Mix 2 Canned Vegetables Together For A Gourmet Greek Side Dish (It Couldn't Be Easier)

Canned vegetables usually go down the same path every time, into quick and familiar dinners that always leave a little something to be desired. That said, canned peas and canned artichoke hearts, together, are the exception. These two canned ingredients can be your shortcut to a traditional Greek comfort food that comes together in a flash. Just grab a few extra pantry staples, and you already have everything you need to make a pot of arakas me aginares.

Arakas me aginares is undoubtedly one of those Greek dishes you need to try at least once. This stew is made with peas, artichokes, and occasionally other veggies like potatoes or carrots, smothered in a tomato-based sauce. In your kitchen, putting it together is as simple as simmering the chopped tomatoes (juice included) with aromatics for about 10 minutes, before adding in the (drained) canned veggies, seasonings, and water or a broth. Simmer everything for another 30 minutes and finish it up with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Simplicity aside, the taste is where this dish truly shines. All that simmering allows the ingredients to build up a heartiness that warms you right up with every spoonful. Green peas and artichokes' nutty, earthy notes go together wondrously, especially with the tomato base's acidic tang turning the whole dish rustic. Amid that richness is the lemon's subtle zing and the earthy fragrance of fresh herbs. One layer after another, seamlessly melding into each other, arakas offers such a beautiful complexity that you can hardly believe it started with just two canned ingredients.

Arakas me aginares, unsurprisingly, is always open to changes. For example, you can leave out the tomato sauce (or paste) and cook everything in vegetable stock for a lighter, slightly more savory base. You can also start with sweating a few aromatics first, such as onions and shallots, to enhance the dish's undertone. Conversely, a whole lot more heartiness awaits in spoonfuls of tomato passata. This Italian tomato purée offers a luscious richness in both taste and texture that's sure to elevate this Greek stew.

There's always room for more in your pot of arakas me aginares. If you do add sturdy root veggies like potatoes and carrots, cook them for about 10 minutes first, preferably with the tomato condiments, before adding in the broth, peas, and artichokes. For those looking for more of that nutty sweetness you typically get from green peas, add another legume to the dish: fava beans. Don't underestimate the power of fresh herbs, either. From dill and parsley to mint, every single one will bring a slightly different fragrance to your arakas stew each time you make it. Bulking up this light stew, braised lamb, or even just your regular seared chicken is the perfect way to do it.

Accompanying the stew, a few slices of toasted bread and feta cheese will do just fine. Of course, Greek-style pita bread or tiropsomo (a feta-infused flatbread) might make for an even more toothsome meal. However, you can also serve this stew over a bed of rice pilaf or Greek lemon rice should the taste buds call for something more filling.