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These Chinese garlic green beans are perfectly tender-crisp and full of flavor. They are the perfect gluten-free Chinese food side dish!
It doesn't matter if you normally love green beans or not. These Asian garlic green beans are so delicious that they will turn anyone into a green bean lover. No one will even know they are completely gluten-free.

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Ingredients.
- Green Beans
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Gluten-free Soy Sauce
- Rice Vinegar
- Sesame Oil
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt
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Ingredient notes and substitutions.
- Green beans. - You can use fresh or frozen green beans in any style that you prefer. I don't suggest using canned beans to make these Asian garlic green beans because you won't get the tender-crisp texture using them. If you prefer softer beans, you can use canned ones.
- Garlic and ginger. - I prefer the taste of fresh garlic and ginger in the sauce, but you can use dried spices.
- Rice Vinegar. - I love the tang and slight sweetness that rice vinegar adds. If you don't have it or prefer it, you can substitute it with something like apple cider vinegar.
- Gluten-free soy sauce. - Not all soy sauces are gluten-free; make sure you are using a soy sauce that is labeled gluten-free. You can also use coconut aminos or tamari instead.
- Sesame oil. - Under the Faster Act of 2021, sesame was added as a top ten allergen. If you want to make these Chinese style garlic green beans but can not handle sesames, you can use any light cooking oil that you prefer. I will often use avocado oil when I am out of sesame oil.
- Red pepper flakes. - These add just a little bit of heat, but you can leave them out.
Steps.
- Saute the garlic and the ginger.
- Make the sauce.
- Add the green beans.
- Saute till tender-crisp and enjoy.
Tips and tricks.
- Fresh green beans. - I find I get the best results on these gluten-free Asian beans with fresh green beans. Because these are essentially stir-fried green beans, the fresh beans won't overcook as easily.
- Do NOT overcook the beans. - You might notice that a lot of recipes call for you to boil the beans before adding them to the skillet. I find this is not necessary and can lead to the beans becoming really soft and falling apart.
- Let them char a little. - This is a personal preference, but I love to increase the heat just a little bit once the beans start to soften and then let them sit and get a little color on them.
- Adjust spices as needed at the end. - I always reserve the salt and red pepper flakes for the end.
Add more texture.
If you want even more delicious gluten-free Chinese flavor in these green beans, you can add in some of these.
- Sesame seeds.
- Chopped nuts. - My husband loves when I add chopped peanuts to these Asian green beans.
Storing and making ahead.
- Leftover green beans will last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- You can easily reheat leftover green beans in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through or toss them into a skillet over medium heat until warm.
- These green beans are such a simple gluten-free side dish that comes together fast; it's not needed to make them ahead of time. However, if you do, I suggest not cooking them all the way and then letting them finish cooking when you warm them up, so you don't end up with limp green beans.
Serving suggestions.
I much as I love making and eating gluten-free Chinese food, don't let the name fool you. These Chinese garlic green beans are so delicious, alongside so many different dinners. Of course, I am not going to say not to pair them alongside something like my gluten-free sweet and sour chicken, some gluten-free fried rice, or even some gluten-free char siu (Chinese BBQ pork).
I am also totally guilty of enjoying them with my gluten-free fried chicken too!
Trust me, don't matter what you serve them with; you'll love them.
More gluten-free side dishes.
📖 Recipe
Chinese Garlic Green Beans (gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Green Beans Fresh are best.
- 2-3 Cloves Fresh minced garlic. 1 ½ teaspoons ground.
- ½ Inch Fresh minced ginger. ¾ teaspoon ground.
- ¼ Cup Gluten-free soy sauce.
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar Or apple cider vinegar.
- 3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil Or avocado oil.
- 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Warm a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and let it saute for about a minute or until it becomes fragrant.2-3 Cloves Fresh minced garlic., ½ Inch Fresh minced ginger.
- To the garlic and ginger add the gluten-free soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar to the skillet. Let it come together for about 1-2 minutes.¼ Cup Gluten-free soy sauce., 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar, 3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
- Once the sauce is mixed, toss in the green beans.1 Pound Green Beans
- Stir to coat the green beans in the sauce and then let them cook until they are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.
- Once the green beans have softened as desired, add the remaining spices to taste.1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, ½ Teaspoon Salt
- Serve warm, and enjoy.
Notes
- Fresh green beans. - I find I get the best results on these gluten-free Asian beans with fresh green beans. Because these are essentially stir-fried green beans, the fresh beans won't overcook as easily.
- Do NOT overcook the beans. - You might notice that a lot of recipes call for you to boil the beans before adding them to the skillet. I find this is not necessary and can lead to the beans becoming really soft and falling apart.
- Let them char a little. - This is a personal preference, but I love to increase the heat just a little bit once the beans start to soften and then let them sit and get a little color on them.
- Adjust spices as needed at the end. - I always reserve the salt and red pepper flakes for the end.
- Sesame seeds.
- Chopped nuts. - My husband loves when I add chopped peanuts to these Asian green beans.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!
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