Ready in about 25 minutes, they’re so easy to make. And the leftovers are delicious! The secret to perfectly cooked Chinese green beans is sautéing them until tender-crisp and not a second longer. The tasty sauce - garlic, soy sauce, and honey - is wonderfully flavorful. Green beans are delicious! Simple boiled green beans, liberally salted, are lovely. I also love spicy green beans and green beans almondine. When tender-crisp, rather than limp and lifeless, they are like a salty, spicy snack.
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe Card
Avocado oil: This neutral-tasting oil is ideal for cooking. Fresh green beans: I tried making this recipe with frozen beans, and it wasn’t as good. Fresh beans are much better. They come out tender-crisp, while frozen beans are a little too mushy. Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. I find that traditional soy sauce is too salty. You can also use a gluten-free alternative. Rice vinegar: You can substitute white wine vinegar. But don’t use distilled white vinegar - it’s too acidic. Honey: Just a little to balance out the other flavors in this recipe. It doesn’t make the dish taste sweet. Cornstarch: Just a little to help thicken the sauce. Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. I tested both, and freshly minced does taste best, though. Red pepper flakes: I use ½ teaspoon, which makes the dish quite spicy. If you don’t like spicy food, you can use half that amount. Sesame oil: To finish the dish after it’s cooked. It adds great flavor!
Your first step is to mix the sauce ingredients - soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, cornstarch, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Sauté the beans in avocado oil until they are tender-crisp and just begin to brown in spots. Drizzle the beans with sesame oil and serve. Eight minutes over medium heat works for me (plus a minute after adding the sauce). But keep a close eye on them as you cook. Depending on how hot your stovetop runs, they might be ready faster. I often serve them with grilled chicken breast, baked pork chops, broiled shrimp, or seared tuna. They are also very nice alongside fried or poached eggs for a tasty and filling meatless meal. Still, they obviously pair well with Chinese-style dishes. So, I often serve them with Asian meatballs or Asian salmon.
