The seasonal nature of pole beans makes them somewhat limited in terms of recipe ideas.
They’re most often paired with a few types of vegetables which have similar or complementary qualities such as heirloom tomatoes.
Nevertheless, you can still combine these vegetables in unique pole bean recipes or switch up the cooking method you’re using for the beans.
For instance, you can reverse engineer a tomato bean stew and turn it into a fresh salad. Or mix in some potatoes, add some water and turn it into a soup.
In any case, you’ll end up with a light summer meal that your close ones will enjoy.
7 Pole Bean Recipe Ideas
Yellow Pole Bean Salad
If you’re looking for a light summer appetizer, then you have to try this Yellow Pole Bean Salad.
It’s made with meaty pole beans which are mixed with juicy cherry tomatoes and finely sliced sweet onions.
The salad is also garnished with a few sprigs of parsley and a simple vinaigrette. It pairs perfectly with some homemade garlic bread and grilled chicken kabobs.
Get the recipe at: Sustain My Cooking Habit
Italian Green Beans in Tomato Sauce
These Italian green beans are stewed in a savory tomato sauce and seasoned with a pinch of peperoncino.
In order to make them, you’ll simply need to blanch the pole beans and simmer them in the tomato sauce until they soften up.
You can serve them with roasted meat or add a bit of pasta to the sauce and eat them as is.
Get the recipe at: Instagram @ mangiawithmichele
Italian Green Beans and Potatoes
These Italian Green Beans and Potatoes may be referred to as peasant food by some, but this doesn’t stop them from being jam-packed with flavor.
They feature fleshy pole beans which are sauteed along with some garlic, onions and potatoes.
Even though you can enjoy them on their own, I recommend trying them out with some grilled meat or fish first.
Get the recipe at: Mangia with Michele
Charred Flat Beans
Pole bean recipes don’t get any easier than these Charred Flat Beans. They’re prepared with blanched pole beans which are given a quick sear on the grill.
And since grilling alone doesn’t amount to much flavor, they’re also tossed in a lemon juice-mustard vinaigrette.
Get the recipe at: Two Kooks in the Kitchen
Yellow Pole Beans with Roasted Red Pepper
These Yellow Pole Beans are super effortless to make and require less than ten minutes to cook.
They’re garnished with roasted red peppers and pistachios which gives them a subtle smoky flavor.
You can save this meal and make it on busy weeknights or whenever you’re short on time.
Get the recipe at: Idealist Foods
Charred Pole Beans with Heirloom Tomatoes
Pole beans turn out the best when they’re combined with other seasonal foods such as tomatoes.
And this Charred Pole Beans with Heirloom tomatoes appetizer clearly gets this idea. It combines fleshy charred pole beans with an even fleshier tomato cultivar.
Both rely on a simple seasoning of lime juice, fresh basil leaves, garlic and some red pepper flakes.
Get the recipe at: Sippity Sup
Kentucky Wonder Beans
Even though I don’t consider these beans to be wondrous in any way, they’re still worth a shot.
They’re prepared in a pretty similar way to some of the other entries on this list, but they also have tiny bits of bacon.
Making them simply requires you to simmer all of the ingredients for roughly ten minutes.
Get the recipe at: All Recipes
What’s the difference between pole beans and green beans?
Pole beans are a variety of green beans that grow on a climbing vine which typically requires staking.
Unlike regular green beans which have a round shape and a crisp texture, pole beans have a flat shape and a meatier texture.
Due to these characteristics, they’re often combined with other fleshy vegetables such as tomatoes and roasted peppers.
Pole beans are most often used for salads, vegetable stews and in some rare cases for soups.
Read next: Ideas for Leftover Green Bean Recipes
Wrap up
Even though pole beans aren’t the most versatile vegetable, they can still be used in plenty of different ways.
It all depends on what type of meal you want to make and how creative you’re willing to get.