and cook it on low heat for 50-55 min or until beans are soft.
- You need a large deep pan or saucepan with a lid to make this dish.
- While inverting the dish on a plate the vegetables may come out of the pan. So I would suggest you do it on the worktop over another plate.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 big onion, sliced
- 3 big, soft, juicy beef tomatoes, chopped roughly in 2-3 cm cubes
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 540 g (19.04 oz) runner beans, trimmed, string running alongside the edges removed, cut into 4-5 cm long pieces and sliced lengthways in half
Step by Step Instructions
The Pattern Between Step 2 – Step 5:
Runner beans -> Tomato mix -> Runner beans -> Tomato mix -> Runner beans
Step 1
Put 4 tbsp of olive oil and all the ingredients except for the beans in a big bowl and mix them really well.
Step 2
In a 28 cm (diameter 11 inches) pan, first add one layer of runner beans in a circular shape.
Step 3
Then spoon some of the mixture from the tomato mixture onto the beans.
Step 4
Repeat steps 2 and 3.
Step 5
Finish with a last layer of beans, close the lid and put it on a medium heat. Once it starts boiling, turn down the heat to the minimum and cook for 50-55 minutes.
Step 6
Once it’s cooked, leave it on the side to cool down. Use a big plate to carefully invert the dish. Before serving, drizzle over 1 tbsp of olive oil. Serve it at room temperature with bulgur pilaf.
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