Thai Green Beans

4.75 from 4 votes

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Green beans get super exciting when sautéed up with a bunch of Thai seasonings and topped with crunchy chopped peanuts.

Thai Green Beans

There are a number of recurring ingredients that are the secret sauces, so to speak (Yay! Alliteration!), of Thai and other types of Southeast Asian food. These are the keys to what makes it so addicting in that elusive, sometimes slightly haunting way.

Fish sauce, ginger, shallots, and garlic are some of the building blocks of Southeast Asian food. And also, lemongrass, which is an ingredient you won’t try once, but rather, you will feel the need to seek opportunities to make part of your cooking world. As its name suggests, it has a citric tartness to it, and when heated (it pretty much needs to be cooked and softened for it to be edible), it gives off the most perfumey, lemony aroma.

These Thai Green Beans are perfect alongside Thai Chicken Thighs, Pad Thai, Thai Salmon, and Asian Beef Mushroom Burgers.

Decorative spatula in a dish of Thai Green Beans.

Green beans get super exciting when sauteed up with a bunch of Thai seasonings and topped with crunchy chopped peanuts.

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Thai Flavors

Hot, sour, salty, and sweet are the flavors that make up Thai and other Southeast Asian food, mostly used all in one dish, rolling around with each other like frisky puppies. Sometimes one flavor takes center stage, sometimes not all four are in play, but these contrasting tastes are what make this cuisine so eternally interesting.

You’ll see this in the Thai Green Beans recipe: salty peanuts and soy sauce, spicy ginger, garlic, shallots, and hot pepper flakes, a bit of sweet sugar, and a little sour from the lemongrass. While I like green beans and cook them often, I don’t tend to think of them as exciting. These green beans are kind of exciting!

I served these up with some Hoisin Shrimp, and it was a truly good meal, an interesting balance of comforting and exotic.

Oblong dish of Thai Green Beans topped with peanuts.

How to Prepare Lemongrass

Lemongrass is becoming easier to find, and it can be placed in different areas of the supermarket produce aisle — maybe near the ginger or the herbs. If you don’t see it, ask for it — it is pale and skinny and tends to hide.

To prepare lemongrass, make sure to remove the outer harder layers, the base of the bulb, and the tough top of the stalk. Then, mince it very finely, as it’s a woody little bit of produce, and needs to be well broken down before using.

Ingredients for Thai Green Beans

Green beans, garlic, ginger, shallots, and other ingredients for Thai green beans.
  • Green beansDiscover tips for prepping and trimming fresh green beans.
  • Soy sauce – Low-sodium soy sauce is a great choice because you can control the saltiness of the dish.
  • Sugar – A hint of sweetness is often found in Thai dishes.
  • Red pepper flakes – For a subtle spiciness, just a little bit does the trick.
  • Lemongrass – Really gives the dish a nice citrusy-sour zing.
  • Shallots – For a subtle onion flavor, these are perfect for Asian recipes.
  • Ginger – Minced ginger is a key ingredient in this recipe, bringing in it’s spicy, zestiness. Learn a great hack for peeling ginger!
  • GarlicMince the garlic finely so it blends in with everything else.
  • Peanuts – Completely optional, and your choice of salted or unsalted. Chop the peanuts, then add them as a garnish for a little crunch.

How to Make Thai Green Beans

  1. Make the sauce: Mix together the soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl.
  2. Sauté: Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add the lemongrass and shallots and sauté for 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the green beans, season with salt (lightly!) and pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic and stir for one more minute. Stir the soy sauce mixture again and add it to the pan.
  3. Simmer: Cover the pan and steam and simmer for 3 more minutes, until the green beans are crisp-tender. Remove the lid and stir for another minute or two until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the beans are just tender and glazed with the sauce.
  4. Serve: Sprinkle with the peanuts, if using, and serve hot or warm.
Thai Green Beans topped with peanuts in serving dish.

What to Serve With Thai Green Beans

Hoisin Shrimp in a bowl with green beans and rice.
Thai Green Beans with Hoisin Shrimp

More Asian-Inspired Veggie Side Recipes

Also, this: Great Green Bean Recipes for Dinner

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4.75 from 4 votes

Thai Green Beans

Green beans get super exciting when sautéed up with a bunch of Thai seasonings and topped with crunchy chopped peanuts.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola or peanut oil)
  • 2 stalks lemongrass (outer layers peeled, top few inches and bottom trimmed, and finely minced)
  • 4 shallots (halved and thinly sliced; about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 pounds green beans (trimmed)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • ½ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ¼ cup chopped peanuts to serve (salted or not; optional)

Instructions 

  • Mix together the soy sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add the lemongrass and shallots and sauté for 3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the green beans, season with salt (lightly!) and pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic and stir for one more minute. Stir the soy sauce mixture again and add it to the pan.
  • Cover the pan and steam and simmer for 3 more minutes, until the green beans are crisp-tender. Remove the lid and stir for another minute or two until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the beans are just tender and glazed with the sauce. Sprinkle with the peanuts, if using, and serve hot or warm.

Notes

Lemongrass is becoming easier to find, and it can be placed in different areas of the supermarket produce aisle — maybe near the ginger or the herbs. If you don’t see it, ask for it — it is pale and skinny and tends to hide. Make sure to remove the outer harder layers, the base of the bulb, and the tough top of the stalk, and very finely mince it, as it’s a woody little bit of produce and needs to be well broken down before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 142kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 208mg, Potassium: 440mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1093IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 2mg
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About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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