This is one of my go-to weeknight meals since it’s easy-to-make, delicious, and nutritious. The fresh dill and cilantro helps add a delicious flavor to this meal. In addition, the fresh produce (carrots, onions, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and garlic) provides flavor and nutrients.
My grandmother would prepare this meal in our Armenian household. She would make it the traditional way and would serve it on its own with its delicious liquid/juices. I remember enjoying it with a side of salad and some bread (Matnakash); it was so good. As I began to work on this recipe to serve to my son and husband, I decided to add some extra ingredients for some extra nutrients (like the spinach or kale, and the carrots). Furthermore, I decided to pair this meal with quinoa. I have learned the nutritional benefits of quinoa and am always looking for different ways to incorporate it into our meals. This is one way we enjoy eating quinoa at our house; by the way, my kids enjoy this meal as well!
I believe this is one of those meals that my kids have gotten accustomed to eating over the years. I have been serving it to them ever since they were toddlers.
Served here to my 4 year-old son (first picture above) and to my 1 year-old triplets (second picture above): cucumbers, blueberries, mandarin, and kefir. For my triplets, I cut the green beans a bit and mashed the potatoes. Additionally, I shredded the cucumbers, quartered the blueberries, removed the skin from the mandarin and diced them.
I decided to serve the green beans with quinoa for some added plant-based protein and nutrients. At the same time, this meal can be enjoyed on its own, with a side of poultry, legumes or just about anything.
List of Ingredients
- 2 – 12 ounce bags of green beans (washed, ends trimmed, and cut into medium-sized pieces)
- 3 tablespoons of avocado oil
- 1 onion, diced (about 1 cup small diced)
- 1 carrot-skin peeled, ends cut off and small diced (about 1 cup small diced)
- 1 small red bell pepper or 1/2 of a large red bell pepper , (about 1/2 cup small diced)
- 1 tomato, small diced (about 1/2 cup small diced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup small diced yellow potato, skin peeled
- 2 1/2 cups boiling water (enough to slightly cover the beans) or can use chicken broth or a combination of the two.
- about 1 cup of cilantro, finely diced
- 1/4 cup of dill fronds, finely diced
- 1 kale, finely diced (stem removed) or 1 cup spinach
- salt to taste, about 1 teaspoon
Step-by-Step Instructions
Add the oil to a pot over medium heat. Allow it to get hot.
Add the onion, carrot, and the red bell pepper. Allow it to cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomato. Cook until the tomatoes become soft (mash them down) stirring frequently (for about 2-3 minutes). Use the cooking utensil to mash the softened tomatoes and mix it in with the rest of the ingredients. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for about a minute.
Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the green beans along with the diced potatoes. Stir
Add 2 1/2 cups of boiling water ( or chicken broth or vegetable broth). Add enough to slightly cover the green beans . Stir.
Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to where there’s a low boil. Allow it to cook for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender and the green beans have softened.
Add finely diced dill, kale (or spinach), cilantro and salt. Stir. Cook for a couple of minutes.
Stir and serve it over some quinoa. Make sure to get some of the liquid too as it’s full of flavor.
Green Beans with Quinoa
A delicious and nutritious way to serve green beans. This dish can be served on its own, with some quinoa, or with a side of poultry.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 – 12 ounce bags of green beans (washed, ends trimmed, and cut into medium-sized pieces)
- 3 tablespoons of avocado oil
- 1 onion, diced (about 1 cup small diced)
- 1 carrot-skin peeled, ends cut off and small diced (about 1 cup small diced)
- 1 small red bell pepper or 1/2 of a large red bell pepper , (about 1/2 cup small diced)
- 1 tomato, small diced (about 1/2 cup small diced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup small diced yellow potato, skin peeled
- 2 1/2 cups boiling water (enough to slightly cover the beans) or can use chicken broth or a combination of the two.
- about 1 cup of cilantro, finely diced
- 1/4 cup of dill fronds, finely diced
- 1 kale, finely diced (stem removed) or 1 cup spinach
- salt to taste, about 1 teaspoon
Note: or may transfer some green beans to a glass food storage container (without the added salt) and season the remaining in the pot with some salt for the rest of the family.
Instructions
- Add the oil to a pot over medium heat. Allow it to get hot.
- Add the onion, carrot, and the red bell pepper. Allow it to cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the tomato. Cook until the tomatoes become soft (mash them down) stirring frequently (for about 2-3 minutes). Use the cooking utensil to mash the softened tomatoes and mix it in with the rest of the ingredients. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for about a minute.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the green beans along with the diced potatoes. Stir
- Add 2 1/2 cups of boiling water or enough to slightly cover the green beans . Stir.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to where there’s a low boil. Allow it to cook for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender and the green beans have softened.
- Add finely diced dill, kale (or spinach), cilantro and salt. Stir. Cook for a couple of minutes. Taste for salt.
- Stir and serve it over some quinoa
- Make sure to get some of the liquid too as it’s full of flavor.
Notes
- If using 2 pounds of green beans, use about 3 to 3 1/2 cups of liquid (i.e. filtered water, low-sodium chicken broth or low-sodium vegetable broth).
- When serving this meal with quinoa, I like to cook my quinoa first. As the quinoa starts to simmer, that’s when I begin to work on my green beans. Finally, I allow the quinoa to sit off the heat covered with its lid, as I finish cooking my green beans.
Step-by-step instructions for cooking the quinoa is here.
PrintHow to Cook Quinoa
Here’s how I like to cook my quinoa. For the liquid, can use filtered water, chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Rest Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa , rinsed well
- 2 1/2 cups filtered water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the rinsed quinoa and the water (or chicken broth) to a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the liquid to a boil.
- Once it boils, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir.
- Bring the mixture back up to a boil, give it a final stir, cover it with a lid, lower the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, the liquid should be absorbed. If it hasn’t been absorbed, then cover with the lid and allow it to simmer for a few more minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.
- Turn the heat off, without removing the lid, let it sit off the heat for 15 minutes. I like to place a paper towel under the lid to help catch the moisture. Allow it to sit covered.
- Fluff with fork and serve.
