These Mexican green beans are a quick and simple vegetable side that will go with almost any Mexican main course.
As a Latina dietitian, I spend a lot of time with my clients helping them brainstorm ways to add extra vegetables to their meals.
For my Mexican-American clients, it’s really common for them to forget about all of the wonderful, simple vegetable dishes in our food culture! In my view this is because not enough nutrition education resources highlight our food culture, so people forget about these options.
That’s why I wanted to share this simple, authentic Mexican side dish. To show you an easy way to get vegetables on the table that will go well with your favorite authentic Mexican food.
So let’s get started!
Canned, Fresh, or Frozen Green Beans?
You can use either fresh, canned, or frozen green beans in this recipe. Any of these will make a nutritious and easy meal.
As a dietitian, I have no problem recommending canned vegetables to my clients. Some research shows people who eat canned vegetables have higher intake of certain nutrients (1).
Keep in mind canned green beans may have extra sodium. In this case I recommend either rinsing the green beans before using, reducing the salt, or using a salt-free adobo seasoning. You can also look for a no salt added can of green beans.
Another great option is frozen green beans. Frozen green beans have just as many nutrients as fresh (2).
They offer a convenient and affordable way to incorporate vegetables into your diet. To use frozen green beans in this recipe, thaw and drain any excess water from the green beans before using them.
What to serve with Mexican green beans
This recipe makes an ideal side dish for most authentic Mexican meals. Here are some main dishes that will go well with these green beans:
Recipe Tips
Feel free to follow the recipe card exactly as written. I just want to point out a few specific parts that are worth paying attention to.
- To save time, chop (don’t pureé) the tomato, onion, and jalapeño together in the food processor
- I use pre-made adobo seasoning because it’s easy and tastes great. But you can also mix and match your own spices to get a similar taste. Ideal choices include garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, pepper, and paprika. I do this when I’m out of adobo!
- If you are using fresh green beans, I highly recommend cutting them into halves or thirds. Small bite-sized pieces work better with the tomato and onion seasoning, in my opinion.
Mexican Green Beans Recipe
Easy Mexican Green Beans (Ejotes a la mexicana)
Equipment
- 1 Skillet (cast-iron preferred)
- 1 food processor
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans
- 2 roma tomato
- ½ white onion peel removed
- ½ jalapeno
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste most pre-made adobo seasoning already has salt. So make sure to taste and only add extra salt if needed.
Instructions
Instructions
- Chop the tomato and onion into quarters and place in food processor.
- Remove the stem from the jalapeno. Chop into large chunks and place in food processor.
- Set food processor to chop (not puree) and chop for 15 seconds until all vegetables are finely chopped.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add olive oil to skillet and heat for 1-2 minutes (or until shimmering)
- Once the olive oil is hot, add the chopped vegetables into the skillet. Sprinkle with a small pinch of salt and sautée for 5 minutes (or until the onions are soft and translucent).
- Add the green beans to the skillet and toss to coat with the tomato and onion mixture.
- Sprinkle the adobo seasoning and oregano over the green beans, and toss to coat completely.
- Sautée for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Once the green beans are tender, serve.
