Stir-fried green beans is one of my favorite veggie dishes. It is nutritious, delicious, and easy to make. Green beans are firmer and not as easy to stir-fry as green leafy vegetables. This recipe first blanches the green beans in hot water to cook them partially before stir-frying. It makes stir-frying them easier and also reduces the amount of the oil used.
To stir-fry vegetables which do not need blanching, such as leafy greens, please see Stir-Fried Lettuce with Garlic.
Stir-Fried Green Beans (清炒四季豆)
This simple stir-fry requires only minimal seasoning, just garlic and salt, to enhance the flavor of green beans. You can also sprinkle dashes of white or black pepper or drops of sesame oil at the end for even more flavor. For extra aroma, add ginger or chili peppers along with the garlic when stir-frying.
This recipe uses green beans (also known as string beans) as the main ingredient. You can also use the tender and thinner cousin, French green beans (Haricots verts), but be sure to reduce its cooking time to avoid overcooking.
Ingredients
- green beans - 8 oz
- cooking oil - 1 tablespoon
- garlic - 2 cloves, sliced
- salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Instructions
Video is also provided at the top of this article to demonstrate the steps.
- Rinse the beans. Trim both ends. [see video above at 0:03]
- Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat. [0:15]
- Add the beans and boil until barely tender but still very crisp, about 4 or 5 minutes. You can test a bean around 4 minutes. The beans should be about 80% partially cooked; the remaining 20% will be done by the stir-fry in the subsequent steps. [0:17]
- Remove beans from the pot. Drain the beans well to avoid braising when stir-frying. [0:21]
- Heat a pan over high heat and then add oil. [0:24]
- Add garlic and stir about 20 seconds or until fragrant. [0:27]
- Add beans and salt and stir fry about 2 minutes. [0:31]
- Plate up and serve immediately. [0:37]
