If you love Green Beans and Potatoes, then you must try this amazing Italian recipe. It's so simple to prepare in just 30 minutes and packed with Italian flavors. I know you’ll agree that this is one of the best side dishes ever!
My Green Beans and Potatoes Italian style is dressed with olive oil, vinegar, lemon, mashed garlic and lots of chopped parsley. This is exactly how my parents prepared boiled potatoes for me as a child and I still find it so delicious!
Just like my Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots or my Crispy Roast Potatoes, I love making this Green Beans and Potatoes recipe over the festive season. It is the perfect side dish for the potluck buffet and dinner parties because it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
But it’s not just for parties! This dish is also perfect on its own, as a light lunch with crusty bread to soak up the delicious dressing. I’m sure you’ll be making this versatile recipe as much as I do!
You’ll love this Green Beans and Potatoes recipe because:
- It is a super easy Italian side dish that is perfect for entertaining.
- This recipe is packed with fresh flavors from the tangy parsley dressing.
- All you need are simple pantry ingredients and basic vegetables - nothing fancy here!
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card bottom of the page.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Green beans - sometimes called string beans or snap beans. Look for fresh green beans that are bright in color and with no bruises.
- Red potatoes - I love keeping the skin on the potatoes for extra color and flavor. Just make sure you choose red potatoes that are best suited for boiling for this recipe.
- Olive oil - I recommend using extra virgin olive oil for the dressing of my Green Beans and Potatoes because you really get to taste it. Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil and should be bright and peppery. If you only have regular olive oil, don’t worry, it will do just fine.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is best in this dish. Look for plump gloves that are unblemished and juicy.
- White wine vinegar - I like using white wine vinegar because it is mild and delicate.
- Lemon juice - I recommend using lemon juice, in addition to vinegar, because it adds a lovely zesty flavor to my Green Beans and Potatoes Italian style.
- Parsley - Italian flat leaf parsley is the best choice here. I find it has the strongest flavor and is easiest to chop.
- Salt - Don’t be afraid of salt, it brings out all the delicious flavors in my Green Beans and Potatoes recipe.
- Black pepper - I recommend freshly ground black pepper in this dish.
Instructions
- For the dressing, mix together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in a jar or small bowl. Set aside.
- Add the whole potatoes into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Salt generously and cover with a lid. Bring to boil over medium heat, uncover and cook until tender.
- In the meantime, top and tail the beans. In another saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add the beans and when they come to a boil cook for 3-5 minutes until tender.
- When the potatoes are tender, cut them into large chunks and add them with the beans to a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and carefully combine.
Arrange on a serving platter and serve warm or at room temperature.
Hint: always begin boiling potatoes in cold water. Potatoes never cook well when added to already boiling water.
Substitutions
- You could easily substitute the red potatoes for other boiling potatoes like Yukon gold or new potatoes.
- If you can’t find fresh parsley, I don’t recommend substituting it with dried parsley as the flavor is so different. Why not try another fresh leafy herb like basil, chives, mint or dill?
- If you don’t have lemon juice, just add a little more vinegar to the dressing to balance the flavors or vice versa. What’s important is keeping the same amount of acidity in this dressing.
Variations
- For added flavor, you could boil the Green Beans and Potatoes in chicken broth instead of just salted water.
- I love topping this Green Beans and Potatoes recipe with some bacon that I’ve diced into cubes and fried.
- If you’ve got a ham hock or leftover ham bone from Christmas, pop it in the boiling water for adding flavor to the boiled vegetables.
Storage
Leftovers of my Green Beans and Potatoes Italian style will keep in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy the leftover Green Beans and Potatoes, take them out of the refrigerator a little ahead of time so that they can come down to room temperature.
Tips for Success
To ensure you don’t over boil or under boil your potatoes, check them by poking with a skewer or fork. If there isn’t much resistance and it goes all the way through, the potatoes are ready!
You could add the green beans into the same saucepan as the red potatoes. I would add the green beans in with the potatoes when they have 5 minutes left of boiling. However, I find this challenging because the cooking time for potatoes is so variable and difficult to judge. That’s why this recipe utilizes two separate saucepans.
When combining the green beans, red potatoes and dressing together, be careful not to stir too roughly and break the potatoes. I find this easiest by avoiding metal stirring utensils and combining the ingredients gently with a rubber spatula.
FAQ
My Green Beans and Potatoes recipe pairs perfectly alongside grilled meats at a barbecue, with my Baked Italian Chicken Thighs or even my Frittata with Ham and Cheese. It is also wonderful on its own for a light vegetarian lunch with crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Yes! My Green Beans and Potatoes recipe is full of vibrant ingredients and no nasties. Green beans are a wonderful source of nutrients and the addition of red potatoes with their skin is a simple way to include a little extra fiber to your diet.
I love seasoning my Green Beans and Potatoes with a dressing of olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. But the possibilities are endless! Why not try topping with fried bacon, adding a spoonful of mustard to the dressing or experimenting with different fresh or dried herbs? Just be sure to always include salt and pepper to taste!
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Recipe
Green Beans and Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans 500 grams
- 1 pound red potatoes 500 grams
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Place the whole potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Salt the water generously and cover with a lid. Bring to boil over medium heat, uncover and cook until tender. This usually take about 15-20 minutes.
- In the meantime, top and tail the beans. Bring a separate saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the beans and when they come to a boil cook for 3-5 minutes until tender.
- When the potatoes are tender (check by poking with a skewer or fork), drain well. Cut into large chunks.
- Gently combine the beans and potatoes in a large bowl with the dressing. Arrange on a serving platter and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Begin boiling potatoes in cold water. Never add potatoes to boiling water.
- To ensure you don’t over boil or under boil your potatoes. Check by inserting a fork or skewer into a potato. If it goes in without resistance, they're ready!
- Be gentle when combining the vegetables with the dressing. I like to use a rubber spatula.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Miss Irene
Can’t believe how good this is. I love the dressing made just before. I boiled the new potatoes and then brown d them with red onions. Boiled the beans in the potato water for only 2.5 mins. Then ice bath. They stay super crunchy but still cooked. Chicken broth for sure.
Rashmi
Hi Marcellina, I made this salad again for lunch today and it was awesome. My husband and I love this warm simple salad.
Marcellina
It's one of our fav's too, Rashmi!
Michelle
Love the clean fresh taste of the vegetables.
Marcellina
Thanks for your feedback, Michelle!
Amy Liu Dong
Such a great-looking dish that is so yummy and a healthy meal for everyone to enjoy and love!
Marcellina
Exactly, Amy!
Liz
My husband loves potatoes with his dinner and I was thrilled to find your delicious recipe. We both thought it was a winner!
Marcellina
Glad you enjoyed it Liz! This is a family fav just like my husband's nonna made.
Rashmi
Hi, I tried and loved this recipe. I had to use regular potatoes as we don't have the red variety here in India.I used fresh coriander leaves since I didn't have parsley at home but I plan to try it with parsley the next time. Thank you for sharing this simple and lovely recipe.
Marcellina
Yum! That sounds like a great variation, Rashmi!
Frank
A classic combo and for good reason. So simple but so good.