A Greek stew made with lamb, string beans, and potatoes in a flavorful tomato-based sauce!
My Fasolakia me Arni is a Greek string bean and lamb stew that will take you straight to my mother’s kitchen. For me, flavors that take me back to my childhood are extra comforting, and this stew does it every time. It’s simple, basic ingredients to create a delicious and nutritious meal for the family, and the leftovers are even better. So, I make sure you have plenty.
I love string beans, especially cooked in a tomato stew. It makes them so tender and flavorful without being mushy. The potatoes are so soft and pillowy that you can mash them right into the sauce for a thicker saucy bite. The lamb almost melts in your mouth with the deep, rich, garlicky tomato sauce, and the herbs are the perfect freshness to balance the dish. I can’t wait for you to try this!
Why will I make this all fall?
Juicy, melty lamb
Pillowy potatoes
Sweet, tender carrots
Rich, garlicky tomato sauce
Bright, cool, fresh herbs
What are the ingredients for string bean and lamb stew?
Lamb shanks -cut into pieces. You can ask your butcher to do this for you, and it’s better to get bigger pieces than smaller pieces so the lamb doesn’t melt into the stew.
Onion -finely chopped to mix into the sauce or larger pieces if you prefer a chunkier sauce.
Olive oil –a good quality oil to sauté the vegetables and drizzle a little more on top of the finished dish.
Crushed tomatoes -I use canned crushed, but you can grate fresh tomatoes for a smooth sauce, too.
Garlic cloves -grated or minced to melt into the sauce.
Salt & freshly ground black pepper –the duo that makes all the flavors pop.
Water -to help cover the meat and ensure everything cooks evenly.
Potatoes –russet or golden peeled and cut into wedges or cubes.
Carrots -peeled and cut into rounds or cut diagonally to dress the stew up for guests.
Dried dill -I love the sweet citrusy notes dill adds.
Finely chopped fresh parsley -adds clean herbiness to finish off the stew.
Dried crushed mint -the stew is deep and rich, and the mint brightens it with a cool, freshness.
What other type of meat could I use?
A boneless leg of lamb cut into pieces or lamb shoulder would work as well, but if you don’t like lamb or can’t get lamb where you live, you can substitute stew chuck steak or any slow-cooking beef cut. The cooking times will be the same. I’ve even used chicken, and you can get that Chicken Fasolakia me Kota recipe here on my blog.
What’s the best way to brown the lamb?
Heat a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat and brown the lamb in 2-3 batches. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until browned. Set aside on a plate.
How do I start the sauce?
Reduce the heat to low and add more oil if needed. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and warm for 1 minute or until fragrant.
How long do I cook the stew?
Return the lamb to the pot along with salt, pepper, crushed tomatoes, and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with the lid and cook for 45 minutes or until the lamb is slightly tender.
When do I add the vegetables?
Add the string beans, carrots, potatoes, dill, and a half teaspoon of salt on top of the lamb sauce. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. At this time, the string beans will be soft enough to mix everything together, coat everything in the sauce, and cook the whole stew evenly.
How long do I cook the vegetables with the lamb?
Cover the pot and cook another 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the meat is almost falling off the bone. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
How do I serve Fasolakia me Arni?
Garnish with mint and parsley. Mix and let the stew sit off the heat for 15-20 minutes so that the sauce thickens a bit. Serve with toasted bread and feta cheese. Kali Orexi!
Do you have more lamb stews?
I’ve shared so many, and it’s hard to pick a favorite, so try these and tell me which you like best:
- One-Pot Lamb, Spinach & Orzo Stew
- Greek Lamb & Cabbage Stew
- Lamb Shanks & Orzo Youvetsi
- Lamb Stifado in the Instant Pot: Lamb & Shallot Stew
- Greek-Style Lamb Stew in the Instant Pot
- Baked Harissa Lamb Stew
- Greek Lamb & Eggplant Stew
Watch the Video
Fasolakia me Arni: String Beans & Lamb Stew
This Greek stew made with lamb, string beans, and potatoes is cooked on the stovetop in a flavorful tomato based sauce. Serve it with some toasted bread and feta cheese for a warm comforting meal.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (1kg) string beans, ends trimmed
- 4 pounds (2kg) lamb shanks, cut into pieces
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 28 oz (793g) crushed tomatoes
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 cups water
- 3 potatoes (russet or golden) peeled and cut into wedges or cubes
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed mint
serve with:
- feta cheese
- fresh bread
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven pot over medium heat and brown the lamb in 2-3 batches. % minutes per side until browned. Set aside in a plate.
- Reduce the heat to low and add more oil if needed. Add the onion and cook until softened.
- Add the garlic and warm through 1 minute (or less) or until fragrant.
- Return the lamb to the pot along with salt, pepper, crushed tomatoes, and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with the lid and cook for 45 minutes or until the lamb is slightly tender.
- Add the string beans, carrots, potatoes, dill, and a half teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook 10 minutes. By this time the string beans will soften enough so mix everything together so that it is coated in sauce.
- Cover the pot and cook another 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables and tender and the meat is almost falling off the bone.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Garnish with mint and parsley. Mix and let the stew stit off the heat for 15-20 minutes so that the sauce thickens a bit.
- Serve with toasted bread and feta cheese.
- Kali orexi!
Notes
Meat Substitutes:
- boneless leg of lamb cut into pieces
- lamb shoulder
- stew chuck steak
- any slow cooking beef cut
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This was a great way to use my garden beans, fresh dill and parsley. I used beef since I didn’t see lamb at my store. I scaled it down since it is just my husband and myself to feed. I did cook it in my pressure cooker. I cooked the meat part 15 minutes, but I think 25 would have been better. I then added carrots the rest for 5 minutes and it needed 15 minutes to get softer.
What a wonderful way to use up your garden’s bounty! Fresh dill and parsley add such great flavor. Beef is a great substitute if lamb isn’t available, and using the pressure cooker sounds so efficient. Your adjustments sound thoughtful—those extra minutes can make all the difference for tender results. Thank you for sharing your experience! 😊
Love Fassoulakia my mother cooked it with bone-in neck of lamb.
Do you add the dried mint same time as dill? Adore mint in Greek recipes but worried about overpowering it.
Thanks,
Keith Hatzieleftheriathou
Hi Keith! Yes, you can add the dried mint at the same time as the dill—this will help the flavors meld together. But if you’re concerned about the mint being too overpowering, you could start with a smaller amount and adjust to taste. Mint can be quite aromatic, so a little goes a long way, especially in Greek dishes. Let me know how it turns out, and enjoy!
One of the best tasting, new recipes I’ve tried in a long time ! Absolutely loved it!! Was looking for recipes that used up garden “over abundance”. So I used my green beans (some I thought would be tough but cooked up fine),and instead of canned crushed tomatoes I blended cherry tomatoes. It worked beautifully! ALL the flavors were perfect, and the feta!!! Icing on the cake!
Thank you! It’ll be a favorite!