These sweet and spicy Asian Green Beans are a great way to add big flavor and Asian flair to any meal. They’re super versatile and so delicious!
More green bean recipes we love include my Sautéed Green Beans and Pesto Green Beans.
These Asian Green Beans are a seriously versatile vegetable side dish.
They get tons of flavor and a bit of heat from one of my favorite secret ingredients, and just the right amount of sweetness to complement the spice.
Of course they work perfectly with an Asian-inspired meal, but these flavors are a great way to wake up dinner basics like roasted chicken or sirloin steak.
They’re special enough to serve with my Roasted Beef Tenderloin for Christmas and a great side dish choice when summer grilling season is in full swing.
Ingredient Notes
- Green beans: Make it easy on yourself and pick up a bag of washed and trimmed green beans at the store. If you buy bulk green beans, you’ll need to rinse them and trim the ends.
- Stir fry sauce: Low sodium soy sauce (substitute tamari for gluten-free), chili garlic sauce, minced garlic, and honey. Chili garlic sauce is my secret weapon for adding big flavor to these green beans. It also ups the garlic factor when combined with additional minced garlic in this recipe and in my Best Grilled Chicken Marinade (a must try recipe!).
- Optional garnish: I like to sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the cooked green beans for a little interest.
How to Make Asian Green Beans
- Partially cook the green beans to slightly soften the texture. You can accomplish this by steaming them over a pot of boiling water or cooking them briefly in the microwave. You don’t want them to be fully cooked at this time. See the recipe card for details on each cooking method.
- Turn them out on a double layer of paper towels and blot them dry. This is an important step to prevent oil splatters.
- Sauté the green beans in oil in a large skillet for about 2 minutes, then add the stir fry sauce ingredients.
- Lower the heat and stir fry with the sauce for 2 or 3 minutes, until crisp tender. You want them fork tender but with a little bite.
Transfer the beans and all of the flavorful sauce to a serving bowl and for a pretty effect, top them with some sesame seeds. Optional, but nice.
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Asian Green Beans
These sweet and spicy Asian Green Beans are a great way to add big flavor and Asian flair to any meal. They’re super versatile and so delicious!
Servings: 4 servings
Instructions
Partially Cook the Green Beans
Stir Fry
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Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add the green beans, and cook. stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, garlic, and honey. Reduce heat to MEDIUM and continue cooking and stirring 2 to 3 minutes, or until the green beans are fork tender. Be careful not to overcook.
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Serve right from the pan or transfer them to a serving bowl with all of the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds before serving, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 65 kcal · Carbohydrates: 11 g · Protein: 2 g · Fat: 2 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Sodium: 481 mg · Potassium: 194 mg · Fiber: 3 g · Sugar: 7 g · Vitamin A: 587 IU · Vitamin C: 11 mg · Calcium: 31 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
This post was originally published on January 26, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.
Adapted from Allrecipes
