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    Home » Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Green Beans – Middle Eastern Style

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the disclosure.    

    Published: Feb 28, 2020 | Updated: May 20, 2021 | Author: Paint the Kitchen Red | 8 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    Instant Pot Green Beans Middle Eastern Style in brown bowl with tomatoes on top - Paint the Kitchen Red

    This recipe proves that you don’t need elaborate ingredients to make a delicious vegetarian side dish. Made with simple ingredients, this tomato and olive oil-soaked braised Instant Pot green beans recipe can be served as part of a mezze platter or as an easy accompaniment to any main dish.

    Instant Pot Green Beans Middle Eastern Style in brown bowl with tomatoes on top - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Table of Contents


    1. INTRODUCTION
    2. TIPS
    3. INGREDIENTS
    4. STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
    5. RECIPE CARD – PRINTABLE
    6. RELATED RECIPES AND GUIDES

    Introduction

    We’ve been eating more vegetarian food in the new year. It was a matter of time, I think. I’d had the same experience with my older kids, and so when my youngest daughter announced she’s becoming a vegetarian, I was ready!

    I dug out my vegetarian binder of recipes and got to work planning out my new menu rotation. I’m sharing one of those recipes with you here.

    Green beans braised with tomatoes is a popular recipe in Middle East and the Mediterranean and there are different variations of this dish all over the region.

    This tomato and olive oil green beans recipe is known by different names including Loubieh Bi Zeit (Arabic) and Zeytinyağlı Fasulye (Turkish). The Greeks make a similar version of this recipe with potatoes called Fasolakia Lathera.

    This Instant Pot green beans recipe is a comforting, almost stew-like dish that tastes great served the next day. The thing that surprises most people is that the beans are cooked very soft and super tender, not crisp-tender.

    Although you could serve these green beans warm, they taste best when served at room temperature. They’re great as part of a mezze platter e.g. with hummus (chickpea dip), baba ganoush (eggplant dip), tabbouleh (parsley salad), or as a side dish with meat such as lamb.

    Here are some recipes that would be great to serve with this recipe!
    – Instant Pot Chicken Shawarma
    – Instant Pot Lamb Biryani

    – Instant Pot Chicken Curry

    TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS


    Beans

    I make this recipe with commonly available green beans. However, you can also use French beans (haricot verts), flat beans or runner beans.

    If necessary, trim the ends and remove any fibrous strings that run along the seams of the beans.


    Garlic

    I like to add a lot of garlic to this recipe – I often use more than what called for in this recipe! Pressure cooking really tones down the garlic taste and it’s not overpowering. However, you can choose to use less garlic.

    Leave the garlic whole or slice them up like I do. Or do both.


    Olive Oil

    This recipe is traditionally cooked with a generous amount of olive oil. Like 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I’ve reduced the initial quantity to 2 Tbsp, and then I drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil on top after pressure cooking.

    You can definitely increase the quantity of olive oil by adding another tablespoon or more. It’s great for dipping crusty bread or pita into.


    Sugar

    I add 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar to this recipe and it really makes a difference to the taste. However, you can omit or reduce the sugar if you wish.


    Pomegranate Molasses

    Pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern grocery stores or on amazon. I like the slightly sweet and sour taste that it contributes.

    It’s a great condiment to have on hand for Middle Eastern recipes, salad dressings, marinades or to drizzle on roasted vegetables. If you can’t find it, you can omit it – it’s not essential.

    You can also substitute a teaspoon of tomato paste and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Don’t stir the tomato paste in, just add it on top of all the ingredients and pressure cook.


    Spices

    This is a very simple recipe with minimal spices but believe me, it’s just so tasty even without extra spices. (And you know I love spices!)

    But there are variations where cinnamon, allspice, paprika or baharat (a Middle Eastern blend of spices) are added. Experiment and see what you like best.


    Cooking Time

    If you’re used to cooking green beans tender-crisp, you’ll find these green beans to be a departure from the usual. The beans are cooked to the point that they almost melt in your mouth.

    Increase or decrease the pressure cooking time to suit your tastes.


    Serving

    This dish is best served at room temperature or even cold. Like many stews, it tastes even better the next day. Serve with crusty bread or pita and with other Middle Eastern dishes as part of a mezze platter (e.g. hummus, baba ganoush or moutabal, muhammara, kebabs).

    Optional toppings: Greek yogurt, chopped parsley, chopped mint

    If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, you might find it helpful to first read one of the following guides and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe.

    • Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO EVO PLUS Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO NOVA Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO GOURMET Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot DUO CRISP Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot PRO Beginner’s Manual
    • Instant Pot PRO CRISP Beginner’s Manual

    Instant Pot Green Beans – Ingredients

    Instant Pot Green Beans Middle Eastern Ingredients - green beans, garlic, pomegranate molasses, salt, onion, tomatoes, olive oil, pepper, water, optional: sugar - Paint the Kitchen Redjpg
    • Green beans
    • Garlic
    • Pomegranate molasses
    • Salt
    • Water
    • Onion
    • Tomatoes
    • Olive oil
    • Black pepper
    • Sugar (optional)

    How to Make Middle Eastern Green Beans in the Instant Pot (Step by Step Instructions)

    1. Turn on Saute Mode
    2. Saute onions and garlic
    3. Add vegetables and spices
    4. Pressure cook
    5. Quick-release pressure
    6. Stir beans and allow to cool

    How to Turn on Saute Mode

    Instant Pot Ultra Duo Saute Function collage - arrows pointing to Saute in Duo and Ultra - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Instant Pot DUO:  Select the Saute function.
    • Instant Pot ULTRA:  Select the Saute function and press Start.

    Saute Onions and Garlic

    Instant Pot Green Beans Middle Eastern instructions collage 1 - oil, onions and garlic, beans - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Once the inner pot has preheated, add oil to the inner pot and let it heat up.
    • Add onions and garlic and stir until onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.
    • Press Cancel.
    • Add green beans.

    Add Vegetables

    Instant Pot Green Beans Middle Eastern instructions collage 2 - tomatoes on beans, spices, all stirred - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Add tomatoes and spices.
    • Stir to combine.

    Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 5 minutes

    Instant Pot Duo Manual mode 5 minutes collage - close lid, press manual, press - or +, display shows 5 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in Sealing position
    • Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads ‘5′ (5 minutes).

    Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 5 minutes

    Instant Pot Ultra pressure cook 5 minutes collage - close Instant Pot Ultra, set time to 00:05 and select Pressure Cook, press start - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Close the lid.
    • Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 5 minutes (00:05).
    • Press Start.

    Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)

    Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cooking collage - display shows On, float valve is down, display shows L0:00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooking collage - Ultra display shows On, float valve is up, display shows 00 00 - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Instant Pot display will change to On.
    • Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
    • The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display ‘L0:00’  or ’00 00′ and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.

    How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the DUO

    Instant Pot Quick Release collage - move handle to venting, float valve down, lid propped open - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Move the steam release handle to Venting. Steam will come out of the steam release handle.
    • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
    • Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.

    How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the ULTRA

    Instant Pot Ultra Release Steam and Open collage - press steam release button, float valve in down position, Instant Pot Ultra is open - Paint the Kitchen Red
    • Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
    • When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
    • Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.

    [Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]

    Stir Beans and Allow to Cool

    Instant Pot Green Beans Middle Eastern instructions collage 2 - cooked beans, stirred, served in a bowl - Paint the Kitchen Red.jpg
    • Stir the beans with a spatula.
    • Allow the beans to cool down to room temperature before serving.
    Instant Pot Green Beans Middle Eastern Style in brown bowl with tomatoes on top - Paint the Kitchen Red

    Instant Pot Green Beans (Middle Eastern Style)

    This recipe proves that you don’t need elaborate ingredients to make a delicious vegetarian side dish. Made with simple ingredients, these Middle Eastern Braised Instant Pot Green Beans are a wonderful accompaniment to any main dish.
    5 from 4 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 119
    Author: Paint the Kitchen Red

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 Tbsp olive oil divided, more to taste
    • 1 cup onion diced
    • 8 cloves garlic sliced (or whole)
    • 1 lb. green beans trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
    • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
    • 2 tsp granulated sugar
    • 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
    • 2 Tbsp water

    Instructions
     

    • Press ‘Saute’ and add 2 Tbsp olive oil to inner pot of the Instant Pot.
    • Once the oil is hot, add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in green beans, tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar, pomegranate molasses and water.
    • Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
    • Do a Quick Release and open the Instant Pot. [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
    • Gently stir everything together.
    • Serve warm or allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
    • Drizzle with remaining olive oil before serving.

    Notes

    • Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. cut beans, chopped onion, etc.
    • See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.  You don’t want to miss any!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 119 kcal | Carbohydrates: 14 g | Protein: 3 g | Fat: 7 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 204 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 5 g
    Course Sides
    Cuisine Middle Eastern
    Main Ingredient vegetarian
    Have you made this recipe? I love seeing your photos! Tag me on Instagram @PaintTheKitchenRed or #PaintTheKitchenRed!

    Thank you for visiting Paint the Kitchen Red. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please don’t use any content without prior written permission. If you’ve made this recipe and would like to share it with your friends, please link back to this recipe. Thank you!

    I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

    If you loved this recipe, please give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cris

      May 10, 2022 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe; consider this to be the best green bean soup and easy to make. I use frozen green beans and add parsnips, dill, a can of diced fire roasted tomatoes and chicken stock. I no longer used measurement but fill the pot to the max – I like the soup to have lots of beans. Serve with sour cream and warm, fresh pita. To die for

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        May 11, 2022 at 4:29 pm

        I just made a double batch of this yesterday – my family loves it too. But never thought of making it as a soup – thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Clara K

      July 17, 2020 at 10:53 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for a great recipe. I traveled to Turkey a few years ago and tasted a simple vegetable stew with tomatoes that I’ve been wanting to try to make at home. I think this recipe is the closest. I pressure cooked for five minutes.

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        July 17, 2020 at 10:55 am

        Hi Clara, I’m glad you liked the recipe. I agree that pressure cooking for longer creates that melt-in-your-mouth quality that makes this dish so delicious.

        Reply
    3. Carol A LaPorte

      April 18, 2020 at 8:50 am

      Hi–How would you change the cooking time if using frozen green beans in this recipe! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        April 18, 2020 at 12:25 pm

        Carol, I wouldn’t pressure cook frozen green beans. I would just make this in ‘saute’ mode so you can keep an eye on it to not overcook.

        Reply
    4. Sara

      March 15, 2020 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      Very easy side dish. I cooked the green beans for 3 minutes and it was perfect. But didn’t use the pomegranite molasses. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Paint the Kitchen Red

        March 16, 2020 at 10:28 am

        Thank you, Sara! I’m so glad to hear you tried it out. It’s such a simple recipe but different and tasty.

        Reply

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