This green bean stir fry couldn’t be easier. Use garlic and ginger with an easy stir fry technique to get a delicious serving of bright vegetables. You’ll have dinner on the table in no time!
I love green beans because they’re delicious and easy to cook. Stir frying green beans is a great way to keep the green beans bright and crunchy as well as getting dinner on the table quickly. This stir-fry green bean recipe is fantastic for balancing out heavy dishes like braised ribs or mac n cheese.
RELATED: How to Stir Fry At Home
Tips For Success
- Make sure all your ingredients are ready before you heat the oil: Read How to Stir Fry to understand the process of stir frying and how to avoid burning the garlic and green onions.
- Add water to steam the beans: This stir-fry recipe for green beans needs water to steam the green beans or your green beans might burn on the outside and still be raw on the inside. Use a frying pan or wok that comes with a lid.
- Avoid too much water: We don’t want wet green beans so only add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water so the water can evaporate before serving. The exception is for people who don’t like crunchy green beans, in which case follow the advice below for softer green beans.
- Continuously stir to avoid burning: When stir frying on high heat, keep stirring the green beans to avoid burning.
- Blister the skin of the green beans: Our goal is to pucker the skin of the green beans a little and leave subtle brown scorch marks without burning the green beans. If you have trouble with the high heat, turn your burner down to medium-high heat for more control.
- Microwaving leftovers: If you plan on reheating the stir-fried green beans for eating later, undercook them by 1 minute after steaming them. That way your green beans will still be crunchy when you reheat them in the microwave.
FAQ About Stir-Fried Green Beans
Should Green Beans Be Crunchy?
I like stir-fried green beans to be crunchy so I don’t overcook them. If you don’t like crunchy green beans, add an extra 3 to 5 minutes and 4 tablespoons of water to steam the green beans. You will end up with softer green beans.
Can You Stir Fry Frozen Green Beans?
Yes, but frozen green beans have a floppy and softer texture compared to fresh green beans. If it’s the dead of winter and you can’t get fresh green beans, then frozen are a decent substitute. Just don’t expect the same refreshing crunch from frozen green beans.
If you use frozen green beans, make sure you defrost and drain them before stir frying. You don’t want to throw frozen vegetables into the hot oil or it will splatter and be dangerous.
Do You Need to Trim the Green Beans?
Trimming the green beans is optional. I like to trim the ends off my green beans especially if they still have the stalk on because I’m fussy like that. But if they are already trimmed then I leave them as is, especially if I’m in a rush. Sometimes I trim them again even if they come trimmed. You’re welcome to trim them or leave them as is (unless the stems are still on the ends because leaving the stems on would be rude).
Stir-Fry Garlic and Ginger Green Beans with Chili Sauce
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Spatula
- Wok
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon (3 tablespoon) canola oil
- 5 cloves (4 cloves) garlic, chopped
- 5 slices (1 tablespoon) Ginger, sliced
- 1 pound (453.59 g) Green beans , trimmed & washed
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce, light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Chili sauce, optional, your favorite chili sauce, e.g. sriracha
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients.
- Heat the oil in the frying pan or wok on high. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chopped garlic and ginger slices. Fry until the garlic is a light golden color, about 30 seconds to a minute. Watch it to make sure the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add the green beans to the garlic and ginger. Stir to coat the green beans in the oil.
- Add the soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of water to the frying pan or wok and cover with a lid to steam the green beans. Allow the green beans to cook covered for about 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid. Stir the green beans and allow the skin to blister, about 2 minutes. Stir continuously to avoid burning the green beans.
- Taste a green bean to make sure the beans are cooked. If the bean is too crunchy for your taste allow to cook for 1 minute or until the beans are a desireable texture. If the green beans are not salty enough, sprinkle salt to taste. Turn off the heat. Stir in the chili sauce if you're using it. Serve on a plate.
- Enjoy your garlic green beans!
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