This easy Chinese green beans recipe makes the perfect side dish to a Szechuan inspired dinner. The blistered green beans are tender, slightly charred, and tossed in a garlic sauce packed with umami and savory flavors. Ready in 15 minutes from start to finish.

My mind goes straight to these Chinese green beans with garlic sauce whenever I crave Szechuan food. There’s something so satisfying about biting into these juicy and blistered green beans – they are so full of flavor and so tender!

I kept this recipe simple so everyone can enjoy making them at home.

Are Chinese Long Beans Like Green Beans?

Chinese long bean, also called long podded cowpea, asparagus bean, or snake bean, have a stronger bean flavor and are less sweet than the regular green bean, which also happens to be a fruit! Though they are slightly different from each other, the are often interchangeable in recipes.

Ingredients

• Green Beans: You’ll want about 1/2 pound of fresh green beans with the ends trimmed. Haricot vert and Chinese long beans can also be used.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is the main source of savory umami in this simple recipe. For a gluten-free recipe, use tamari sauce.
• Broth: I prefer using chicken broth for this recipe because it adds a subtle flavor. But feel free to use beef broth or vegetable broth (for a vegan recipe).
• Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is often used in Asian dishes for its toasty and nutty properties. It’s usually added at the end of the cooking process to preserve the delicate flavor and aroma.
• Garlic: We are using plenty of finely chopped garlic to add a sharp, vegetal flavor to the sauce.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a popular ingredient used in Chinese cooking. It’s what gives sauces their thick, gooey and glossy texture.
• Oil: Any neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, avocado oil, and safflower oil, can be used for this dish. The amount you need will depend on which method you use for cooking the green beans.

Different Ways To Cook Chinese Green Beans

When I first made this recipe, I thought it could only be properly prepared by shallow frying the green beans in oil. Not only is it the traditional Chinese way, it also gives the beans a beautifully tender texture that cannot be beaten.

But if you prefer to go the healthier route, here are two options you can try that use less oil and still yield delicious results.

How to Make This Chinese Green Beans Dish

Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Mise en place. Start by gathering all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
2. Make the sauce. Whisk the soy sauce, broth, sesame oil and minced garlic together in a bowl – and set aside.
3. Prep the green beans. Trim the ends of the green beans, rinse them well, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Take the time to properly dry the green beans before frying them to avoid any oil splatters.
4. Cook the green beans. Cook the green bean in a wok with some oil, over medium-high heat, and stir fry until the green beans are slightly charred and wrinkled. Or use the other two cooking methods I have mentioned above.
5. Put the dish together. Get a wok or a deep pan going over medium heat. Add the sauce and stir until it starts to bubble. Add the green beans and toss everything together.
6. Serve. Season with a pinch of salt if needed. Serve these delicious, Chinese green beans as a side dish or as a topping for a warm bowl of rice.

Make it Spicy

If you like your food to have some heat, I recommend drizzling a little chili oil or sprinkling some red pepper flakes on top of the green beans right before serving them. You can also used ichimi togarashi (Japanese red chili pepper powder) or gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) to add a lovely smokey taste. One last option is to add minced ginger to the sauce (about 1 tablespoon) to give the dish some warmth and a hint of heat.

How To Serve It

The best and easiest way to serve these savory Chinese green beans is with a simple side of cooked white rice. That’s because the grains absorb the sauce so every bite of green beans and rice is just perfect. If you’d like to learn how to cook rice, click here to read the tutorial.

But they would also work well as a side dish to this savory Chinese moo goo gai pan – or this veggie studded Japanese fried rice.

Other Chinese Recipes You Might Like

If you are planning on serving a Chinese feast, here are some of my favorite and easy Chinese recipes:

• Smacked Cucumber With Chili Oil
• Chinese Eggplant With Garlic Sauce
• Vegan Mapo Tofu
• Chicken Egg Foo Young
• Hot and Sour Soup
• Honey Sriracha Tofu

Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comment section below!

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