Lebanese braised green beans are usually stewed in a rich tomato sauce for well over an hour. This version speeds up the process by using the Instant Pot. You get all the flavor and texture of a long slow braise without all the time. Bonus: free up your oven for other dishes.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time5 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Side Dishes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot, Lebanese recipes, Mediterranean recipe, side dish, vegetables
Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot cook the onions until translucent and soft.
Add the garlic, spices and tomato paste. Stir the tomato paste well and coat the onions with it. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds to release the aromas of the spices.
Add the canned tomatoes and tomato sauce along with all the juices in the cans. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot then add the green beans.
Place the lid on and set the Instant Pot on low pressure for 5 minutes.
Manually release the pressure on the Instant Pot and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
This is not your typical al-dente (slightly undercooked) bright green bean dish. Braised green beans are exceptionally tender and infused with flavor. They should not be mushy like canned green beans so make sure you release the pressure after the cooking time is up or they will get mushy.
Use low pressure for this recipe. High pressure will make the green beans fall apart.
Setting the Instant Pot on low pressure for 5 minutes will give you very soft and tender green beans, similar to braised green beans. If you want them to be more al dente then set it for 1 minute.
High altitude cook time:
For altitudes over 4000, increase cook time to 6 minutes