Are green beans that are quick and easy to make? Yep, you’ve found them, friends! We couldn’t resist eating these stir-fried green bean gingery and garlicky.
These are made with nine simple ingredients in 20 minutes. They taste great when paired with grains, protein, and other plant-based foods. We’ll show you exactly how to do it!
Recipe Inspiration
These stir-fried green beans are inspired by the chili-garlic green beans appetizer served at many Chinese-American restaurants. What was the dish that inspired it? The word was probably inspired by a Chinese word known as Sichuan (or Szechuan), Dry Fried Green Beans. You can find out more and a recipe in The Woks of Life.
This is our version of the Chinese American dish, featuring green beans blistered in a spicy, savory sauce. This version is vegan, naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and full of flavor.
How to make Spicy Stir-Fried Green Beans
This recipe starts with an umami sauce made from vegetable broth, tamari, and fresh ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes for heat. The maple syrup and salt add a touch of sweetness to the savory notes, making it even more delicious.
The green beans are then cooked in a hot wok or skillet, creating brown spots and a taste that is similar to grilled.
We then turn the heat down, add the sauce, and let the green beans soften and absorb the flavors.
Sesame seeds can be added to the beans once they are cooked, and the liquid has been reduced. Plus, they’re pretty!
Ingredients
- Twelve oz. Green beans ends trimmed (12oz. This recipe yields about 4-5 cups of trimmed green beans.
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- Use low-sodium tamari (or gluten-free soy sauce) instead of 2 tablespoons.
- Fresh ginger minced in 1 Tbsp
- Two large cloves of garlic yield about 1 Tbsp (9 g).
- Red pepper flakes – 1/2 tsp
- Sea salt, one pinch
- Maple syrup, 1/2 tsp
- Avocado oil (or any other neutral high-heat oil).
Instructions
- To prevent oil splatter, wash the green beans thoroughly and let them dry completely. Trim and discard the ends.
- Combine the broth with the tamari sauce, ginger, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and maple syrup in a small cup or bowl.
- Heat a large pan (or wok). When the pan is hot, add the oil.
- Add the green beans and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The beans should be crisp and browned but not mushy. Reduce heat to medium-high, and then add the sauce quickly (it will steam). Stirring occasionally, cook for 3-5 minutes until the beans have a slight crunch and the liquid has reduced. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the sesame seed (optional).
- Serve with your choice of protein and grains (such as rice, millet, or quinoa) or cauliflower rice (we recommend Crispy Skin Salmon, Peanut & Lemongrass Tempeh, or Baked Crispy Peanut tofu).
- Green beans can be stored in a container with a lid in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This product is not freezer-friendly.