Sizzling Chinese Green Beans
If you often crave take-out, this sizzling Chinese green beans recipe will soon become your best friend. The silky and spicy dark brown sauce will make your mouth water while the crisp, bright string beans stimulate your senses. Serve over steaming, white sticky rice along with a cup of hot, black oolong tea for the ultimate Asian-inspired experience.
To truly make this homemade vegan meal top-notch, consider laying your table with chopsticks, your best china dishes, and sprinkling in a few starters. For instance, our mellow miso soup would be an excellent appetizer, as well as a side of tantalizing air-fried tofu or scrumptious little rainbow spring rolls with peanut sauce.
Ready to bring some spicy deliciousness into your suppertime routine? Let’s get started!
Why This Chinese Green Bean Stir Fry is So Awesome
Szechuan string beans are a fantastic dish that’s both flavorful and easy to make. Their unique taste and quick preparation make them a favorite for busy cooks. Here’s why we think these beans are a must-try!
- Bold Flavors. The combination of spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors makes every bite exciting. The Szechuan peppercorns add a unique, mouth-tingling sensation that sets this dish apart.
- Quick and Easy. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknights. With just a few simple steps and common ingredients, you can have a delicious meal on the table in no time.
- Healthy and Nutritious. String beans are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This dish is a great way to enjoy a nutritious meal that’s both satisfying and good for you.
- Versatile Pairing. Szechuan green beans can be served as a side dish or a main course. They pair wonderfully with rice, noodles, or your favorite protein, making them a versatile addition to any meal.
- Minimal Ingredients. You don’t need a long list of ingredients to make this dish. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, making it easy to whip up without a special trip to the store.
- Perfect for All Occasions. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or a dinner party, Szechuan string beans are sure to impress. The vibrant colors and bold flavors make it a standout dish for any occasion.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Understanding the key ingredients in Szechuan string beans helps you appreciate their unique flavors. Plus, knowing the best substitutions can make this dish even more versatile. Here’s a list of the essentials and alternatives for making delicious sizzling green beans:
- Green Beans – Provide a satisfying crunch and beautiful bright color that contrasts with the sauce. Snow Peas offer a similar crunch and can be cooked quickly or choose asparagus which has a slightly different texture and flavor.
- Soy Sauce – Adds depth and richness to the dish. The salty flavor balances the sweetness and heat in this recipe. For a gluten-free alternative with a similar taste, try tamari. Coconut aminos is another soy-free option that’s slightly sweeter.
- Toasted Sesame Oil – Gives a distinctive nutty taste that’s characteristic of many Asian dishes. This ingredient also enhances the aroma of any stir fry. You could use olive oil in a pinch, but it won’t give the same flavor. Another option is to use canola oil with a scattering of sesame for a mild alternative with some nuttiness.
- Garlic – Adds a rich, savory flavor that enhances the overall taste. It also gives a delightful aroma that brings the dish to another level of deliciousness. Consider adding ginger for a different, but complementary, spicy flavor. Shallots offer a milder, slightly sweet taste.
- Scallions – Lends a fresh, slightly sharp flavor that brightens the dish and an extra pop of green color. Substitute with chives for a similar flavor profile or leeks for a milder, sweeter taste.
- Corn Starch – Helps to create a glossy, thick sauce that coats the green beans. Swap out for arrowroot powder or potato starch, if you’ve run out of corn starch.
- Maple Syrup – Balances the spiciness and saltiness of the sauce. This complex sweetener adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness that enhances this savory recipe. Choose vegan honey for a similar sweetness with a different flavor note or brown sugar, which has a sweetness with a hint of molasses.
Sizzling Stir-Fry Fundamentals
You may be wondering, ‘What makes a good stir-fry’? How do I get that restaurant-quality taste and texture? Here are four essential steps that will almost guarantee a satisfying and super delicious finished dish:
- Choose & Prepare – Pick a protein (tofu, tempeh, beans, etc), vegetable (bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and more!), and an aromatic (garlic, onion, ginger, etc). In this dish, we only have the veggies, but feel free to add a protein, if you wish. To save time and make the ingredients cook more evenly, make sure to cut your protein and veggies into small bites or thin slices.
- Select Your Sauce – The sauce sometimes makes or breaks your dish. If you’re not using a packaged sauce and you’re in a pinch, keep in mind that you should have a savory/salty element (like soy sauce), a tangy taste (like rice vinegar or citrus juice), something sweet (like brown sugar or maple syrup), and a thickener (such as cornstarch or arrowroot). Remember to mix your thickener with a cold liquid, not hot, for the best consistency.
- Coordinate Cooking – To stir-fry a dish means to cook it at a high temperature (usually with oil, broth, or water) for a short amount of time while stirring constantly. Cook your protein first (set aside), add your aromatics to activate flavor, and then it’s time for your vegetables. Make sure that they’re tender, but still slightly crisp.
- Go for the Garnish – Lastly, top with your favorite fresh herbs or veggies. We love using chopped scallions, a sprig of parsley or cilantro, or chopped nuts or seeds. For instance, black sesame seeds offer a great flavor and bold, contrasting color.
How to Serve It Up
Because this Asian green bean recipe is pretty simple to make, there are so many ways in which you can personalize this dish to make it your own. Here are just a few of our favorite suggestions:
- Vary Your Veggies – If green beans don’t sound good to you, feel free to use broccoli, sugar snap peas, water chestnuts, green bell peppers, snow peas, or any combination of these. They’d all be delicious!
- Subtract Some Sodium – For someone on a sodium-restricted diet, simply use low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari) and water instead of vegetable broth. Easy-peasy. Looking for a totally gluen-free green bean dish? This cranberry and green bean dish is perfect for the holidays or for perking up a table with color and flavor!
- Be Adventurous With Additions – Include crunchy, chopped nuts (roasted cashews or peanuts would be excellent), extra vibrant veggies (red bell pepper, snow peas, or sliced carrots would work well), and a splash of spiciness with a few additional shakes of cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, Sriracha hot sauce, or vegan oyster sauce or eel sauce.
- Serve with Scrumptious Sides – Besides steamed white rice, consider serving these tasty beans alongside a cold noodle salad with peanut sauce, Chinese smashed cucumber salad, or crispy sweet and sour tofu.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! You can choose a single vegetable or use a mix of your favorites. Our suggestions include broccoli, snow peas, cauliflower, celery, carrots, green bell peppers, or bok choy. But, feel free to use whatever you like!
If you have any dinner leftovers (I bet you don’t!), store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To re-heat, either microwave for two minutes (covered) or in a skillet on medium heat. If you have any extra sauce, add a tablespoon or two before heating the beans to add extra moisture. You can also use a mixture of half water and half soy sauce or tamari if you don’t have any remaining sauce.
We wouldn’t recommend freezing your prepared Asian green beans unless you are making a fresh batch. You can freeze your cooked, room-temperature beans in a freezer-safe container and the sauce in a separate container. They’ll be good for 2-3 months if properly stored. To re-heat, either let your beans and sauce defrost overnight in the refrigerator or flash-steam the frozen beans and heat your frozen sauce in a saucepan over medium heat before cooking in the wok.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes to Try
Print me! Did you know you can easily print our recipes? Just tap the “Print Recipe” button in the recipe card. You can keep a stack of new recipes to try in your kitchen—or better yet—create a recipe binder where you keep all your favorites!
Sizzling Chinese Green Beans
Ingredients
Green Beans
- 1 pound fresh green beans
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, peanut oil would be even better!
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 large scallions, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional, but recommended
Sizzling Sauce
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 4 tablespoons water or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup, or sweetener of choice
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add your green beans to a colander, rinse with water, pinch off any unwanted stems, and break in half.
- Place your wok or large skillet over high heat.
- While your wok is heating up, mix up the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk well and put aside for later.
- Once the wok is pre-heated, add your green beans and water. Cover immediately. Steam for 4 minutes or until just tender.
- Add the oil and minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, constantly stirring.
- Whisk your sauce once more and then pour over the steamed beans and garlic.
- Stir the green bean and sauce mixture constantly while allowing the sauce to come to a light boil. This should take only 1-2 minutes. You’ll know the sauce is done when it is thick, glossy, and smells fragrant.
- Serve over steamed white or brown rice and garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
- If you’d like the recipe to be oil-free, just sauté your green beans and minced garlic with water.
- Add more or less crushed red pepper flakes to your liking. You can also add cayenne pepper or an Asian-flavored hot sauce.
- You can substitute any vegetable you wish if you don’t like green beans. Broccoli or snow peas would also work really well in this recipe. If you switch up the veggies, make sure you use the correct steaming time for that particular vegetable.
- For a lower-sodium version, use low sodium soy sauce (or tamari) and vegetable broth. You can also substitute water for the vegetable broth, if desired.
- Double the ingredient amounts for the sauce if you like to have extra to pour over your rice. (Highly recommended!)
- Instead of the maple syrup, feel free to use agave, granulated sugar, or any other sweetener that you like. You can also leave out the sweetener all together.
Nutrition
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Leave a Comment
These look so tasty and delicious!
I was looking for a good green bean recipe!!!
I’ve always loved green beans and this recipe has been perfected over at least 10 (maybe 15!) years. It tastes just like a take out Chinese food meal, only healthier and way cheaper. I always have to make two batches so that I can eat an entire batch myself! Really hope that you enjoy my recipe and please pass it along! Yay!
I love some crunchy green beans! Yum! I just turn down the spice a little since I have a sensitive stomach!
This is one of my favorite recipes EVER!! I make it all the time. I tried making a double batch of these string beans once but it didn’t turn out quite as good because you don’t need to double the water. Now I just cook two separate batches. May need to test a double batch recipe since I can eat this whole thing in one sitting myself!