Recipe: Steamed Asian Green Beans
Sometimes a recipe calls for unique ingredients, which can be the first reason we turn away or choose another dish. With this one, we encourage you to consider giving it a try! Let us share more about a few of the ingredients used in this delicious Steamed Asian Green Beans recipe.
Sesame oil is a wonderful flavor enhancer, often used in the final steps of preparing a dish or in marinades and dressings. It offers a slightly nutty flavor profile, making a dish taste a bit more complex. If you’ve ever eaten at an upscale Asian restaurant and wondered, “What is this extra something that I’m tasting?”, chances are, sesame oil could be playing a role! Since additional oils in recipes would increase the fat content of a dish, the amount of sesame oil used is often fairly minimal. In a sense, it adds flavor much like a garnish!
Now let’s touch on the other key flavor component, and a couple of alternatives (if desired). Coconut aminos are a soy-free and gluten-free way to add that savory soy sauce-like flavor, with an added touch of sweetness. The sodium content is also lower, which for some may be a reason to swap in coconut aminos for more recipes in their Asian-inspired dinner rotation. The texture of coconut aminos is thin like soy sauce, despite its balanced sweet and salty taste, which is why the ingredient swap of Teriyaki sauce requires only 2 tablespoons, plus the addition of 2 tablespoons of water. Feel free to even stick with regular soy sauce here, if preferred – just check for the details in the swaps listed below.
Steamed Asian Green Beans
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound French green beans
- Water (per guidelines in steps 2 and 3)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sesame oil (toasted or untoasted)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 C coconut aminos or 2 Tbsp Teriyaki sauce + 2 Tbsp water
Directions
- Rinse green beans and, if needed, trim ends.
- Add 1/2″ of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a large sauté pan.
- Bring water to a boil over high heat and add green beans. Cover pan with a securely fitting lid.
- Cook beans until just tender (3-5 minutes) and water has evaporated, or until desired texture is achieved. Check at 3 minutes and if water is evaporating and texture is still quite firm, add another 1/4 cup of water.
- When beans have reached your desired texture, remove from heat and set beans aside into a large bowl metal or glass bowl.
- In the same pan, heat sesame oil over low-medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add coconut aminos and green beans to the pan, tossing gently to combine.
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow sauce to coat beans thoroughly.
- Serve beans alongside preferred starch and protein for a Plate Method meal!
Tip: If you prefer to use a steamer basket or prepare your Asian green beans in the microwave, check out this article for ‘how to’ tips for each of these methods: https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-steam-green-beans-2217568
Swaps:
- For the sesame oil – a neutral flavored oil will work, but the flavor of the dish will be less robust. If you enjoy infused olive oils, you could choose a basil or cilantro-infused option, or double down on the garlic flavor with a garlic-infused oil.
- For the coconut aminos/Teriyaki – use 3 T soy sauce and 1 tsp honey or maple syrup