Recipe for: Green beans with onion (in Polish) - photo 1
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Recipe for: Green beans with onion (in Polish)

Main dishes Regional Cuisine of Poland 20 min Easy 31 views ~26.47 PLN - (0)
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Description

A simple, seasonal dish of Polish cuisine — green beans sautéed with onion, finished delicately with butter and parsley. The dish has a fresh, slightly sweet flavor of the beans balanced by the sweetness of caramelized onion and the creaminess of butter. Traditionally served as a standalone lunch dish or as a side to meat (e.g., roasted pork, pork chop) and potatoes. It looks appetizing: bright green pieces of beans with golden onion, sprinkled with green parsley. Quick to prepare — perfect for a summer lunch with seasonal vegetables.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (9)

Servings:
4
  • Green beans 500 g
  • Onion 1 pcs (~150 g)
  • Butter 30 g
  • Rapeseed oil 15 g
  • Water 100 ml
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Salt 0.1 pinch (~3 g)
  • Black pepper 2 pinch (~1 g)
  • ✨ Optional
  • Bacon 100 g
  • Parsley 1 bunch (~30 g)
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~26.47 PLN (6.62 PLN/serving)

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparation

1

Wash the green beans under cold running water. Place a few pods on a cutting board and trim the ends: hold one end and snap or cut the other end with your fingers about 1 cm from the tip. Discard the trimmed ends. Then cut the pods into pieces about 3–4 cm long. You do not need to peel the outer skin of the beans unless the pods are fibrous — in that case, remove the fiber with your fingers.

Ingredients: Green beans
Use a cutting board and a sharp kitchen knife. If you have a lot of green beans, use a large bowl to collect the chopped pieces. A common mistake: pieces that are too long make it difficult to eat — 3–4 cm is a comfortable length.

Blanching

2

In a large pot, bring about 2 liters of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt (about 3 g). When the water is boiling, add the green beans in batches, stirring with a wooden spoon, and cook uncovered for 4–5 minutes — the beans should become bright green and tender to the bite (meaning you can bite into them, but they shouldn't fall apart under the pressure of a fork).

Ingredients: Green beans, Salt, Water
Use a large pot so the beans have space; a wooden spoon prevents splattering. If you want very soft beans, cook for 6–7 minutes, but avoid overcooking.
3

After 4–5 minutes, drain the beans into a colander and immediately cool them with cold water or immerse them in a bowl of ice-cold water for 1–2 minutes — this will stop the cooking process and maintain a bright green color. Drain thoroughly.

Ingredients: Green beans, Water
If you don't have ice, use very cold tap water and hold it for a few moments. Well-drained beans won't become "watery" in the pan.

Frying

4

Slice the onion into half-moons: cut it in half, peel it, and with a knife, slice horizontally into thin half-moons (about 3–4 mm). If you are using bacon (optional), cut it into small cubes with a side of 0.5–1 cm.

Ingredients: Onion, Bacon
Use a sharp kitchen knife and a stable cutting board. Evenly sized onion pieces will ensure even frying. A common mistake: slices that are too thick — in that case, the onion takes longer to fry and may not caramelize before adding the beans.
5

Heat a pan with a diameter of about 24–28 cm over medium heat. Pour in canola oil (15 g) and add butter (30 g). When the butter melts and starts to foam slightly, add the bacon (if using) and fry for 4–6 minutes until browned and the fat renders. If you are not using bacon, wait until the butter heats up — the oil will prevent it from burning.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Butter, Bacon
The best is a heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron; the fat should heat up but not smoke. If the bacon was salty, reduce the amount of salt in the dish later.
6

Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté for 4–5 minutes, stirring every 30–40 seconds, until the onion becomes translucent and starts to lightly brown at the edges. Reduce the heat if the onion begins to burn. If you want a sweeter flavor, sauté for an additional 2–3 minutes until golden edges appear.

Ingredients: Onion, Butter, Rapeseed oil
Use a wooden or silicone spatula for stirring. The onion is ready when it becomes translucent and soft — this is a sign that it has released its sugars and gained sweetness.

Main dishes

7

Add the drained beans to the pan, mix with the onion and bacon. Pour in 50–100 ml of water, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer on low heat for 4–6 minutes — this will allow the beans to absorb the flavors and become soft yet firm. After 3 minutes, check the tenderness with a fork; the beans are ready when they can be easily pierced but still have a slight resistance.

Ingredients: Green beans, Onion, Water, Bacon, Salt, Black pepper
Use a lid that fits the pan. If the water evaporates quickly, add a little more water — it's better to braise than to fry dry to avoid burning the onions.

Finishing and serving

8

Uncover the pan, season with salt (about 3 g) and freshly ground pepper (about 1 g). Optionally, add an extra piece of butter for shine and flavor. Sprinkle finely chopped parsley (optional) just before serving. Transfer the beans to a serving platter or directly onto plates and serve hot.

Ingredients: Salt, Black pepper, Butter, Parsley
To chop the parsley, use sharp knives or kitchen scissors. If you are serving the green beans as a side dish to meat, place them next to potatoes or pearl barley.

Fun Fact

💡

In Poland, green beans have long been a staple on summer seasonal tables and are often served with the addition of cracklings or bacon — a simple way to enhance the flavor of an inexpensive seasonal vegetable.

Best for

letni obiad family dinner grill i biesiada

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve immediately after preparation, when the beans are hot and crisp. It pairs wonderfully with boiled potatoes, roasted new potatoes, pork cutlet, or roasted pork neck. For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and add more butter and fresh herbs.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, sauté in a pan for 2–3 minutes with a little butter or heat in the oven for 6–8 minutes at 180°C. Avoid reheating multiple times — the beans lose their crunch.

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