When you take a look at the ingredient list for this recipe, you may think that this dish has no flavor. We have bad news for you: you could not be more wrong. A long list of ingredients does not always yield an amazingly flavorful dish. Sometimes, the execution is everything, and other times it’s important to let simple ingredients speak for themselves. That sentiment perfectly exemplifies this green bean side dish recipe. The assertive garlic punches its way to the forefront of the dish, and the green beans make for the perfect canvas.
Green beans have a crunchy texture that they retain during the cooking process. Unless you cook them for hours and hours, they’ll retain that crunch. In a simple dish like this, texture is paramount. Additionally, you don’t want to compromise the integrity of the vegetable by cooking it so that it becomes mushy. The goal is to achieve subtle char marks while retaining optimal crunch.
Normally, people who make recipes like this deep fry the green beans. We’re not about the life, and you shouldn’t be either, especially since the clean-up is horrendous. The cooking technique in this recipe is known as dry-frying, which calls for much less oil, making it much healthier for you. We recommend using a cast iron pan for this recipe so your green beans can perfectly char, but you can also use a stainless steel frying pan if you have that.
- Prep Time:10m
- Cook Time:15m
- Total Time:25m
- Serves: 2 servings
- Category: Sides, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans, ends trimmed
- 1/2 tbsp. white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp. avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. coconut aminos
Instructions
- Wash the green beans after trimming the ends and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Put a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium heat and toast the sesame seeds until golden brown. You don’t need oil for this.
- Remove the seeds once they are browned and set them aside.
- Put the same pan back over the flame and add the green beans (no oil yet). Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing them, and then toss three minutes later so they evenly blister all around. This should only take about 6 minutes.
- Add the avocado oil and sea salt and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Add the garlic and sesame oil and cook for another minute before adding the coconut aminos, cooking for one final minute.
- Remove from the heat and transfer the beans to a serving plate. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds you made in the beginning. Serve and enjoy.
