Green Bean Stir Fry with Garlic and Chilies

When I go to a Sichuan restaurant, I always order the green bean stir fry. They are always perfectly charred on the skin and tender on the inside. It’s also a very filling and nutritious vegetable dish! It’s actually very easy to make it at home and I like to make mine with lots of garlic and lots of chilies! Oh and don’t forget the Sichuan peppercorns! They add a great numbing flavor to this dish! 

One important step to make this dish is to fry the green beans first. You might have seen videos showing Chinese chefs deep frying their green beans in a wok, however that is not necessary if you are cooking at home! Simply fry them on a flat pan with some oil and the green beans will turn out just as delicious! 

For the chilies and Sichuan peppercorn, use as much as you want! Leave the chilies whole if you don’t want too much spicy in your dish! Overall, the spicy flavor will make the green beans an exciting vegetable dish for your table! 

Also called Gan Bian Si Ji Dou (干煸四季豆） in Chinese, green bean stir fry is a very popular dish in Sichuan China. With the abundance of green beans in the summer, we often eat this dish 1-2 times a week!

Looking for other inspirations? Check out these dishes!

Chive Flower Stir Fry

Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce 

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

What can I add to green beans for flavor?

Simply add garlic, chilies, and Sichuan peppercorn for the stir fry and season with salt and some soy sauce! 

How long does it take to cook green beans?

Green beans typically take 6-8 minutes to cook if sauteing on a flat pan on medium heat. It takes 30 seconds to deep fry. 

Should you boil green beans before sauteing? 

No! You don’t need to boil the green beans before sauteing. Boiling the green beans can overcook them, losing their texture. 

Green Bean Stir Fry Ingredients:

Green beans 1 lb

Garlic 4 cloves

Dried chili 5-6

Sichuan peppercorn 1 tsp

Yacai (Sichuan pickled mustard green) 1 tbsp (optional)

Season with: 

Salt 1/4 tsp, 

Soy sauce 1 tsp

Pinch of sugar 

Instructions

1. Chop garlic, cut chilies, prepare Sichuan peppercorn. Cut tough ends of green beans.
2. Add 1 tbsp oil to a pan, fry green bean until skin nicely charred, drain the green beans
3. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to a pan on medium heat, add garlic, chilies and peppercorn, stir until fragrant.
4. Add green beans, season with salt, soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar. 
5. Serve.
   

   Green Bean Stir Fry

   Easy recipe for green bean stir fry with garlic and chilies.

   Print Recipe Pin Recipe

   Prep Time 10 minutes mins

   Cook Time 20 minutes mins

   Total Time 30 minutes mins

   Servings: 2

   Course: Main Course

   Cuisine: Chinese

   Ingredients Equipment Method

   Ingredients

     

   • 1 lb green beans
   • 4 cloves garlic
   • 5 Dried chili 
   • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn
   • 1 tbsp ya cai(Sichuan pickled mustard green) optional

   Season with

   • 1/4 tsp salt
   • 1 tsp soy sauce
   • 1 pinch sugar

   Equipment

   • 1 Pan

   Method

    

   1. Chop garlic, cut peppers, prepare Sichuan peppercorn. Remove tough ends of green beans.
   2. Add 1 tbsp oil to a pan, fry green bean until skin nicely charred, drain the green beans
   3. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil to a pan on medium heat, add garlic, chilies and peppercorn, stir until fragrant.
   4. Add green beans, season with salt, soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar.
   5. Serve.