French Beans in Tomato Sauce
French Beans in Tomato Sauce
Green beans simmered in a buttery plum tomato sauce, finished with flaked tuna and fresh basil — a side that eats like a light main.
Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes
What Is French Beans in Tomato Sauce?
Green beans par-boiled then finished in a butter-and-olive-oil tomato sauce, with flaked tuna and basil folded in at the end — an Italian side dish that doubles as a light supper.
Why Make French Beans in Tomato Sauce?
- Tuna turns a vegetable side into supper
- Butter and olive oil together make the sauce silky
- Par-boiling keeps the beans green and snappy
- One pan after the beans are blanched
- Basil at the end keeps it fresh
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 onion (medium, finely chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 25 g butter (1 oz)
- 225 mL plum tomatoes (canned, drained and chopped (8 oz))
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 600 g French beans (topped and tailed)
- 3 tbsp stock (as needed)
- 113 g tuna (canned, drained and chopped (4 oz))
- 1 tbsp basil (chopped, plus leaves to garnish)
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion with the garlic; heat the oil and butter in a heavy pan and cook them over medium heat a few minutes until golden.
- Drain and chop the tomatoes, stir into the pan, season, and cook about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Top and tail the beans and cook in boiling salted water for 6 minutes; drain and cut in half.
- Add the beans to the tomato sauce and mix well.
- Continue cooking until the beans are tender, adding a little stock from time to time.
- Add the chopped tuna and basil a few minutes before the end; mix well and serve hot, garnished with basil leaves.
Cooking Tips
- Boil the beans only 6 minutes — they finish in the sauce
- Thicken the tomato base before the beans join
- Add stock by the spoonful, not the cupful
- Fold the tuna in gently so it stays in flakes
- Garnish with whole basil leaves
Frequently Asked Questions About French Beans in Tomato Sauce
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1. Can I use frozen green beans?
Yes — skip the par-boil and add them frozen to the sauce with a few extra minutes.
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2. Can I leave out the tuna?
Yes — without it you have classic Italian green beans in tomato; with it, a light main.
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3. Why both butter and olive oil?
Butter for silkiness, oil for flavour and a higher cooking temperature — a classic pairing.
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4. Is this served hot or room temperature?
Hot, but like many Italian vegetable dishes it's also good tepid.
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5. How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat gently.
French Beans in Tomato Sauce Made Simple
French Beans in Tomato Sauce sneaks tuna into the vegetable course and wins. Unico plum tomatoes and tuna make the partnership work.