These spicy garlicky green beans in chili garlic sauce take less than 10 minutes to make and are healthier than Chinese takeout. It is my favorite way to eat so many green beans fuss-free. It is a vegan and gluten-free appetizer everyone will love!

These beans make an excellent side to these chili garlic noodles and this quick vegetable tofu fried rice. If you are looking for more on the table to make a complete meal then do add in this tom yum soup.

Better than the Chinese restaurants.

Green beans are such an incredibly healthy vegetable. But at the restaurants, these beans are deep fried and then sauteed in sauces. I find them really oily and greasy. This recipe calls for less oil, steaming the beans and coating them generously with this awesome extra garlicky chili sauce. They stay crunchy and flavorful throughout with deep-frying. You will soon fall in love with this method.

The ingredient list.

Green Beans – This is the main ingredient of this recipe. Just rinse them well, and pat dry. If you wish you can cut off the ends of the beans. Sometimes I am too lazy to do it.

Sesame oil – I love using sesame or coconut oil for Asian recipes. You can always swap it with any other vegetable oil.

Ginger and Garlic– Lots and lots of it for maximum flavor. I like to brown the garlic slightly. Trust me on this, it tastes amazing.

Chili sauce – I like to use sambal olek, but you can use the red chili sauce of your choice. Sriracha will work great too.

Soy Sauce – It adds a tang to the green beans. I use a low-sodium soy sauce. You can use liquid aminos as well.

Rice vinegar – It is mildly sour and sweet. Adds great flavor to the green beans.

Sweetener– I like my sauce spicy and sweet, so I have used Monkfruit which is a sugar substitute. You may use regular sugar, agave, brown sugar, or even coconut sugar instead.

Black pepper – For a nice kick to the beans.

Cornstarch – A little goes a long way. I dilute it in water and add to the beans. The sauce thickens wonderfully just enough to coat the beans.

The method to make crunchy stir-fry green beans.

1. Rinse and gently dry the green beans.
2.  No need to chop it. (See notes)
3. Add oil to a pan, and once warm saute the ginger and garlic for a minute.
4. Now add in all the green beans, and mix well.
5.  Next, add some water and cover the pan.
6. Let the green beans steam for 3 minutes.
7. In the meantime, make the sauce by adding everything called for it in the ingredient list.
8. Once the beans become fork-tender, add the sauce and fold the green beans.
9. Cook for 2 more minutes on high heat. Stir once in between.
10. Add 1-2 tablespoons more water if the sauce seems too thick.
11. Taste and adjust salt or spice if needed.

Chopping the ends or not?

• Honestly, it is a personal preference.
• Sometimes I chop both ends and sometimes I am too lazy. My family likes it both ways.
• If there is a part of the stem hanging on the beans then just chop it off, and you are good to go ahead with the recipe.

Possible substitutes

• Swap Sambal Olek with the chili sauce of your choice. Sriracha or chili flakes work well too.
• Substitute rice vinegar with wine vinegar.
• You can add finely chopped onions or spring onions for extra crunch.
• You can top the beans with sesame seeds or the green part of spring onions.
• I have used sugar-free monk fruit here. Swap with a sweetener of your choice, agave, and maple works as well.
• For making the process quicker you can buy pre-washed and packed green beans which come with ends trimmed.

Important tips while cooking green beans

• As less oil is used, do not skip adding water for steaming the beans to make them tender.
• Charred i.e a little brown roasted ginger and garlic imparts a fantastic flavor to the green beans.
• Cornstarch creates a little thicker sauce, I highly recommend using it.
• As soy sauce is salty, I have skipped the salt. Add only after tasting.

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