Asian Green Beans – Crispy flavorful green beans better than take out or the Chinese Buffet. It’s a quick and easy side dish.
Chinese Green Beans
One of my absolute favorite things about a Chinese buffet is the crunchy green beans. Just about every Asian restaurant you go to will have some variation of crunchy green beans. Some are heavy on the garlic. Some are covered in sesame seeds. But, the common theme is that they are crisp and very flavorful.
Making Asian-style green beans at home is quick and easy.
How To Make This Fresh Green Bean Recipe
*Note: The full printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
- Add soy sauce, vegetable oil, and sugar to a mixing bowl.
- Whisk until well combined.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add fresh, trimmed green beans.
- Carefully drizzle the sauce over the green beans
When you add the sauce to the hot skillet, it will spatter a bit. Adding the green beans to the skillet first will protect you from a lot of the spatter.
- Cook for 6 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Don’t over cook these green beans. They should be crunchy and flavorful, just like the kind that you would find at the Chinese buffet.
You could substitute some sesame oil for the vegetable oil if you like that sesame flavor.
Try These Other Great Easy Side Dish Recipes
Watch The Step By Step Recipe Video For Asian Green Beans Below
Asian Green Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil (or your preferred cooking oil)
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1 lb. fresh green beans, edges trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Pre-heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add the oil, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Add the green beans to the skillet. Then, carefully add the soy sauce mixture to the hot skillet (liquid may spatter a bit). Stir to coat the beans in sauce. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir the garlic into the green beans. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Then, remove the skillet from the heat.
jason says
One of my favorites too
Jackie says
As a 21 year old learning to cook, I started browsing around for recipes that I like. These green beans have been my favorite thing at a chinese buffet for years! I followed the directions exactly (minus about 1/5 of each ingredient as I only had 12oz of beans) and they were perfect! Thank you so much!
Sandy says
Took to a potluck luncheon. Everyone really enjoyed the green beans. I have three request to make them a dish.
Nelson Bruton says
This recipe is fire! I substituted Bragg Liquid Aminos for the soy sauce. I substituted brown sugar for the sugar. I will be making this each week for my meal prep.
Pam Wolff says
So easy and even better than what you get at an Asian buffet!
Annie says
Randomly googled to find asian green beans and these were GREAT. Super easy and made only with things I already had in my kitchen—oh and I added sriracha to the oil & soy mixture and it added a nice little kick. I made these with some chicken potstickers from Trader Joes and it was all super delicious and crazy easy. Two thumbs up!
STEPHANIE says
I skipped the garlic. I added 1 heaping tablespoon of grated fresh ginger to the soy mix. Delicious. I don’t like garlic!
So Good says
Fast, easy and flavorful, this is a great recipe and I urge you to give it a try!
I think the optional suggestion of using sesame oil really was key. I used a mix of half sesame oil and half vegetable oil. It really pulled it all together.
The only real change I made was adding a teaspoon of sambal oelek after cooking the garlic to give the dish some spicyness.
Gene says
Very easy and tasty!
Brooke Hajny says
Easy and delicious!
Susan Bethard says
This is a keeper for sure! I added a little grated ginger (keep in freezer) & crushed red peppers (my secret weapon) This recipe was exactly what I was looking for. Thank You!
Suzy S says
Made these green beans with Chicken Lettuce cups for dinner tonight While I was getting everything together to serve, by 14 y/o son ate a green bean and murmured… “mmmmm, these are sooo good.” Makes a mamma proud.
I don’t get those remarks to often especially from the boy. lol.
Will definitely make these again.
Laurel says
Great taste, quick and easy! I used 1.5 tbsp soy and 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce instead of sugar.
Elizabeth Rhyneer says
We are in love with this recipe and after a summer of growing great beans it’s been a great addition to our many dinners. Thanks…
Cynthia Lyman says
This is by gar the easiest recipe for Asian Green Beans that I have come across online. Many recipes have so many steps as to seem daunting and complicated, but this was so easy I wondered if the results would be as authentic as I hoped. It was and the outcome was delicious. Thank you,
Terri Thornton says
These are exactly what I was hoping for. They were so easy and turned out so good! Our new favorite side dish! Thanks!
Heather says
This was fantastic. I used granulated garlic (about half a teaspoon as granulated is stronger than fresh) and just added it in with the soy and oil. Turned out lovely! Even my husband, who is not much of a vegetable eater, loved it. Thank you for this great recipe 🙂 I am going to use the same seasoning for some snap peas tonight!
Angela Plagge says
Excellent recipe! Even my grandchildren ate these with enthusiasm.