Green Beans and Tomatoes
When you need a simple, quick, easy, and healthy Southern side dish to accompany your favorite main meal, try this recipe for last-minute green beans and tomatoes. It’s lightly seasoned, only needs 5 ingredients, and is ready in just 15 minutes.
In the continual search for something green to add to our meals, this green beans and tomatoes recipe is a great quick and easy Southern side dish that makes canned green beans delicious. I say this with surprise because, until I made them this way, there was nothing more un-delicious to me than a can of green beans. Usually, I only served green beans when I had time to fry up bacon and make them sweet and sour style.
I was skeptical when my friend, Heather, told me this recipe for last-minute green beans was her son’s absolute favorite side dish, but I tried it. I have to say, it has become one of our favorite side dishes, too. This is handy because you can keep the ingredients on hand easily enough and whip the recipe up at the last minute with very little thought (hence the nickname). Let me just say, it tastes great with my sticky chicken and maple-glazed pork chops. We do thorough taste-testing around here, of course!
So, what ingredients do you need on hand? Well, it’s super simple: cans of French green beans, an onion, a can of diced tomatoes, and salt and pepper. That’s it! Your green beans and tomatoes will be ready to eat in 15 minutes. Sound good?
P.S. I really don’t fret over whether or not I have something green on every supper table. One of my favorite meal combinations includes sides of creamed corn, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and rolls! But we try to toss some green in there (like these green beans and tomatoes) for good measure to keep all of our home economics teachers from rolling over in their graves. I have a home economics degree, so it’s my duty!
Now, time to make some last-minute green beans.
Recipe Ingredients
- Diced tomatoes
- French-style green beans (regular green beans work just fine)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion
How to Make Last-Minute Green Beans and Tomatoes
First, chop your onion.
Drain your green beans and dump them into a pot.
Say hello to your green beans because they’re being all sweet and posing for you. They look like they are seeking approval. HELLO, GREEN BEANS! You look mighty pretty today!
Add chopped onion and canned tomatoes (with juice).
And salt and pepper to taste.
Stirry stirry.
Cook over medium-high heat until it just comes to a light boil.
Then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
The end result? A big bowl of green beans and tomatoes.
There are several serving suggestions below, but may I suggest some delicious chicken legs to accompany your green beans and tomatoes?
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Recipe Notes
- You can also use fresh tomatoes or cherry tomatoes if you like. Just dice it up and go for it. Another option is to swap the diced tomatoes for canned fire-roasted tomatoes.
- To make them extra tasty, add a teaspoon of garlic powder or minced garlic cloves. You can also add a tablespoon of sugar or brown sugar if you want a touch of sweetness.
- For heat, you’ll want to add a pinch of cayenne pepper, paprika, or crushed red pepper flakes to this (whatever spice you have on hand).
- As mentioned, you can use either canned, fresh, or frozen green beans.
- If your saucepot isn’t non-stick, add a dash of olive oil or some butter to add flavor and ensure nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Just before serving, stir through 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley or chopped fresh basil if you like for Italian green beans and tomatoes (a very similar side dish).
- Some Southern versions of this dish add crumbled bacon bits too.
Recipe FAQs
What do you serve with green beans and tomatoes?
Now, I know I included quite a few serving ideas in the intro, but hey, here are some more:
- Serve them as a side with all sorts of main dishes, like Southern fried catfish, Southern fried chicken, pan-seared pork chops with velvet cream sauce, or pulled pork.
- They also work great as a side dish with pasta, like my slow cooker angel chicken pasta.
You may also like these other Southern side dish recipes:
Southern Deviled Eggs Recipe (Keto-Friendly)
Hush Puppies Recipe, Southern-Style
Ingredients
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 14.5-ounce cans green beans, drained
- 1 chopped onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place drained green beans in a medium saucepot. Add in chopped onion, tomatoes with juice, salt, and pepper. Stir.1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained, 2 14.5-ounce cans green beans, drained, 1 chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Place over medium-high heat and bring just to a light boil.
- Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve.
Nutrition
If you pray for God to move a mountain, be prepared to wake up next to a shovel.
~Unknown. Submitted by Rick (thanks, Rick!)
Well, Christy, another of your recipes just made a big hit! I made the “Last Minute Green Beans'” today for lunch to go with Salmon Patties and Salad and they were so good. I have to watch my sodium intake and so I used the canned green beans but drained them and then rinsed them with water. I know there was salt in the tomatoes but at least I got rid of some of the salt by treating the beans as I did. My husband and I both enjoyed the beans! Thanks again to you and God bless you!
I am so glad you liked them!! You could use the low-salt or no-salt added ones, they may be more expensive though. I imagine washing them helps reduce the salt a great deal.
Hi Christy, I read your blog about your son leaving and how hard that is. I know. I’m having to let my son go live with his dad in Georgia (I live in NW Indiana) for his senior year so he can get started early for college and have free college tuition. Even though a small part of me looks forward to being able to do things that I’ve never been able to do before because, well….I’m a mom! I still cry every time I think about him actually leaving in June for the next phase of his life and I’ll be an empty nester. Not sure how I’m going to handle it, but with a lot of prayers, I’m sure I’ll get through it. Thanks for your down home way of letting us know that we’re not the only ones who struggle with life!
Oh goodness, I will be praying for y’all Kris. I know it is going to be a tough transition but what a great opportunity as well!!
Can you use fresh or frozen green beans?
Every time I access your email, and start to read it, the screen goes blank and I get a message saying that a problem occurred and they have to restart it. It only happens with your emails, so I’m thinking it must be something on your end.
Hi Christy! Your comments (dialog) make me smile, laugh an cry! My kids are 36 and 32. I had my first at 30 by choice, but when they started school everyone thought I was their grandmother! And, trust me, I did not look it! It was simply the fact that most of their moms had kids at 16 or 18. I thought it was interesting and it did not stop me from attending all activities, be they physical or mental, and enjoying every minute!
Hi Dorothy!!! I just love your go-get-em attitude!! Thank you so much for all of your support!!
i know this blog took place 3 yrs ago but I’m still crying over your sitting in that chair after Brady left with his Daddy. :'(
i bet Katy Rose still has that snazzy turkey.
the recipe for green beans is great. i also have a quick dress up recipe for “store bought” green beans you ought to try.
2 cans of green beans, drained
1 onion , peeled, cut in half and sliced thin……(or thin-ish for you Christy, lol)
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp olive oil
1 can of water
put all ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil.
cover, reduce heat to medium and cook at least 5 min.
remove lid and turn up heat to return to boil and stir occasionally as liquid reduces and is almos gone completely. serve warm
I do my green beans this way sometimes and they are great.
I am so glad you like them Barbara!!
Made these the other night with the “Deep Dish Sloppy Joes”. Tasty. However, they still need that bacon flavor! I bake a pound of bacon every two weeks or so. I strain and save the grease, crumble and freeze the bacon. Comes in very handy for bean recipes! So next time I will add some bacon and a tad bit of grease. After mixing the drained beans and undrained diced tomatoes, I will also stir in some Wylers Chicken bouillon granules for flavor into the tomato liquid. Taste for seasoning and add salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed. This is an excellent base recipe for designing for your own family tastes!