These Sweet and Spicy Green Beans are perfectly crisp, tender, spicy, and simple. They’re made with soy sauce, fresh garlic, and crushed red pepper.
Sautéed Spicy Green Beans
If you’re anything like me, you dread the “what’s for dinner” question. Planning side dishes is always easier for me. And when I’m craving something more savory, these Sweet and Spicy Green Beans are a go to!
They’re a simple and easy side dish made with fresh green beans, olive oil and soy sauce, fresh garlic, and just a few basic seasonings. The simple ingredient combination takes plain green beans from good to incredible.
Seriously. I could eat these for every meal.
What You’ll Need
- Green Beans – use fresh green beans for the best flavor and texture.
- Olive Oil– or any type of oil for sauteéing
- Soy Sauce
- Garlic – chopped garlic adds so much flavor to the green beans.
- Crushed Red Pepper – this is what makes the green beans into spicy green beans. Use as much or as little as you like!
- Salt and Pepper
How to Cook Green Beans on the Stove
This easy side dish takes a total of 20 minutes to whip up!
- Blanch the green beans: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add in the beans. Boil until fork-tender, then strain and run under cold water immediately to stop the cooking process. This is known as blanching.
- Sauté: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add in oil and beans. Stir to coat and top with soy sauce, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté until the soy sauce evaporates and the beans are cooked, then season with salt and pepper and serve.
How to Blanch Green Beans
To blanch the green beans, boil them in water for 7-10 minutes or until they’re fork tender. Once tender, drain the water then immediately rinse the beans under cold water for a minute or so to stop the cooking process.
Should You Boil Green Beans Before Sautéing?
Yes! Boiling the green beans is what cooks them all the way through. Sautéing is what gives them that crisp-tender texture. Both steps are important!
In theory, you can skip the blanching step, but the texture won’t be the same and you run the risk of burning the exterior before the inside is cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
These sweet and spicy green beans are incredibly versatile! Just pick your favorite protein, soup, pasta dish, etc. to pair them with. The possibilities are endless!
- These would be a great side dish if you’re serving Ham and Cheese Sliders
- If you’re craving comfort food, my baked Mac and Cheese would be good to
- I love making these for Thanksgiving and serving them alongside my mom’s homemade stuffing
Making Ahead of Time
Once sautéed, these spicy green beans are best right away. However, you can prep them ahead of time by blanching in advance, then sautéing them right before serving. When you’re preparing a bunch of different things for meal time, this works about best.
How to Store Cooked Green Beans
Cooked green beans will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, warm on the stove until cooked through.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
Print
Sweet and Spicy Green Beans
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 servings
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Sweet and Spicy Green Beans are perfectly crisp, tender, spicy, and simple. They’re made with soy sauce, fresh garlic, and crushed red pepper.
Ingredients
- ½ pound green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Boil the green beans 7-10 minutes until fork tender, but still al dente.
- Strain the hot water and run the green beans under cold water.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and green beans and stir to coat. Next add the soy sauce, garlic and crushed red pepper.
- Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the soy sauce evaporates or until the green beans are cooked through. Serve immediately.
I made these this week and my husband, who rarely compliments my cooking, said they were the best green beans he’d ever had! I’m making them again tomorrow!
Yeees Holly! That’s awesome. Thank you so much for leaving this feedback!
Yum, sweet and spicy sounds great! Can’t wait to make these!
I first tried these Thanksgiving 4 years ago! We have been making them ever sense! My daughter makes them now and it’s HER dish she contributes and to dinner! A highly recommend side dish no matter what time of year!
That’s wonderful Kelsey! Thank you so much. I love that your daughter makes them!