Romano Beans
Romano beans are a broad, flat Italian variety of green bean, meatier and more substantial than thin string beans, well-suited to braising as well as quick sautés.
How to buy
Look for flat pods that are bright green, firm, and snap crisply when bent. Avoid pods that are limp, have visible bulges from large overgrown seeds, or show brown spots, since they tend to be tougher and more fibrous.
How to store
Keep unwashed in a perforated bag in the crisper drawer; they keep for about a week. They freeze reasonably well after a quick blanch, which helps preserve their color and texture for longer storage.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Grassy and slightly sweet, with a more pronounced, meatier bean flavor than thin green beans. Braising with tomato or lamb brings out a deeper, savory sweetness.
- Texture
- Firm and a little fibrous raw, becoming tender but still substantial when cooked -- their broad, flat shape holds up well to longer braises without turning mushy as quickly as thinner beans.
- Aroma
- A mild, grassy, faintly sweet smell typical of green beans generally.
How to prepare
- Sautéed — Cooked quickly in olive oil with garlic until tender but still a little firm.
- Braised — Simmered slowly with tomato, onion, and potato until soft and deeply flavored.
- Blanched — Briefly boiled and shocked in cold water, often as a base for a cold salad.
- Grilled — Charred directly over flame until blistered and tender.
Classic dishes
American
- Green bean casserole — A Thanksgiving staple of beans baked in a creamy mushroom sauce with crispy onions.
- Southern smothered green beans — Beans simmered low and slow with pork or bacon until very tender.
- Grilled romano beans — Charred whole on the grill and finished with olive oil and flaky salt.
Italian
- Fagiolini al pomodoro — Flat green beans simmered in a simple tomato sauce as a classic contorno.
- Sautéed romano beans with garlic and olive oil — A quick side dish letting the beans' flavor shine with just garlic and oil.
- Romano beans in minestrone — Chopped beans added to the hearty vegetable and bean soup.
- Pasta e fagiolini — Pasta tossed with braised romano beans, garlic, and olive oil.
- Romano beans with tomatoes and onions — A rustic southern Italian side dish of beans stewed with tomato and sweet onion.
Chinese
- Stir-fried romano beans with garlic — Flat beans stir-fried over high heat in the style used for Chinese long beans.
French
- Haricots verts amandine-style romano beans — Beans sautéed in butter and topped with toasted almonds.
Mediterranean
- Romano bean and potato salad — Blanched beans tossed cold with potatoes, olive oil, and lemon.
- Romano bean salad with lemon and olive oil — A simple cold salad highlighting the beans' meaty bite with a bright, acidic dressing.
Greek
- Fasolakia — Romano beans braised slowly with potatoes, tomato, and olive oil until soft.
Middle Eastern
- Loubieh bi zeit — A Levantine stew of flat green beans braised in olive oil with tomato and onion.
- Loubieh bi lahmeh — A heartier version of the braised green bean stew made with chunks of lamb or beef.