These Sautéed Romano Beans with Tomato-Basil Sauce is one of my favorite ways to turn a basket of summer produce into an easy seasonal side dish. Wide, tender Romano beans are quickly sautéed until just slightly blistered. They are then topped with a quick tomato-basil sauce crafted from ripe summer garden tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil. Ready in 20 minutes, this side dish is an easy addition to everything from grilled chicken, steak, or fish.
Recipe at a Glance
| Prep Time | 5 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 Minutes |
| Total Time | 20 Minutes |
| Servings | 2 |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Best For | Summer side dishes, |
| Main Ingredients | Romano Beans, Heirloom or Early Girl Tomatoes, Garlic, Shallots |
Why You'll Love This Romano Beans Recipe
This is the kind of recipe that lets summer produce do most of the work with very little effort. You'll appreciate the ease in preparing this recipe in that it's:
- Ready in 20 minutes
- Perfect for peak summer produce
- One-skillet, minimal prep
- Vegetarian and vegan friendly
- A flavorful alternative to traditional green beans
What are Romano Beans?
Romano beans are a broad, flat bean of the snap bean variety known for their wide pods and tender texture.
Romano Beans vs. Green Beans
| Romano Beans | Green Beans |
| Wide, flat pods | Narrow, round pods |
| Meaty texture | More delicate texture |
| Tender with a slight bite | Crisp-tender |
| Excellent sautéed, blistered, or braised | Excellent steamed, roasted, or sautéed |
Ingredients You'll Need
This recipe requires a super simple list of ingredients. Romano Beans are clearly the star and we're using just salt and pepper with a touch of olive oil for this Italian flat beans recipe. The Italian Romano Beans will then be topped with a delicious tomato sauce for the perfect summer beans recipe using farmers market ingredients.
How to Cook Romano Beans
To cook Romano beans, you'll start by trimming the ends of each bean pod. Then, sauté the beans in a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat until they are tender and lightly browned. You can serve them with any sauce that fits the season such as caponata, agrodolce, or a quick tomato sauce as featured in this recipe. We're simmering our tomato sauce with garlic, shallot, and fresh basil.
How Long do Romano Beans Take to Cook?
Romano beans do not take long to cook at all. Cooking them over medium-high heat for about 7 to 10 minutes is all you need to get them just blistered and lightly browned. Depending on the size and how tender you prefer them, you may opt to cook them for 10 to 12 minutes.
I like to season the beans at the end of the cook time as they cook quickly. A simple pinch of kosher salt and a grind of black pepper is all you need to bring out the best flavors of this summer staple for an easy flat green beans recipe.
Tips for the Best Sautéed Romano Beans
When it comes to cooking these delicious sautéed Italian beans for an easy summer side dish, there are a few simple things home cooks can do to ensure they're preparing the best summer side in record time:
Don't Overcrowd the Skillet
Crowding the flat bean pods in the skillet will promote steaming versus browning. Sauté the beans in batches, as necessary.
Let the Beans Blister and Get a Little Color
Allowing the Romano beans to brown a little adds to the flavor of the dish that works perfectly.
Use Ripe Tomatoes for the Sauce
Because we are using a very simple list the use of ripe tomatoes allows us to elevate and celebrate seasonal ingredients.
Don't Overcook the Basil
Fresh basil adds the flavor. Overcooking it to the point where it becomes too brown will turn it bitter. We add the basil in towards the end of the cook time once we've finished the sautéed Italian beans.
Taste and Adjust before Serving
With recipes like these, I will always encourage you to taste and adjust flavor before serving. Usually, this is that small extra pinch of salt or grind of pepper. The tomato sauce is sublimely flavorful and the romano beans are tender. We really don't need much to make this side a stellar one.
Variations and Substitutions
Because the preparation of the Romano beans is super simple, we've got room to play with the tomato sauce. Add in some heat with some chopped calabrian chiles or harissa paste. Switch up the herbs depending on what's in season. Add a touch of brightness with some lemon zest. Or weave in an umami accent like anchovy paste.
What to Serve with Romano Beans
The versatility of this 20-minute summer side dish featuring farmers market fresh Romano beans means we have plenty of options for proteins to serve alongside. Opt for a shallow fried cutlet or a grilled steak. I also love this with a grilled fish or roasted chicken thighs.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they do not blanched before cooking but they can be if you are keen on keeping their color vibrant green during the sauté. Because they cook quickly, I do not blanch them just to save a step.
Yes, they are in the same family of green beans. Romano beans are an Italian flat bean or broad bean. They cook quickly and yield a tender bite when sautéed until just blistered. Like green beans, you can eat the bean and pod whole.
Absolutely. When cooking any vegetable, fruit, or legume from frozen, allow a few minutes more on the cook time to allow excess moisture from the defrost period to evaporate.
Sauteed Romano Beans with Quick Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Romano beans ends tipped
- 1 heirloom tomato diced yielding 1 cup diced tomatoes
- ⅓ cup finely chopped shallots
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 sprigs fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook quickly until slightly softened and immediately fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes followed by dried herbs and seasonings. Stir to combine. Simmer sauce, adding the sprigs of fresh basil, about 10-15 minutes until flavors meld together. Taste to adjust seasoning, with additional salt or dried herbs, as desired.
- While sauce simmers, prep the Romano beans by using a sharp knife to slice of the very tip of the top and bottom of the bean pod. Heat a separate stainless steel skillet with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add the beans and sauté until the just begin to blister, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- To plate, spoon sauce over the top of the blistered Romano beans. Serve with protein of choice. Grilled steak, chicken, or broiled fish are great options.
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