Description
Make restaurant-style dry fried green beans at home fast. These blistered green beans are coated in a savory, garlicky soy sauce that brings big flavor to your weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (like canola or vegetable)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and water or vegetable broth. Set this aside.
- Blister the beans: Heat a wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat until it is very hot. Add the neutral oil. When the oil shimmers, carefully add the trimmed green beans in a single layer if possible. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if needed.
- Stir-fry the beans for 4 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until they develop dark brown or charred spots (blistering). You want them tender-crisp. Remove the beans from the wok and set them aside.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using) to the wok. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Combine: Return the blistered green beans to the wok. Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the beans. Toss quickly to coat everything evenly. Cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the beans.
- Finish: Remove the wok from the heat. Drizzle with the toasted sesame oil and toss one last time. Serve your delicious garlic green beans immediately.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can substitute the water/broth with 1 tablespoon of mushroom powder dissolved in water for a deeper umami taste.
- If you do not have a wok, use your largest, heaviest skillet to achieve the necessary high heat for blistering the green beans.
- These garlic green beans pair well with simple stir-fries or takeout favorites like Kung Pao Chicken or vegan tofu dishes.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Wok Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0