This Spicy Green Bean Stir Fry recipe is one of the easiest and most flavorful side dishes! So much flavor with just a few ingredients. 76 calories and 1 Weight Watchers SP
When you’re looking for a quick, flavorful side dish, nothing beats this green bean stir fry!
I’ve now made these spicy green beans three times in the past week and twice they didn’t even make it to the table because we snacked on them right after they had their picture taken. You know that a vegetable side dish is a winner when your kids eat it straight out of the pan!
The beauty of a good stir fry, green bean or otherwise, is that it’s incredibly versatile. Don’t have enough green beans on hand? Add some shiitake mushrooms and bell peppers.
Looking for a full dinner idea, not just a side dish? Stir fry some chicken or shrimp first, then add it to the green beans with an extra dose of the sauce, and serve it over brown rice.
So many options if you follow the general tips listed below!
How do you make a good stir fry recipe?
- Most important tip…Be prepared! Things move quickly when you’re stir frying, so chop up the veggies, mince the garlic and ginger, and whisk together any sauces BEFORE you start cooking. I even go one step further by lining up the ingredients in glass prep bowls (affiliate link) in the order that they’re added to the stir fry. A little too far? Maybe. But it keeps me organized while cooking!
- Make a double batch of my Homemade Stir Fry Sauce and keep it on hand for last-minute meals.
- Make it sizzle! Stir fries should be cooked at medium-high to high heat, using a wok (affiliate) or heavy skillet.
- Because stir fries are cooked at such a high heat, use oils with a high smoke point, such as avocado, canola or grapeseed oils. If adding sesame oil for flavor, stir it in when the vegetables are almost done cooking. It does not have a high smoke point, so will lend a bitter taste to the dish if cooked too long at a high heat.
- If you are adding a protein, such as chicken or beef, cook it first, then set aside while cooking the vegetables. Add the protein back into the wok with the sauce to reheat it.
- Cook the vegetables in order. What do I mean by that? First add the veggies that take the longest to cook, such as carrots and broccoli, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Next, add quicker cooking vegetables, such as snap peas. Add very delicate vegetables, such as bean sprouts, at the end.
Are these stir fried green beans vegan or gluten free?
Yes, it’s vegan! And it’s also gluten free if tamari (affiliate link) is substituted for the soy sauce.
What to serve with this green bean stir fry:
This goes really well with my family’s favorite Slow Cooker Hoisin Chicken. Serve it all over brown rice or cauliflower rice.
It’s also a good accompaniment for my Honey Garlic Baked Meatballs or Easy Grilled Salmon in Foil.
Other healthy stir fry recipes:
Chicken Wonton Stir Fry {Cookin’ Canuck}
Ground Turkey Stir Fry with Green Beans & Kale {Cookin’ Canuck}
Healthy Chicken Stir Fry {Well-Seasoned Kitchen}
Keto, Healthy Beef Stir Fry {The Gingham Apron}
Spicy Green Bean Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil or canola or grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 pounds green beans trimmed & cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoons sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce (or tamari) and chili garlic sauce. Set aside.
- Heat a nonstick wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the avocado oil and heat briefly.
- Add the ginger and greens beans, and stir to coat the green beans with oil.
- Spread out the green beans in the pan and allow to cook for about 3 minutes, stirring every 45 seconds, until slightly blackened and just tender when pierced with a fork.
- Stir in the sesame oil and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Pour in the soy sauce mixture and stir until combined. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
The post was originally published on March 12, 2018 and updated on June 25, 2020.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Ann
Is there a substitute for soy sauce? I cannot have it (due to estrogen positive cancer)
Dara
Hi Ann, I’m so sorry to hear about your health issues. I know that many people who avoid soy usually opt for Bragg’s amino acids, which can be found in many supermarkets and health food stores. Trader Joe’s even has their own version, usually stocked right next to the soy sauce.
Melanie
Made this for dinner tonight (and lunch for tomorrow). The only changes I made were using ground ginger since I don’t have fresh, added 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. The bites I stole from the pan before eating were really good!!
Dara
I’m so glad to hear that, Melanie! This is one of my favorite green bean dishes – always quick to put together.
Erin
I love spicy and I love green beans, such a great dish!
Jennifer Blake
We had canned green beans for dinner last night and I actually thought, I wish I had a go to recipe so I could make fresh ones. This is perfection!
Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish
This is my kinda dish!
gerry speirs
I love stir fry’s, they’ve saved me a ton of time in the past!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness
I lovelovelove a simple stir fry! This has my name all over it!
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
I love the simplicity of these green beans Dara! So yummy! And my kids would devour them too.
Liz
I make a similar recipe but without the chili garlic sauce—my family loves it! Now I need to try your yummy version!
Jennifer Farley
Green beans are one of my favorite additions to a meal! These look so good!
Shannon
Wow! Thank you for this recipe! I had a feeling it would be delicious. This would be great with any veggies, amazing simple sauce.
julie
Quick, easy, tasty — what more could a cook ask for?
Ushmana @ Our Food and Home
I didn’t know there were oils with high smoke points, I would always use mustard oil which it made the whole kitchen murky. Thanks to you, buying grapeseed oil is the best thing, I did! Trying this recipe right away! All the love from Nepal xoxo