Why it works: Tomato and olive are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 15,539 recipes. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
Green Beans in Olive Oil
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Trim beans and cut into 3 pieces, wash and drain.
Put onion and tomato into a heavy pan.
Sprinkle with salt and rub in lightly with fingers.
Stir in the beans, olive oil and sugar, mix well.
Cook
Cover and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally.
When all the moisture has been absorbed, stir-fry the beans for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add ½ cup water, cover and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes until the beans are tender. Add more water if necessary, ½ cup at a time.
Serve
Serve cold as part of a buffet.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Tomato + olivetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,539 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Green beans + tomatotop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together113 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + tomatotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + olivetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together29,779 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
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Green beans + olivetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together226 recipes
Shared aroma: trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Green beans
- Form the main body of the dish and become tender through long, gentle simmering.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Carries flavor and adds richness, helping the beans stay silky as they cook.
- Onion
- Softens and sweetens as it cooks down, building the base flavor of the dish.
- Chopped tomatoes
- Release moisture that helps braise the beans and adds acidity and body to the sauce.
- Sugar
- Balances acidity and rounds out the flavor of the tomato and onion.
The step that matters
Add water in small amounts while simmering. Beans cooked in a covered pan can scorch or stay tough if the liquid runs out too early. Adding water gradually keeps the pan moist so the beans soften evenly without burning on the base.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (green beans, tomato, olive, sugar):
- Capsicumfits better
- Cucumberfits better
- Eggplantfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against green beans, tomato, olive, sugar. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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