sweet and savory sautéed green beans with basil

This quick and easy green beans recipe is packed with flavor. The aroma of fresh basil and garlic make this dish irresistible. Fresh green beans sautéed in a hot pan and finished with cooking sake, mirin, a drizzle of low sodium soy sauce, and fragrant basil. It's amazingly delicious and a bit addicting, yet super easy. Enjoy it while it’s hot or as leftovers!

this quick and easy green beans recipe is packed with flavor

A go-to Asian cuisine inspired green beans recipe that works with all string beans, including the purple waxed beans used in this cooking video.

I first started making this dish 8 years ago when a simple, late-night meal at a Japanese restaurant inspired this recipe. The combination of soy sauce and mirin, which is a rice wine with lower alcohol content than cooking sake and higher sugar content, is what makes it so addicting!

Fresh basil is also a key ingredient here and is often used in Chinese, Taiwanese, and Thai food. Sautéed basil will make your kitchen smell amazing.

click below to watch how to make this addicting sautéed green beans dish

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Sweet and savory sautéed green beans with basil recipe video:

main ingredients at a glance

 

how to pick green beans and different green bean varieties

Thin green beans such as haricot verts work best for sautéed or stir-fried green bean recipes because they're less fibrous and will give you tender cooked green beans with a slight crunch.

Yellow and purple wax beans are also great options. You can mix in yellow wax beans if you're looking to add more color to this dish. I couldn't resist buying purple wax beans from the Santa Monica Farmers Market. It's fun to watch the purple slowly turn green when cooking.

Choose beans with slender pods that are bright in color. The pods should be somewhat flexible but snap easily when bent, with a smooth surface free from wrinkles and soft spots. Avoid green beans or wax beans with mature seeds and swollen (bumpy) pods.

What's the difference between green beans, haricot verts, and wax beans?

green beans vs. haricot verts

Haricot verts, also known as French green beans, are thinner and slightly shorter than green beans. Because of their smaller size, haricot verts are more tender and quicker to cook.

green beans vs. wax beans

Green beans and wax beans taste the same and can be used interchangeably in recipes. The main difference is pigment (color) of the beans, so you can choose a variety based on what you're looking for aesthetically.

how to prepare green beans

• Wash green beans with cold tap water.
• Remove the stems - line up a handful of green beans with the stem sides facing the same direction and cut the stems off with a chef's knife.

how to sauté green beans

• Heat a medium sauté pan (12-inch) on medium-high heat.
• Once the pan is hot, add grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil such as canola oil) followed by the green beans.
• Sauté by tossing green beans in the hot pan with tongs or chopsticks occasionally to allow even cooking.
• When green beans are slightly charred (about 3 minutes), add sliced garlic and stir.
• Wait 30 seconds for garlic to become aromatic and add cooking sake to deglaze the pan. Cook until green beans are slightly tender and become brighter green (about 2 minutes).
• Finish with fresh basil leaves, mirin, low sodium soy sauce, and remove from heat immediately.

 

Since 2011, I have made this dish many, many times as an easy vegetable side dish at home and for my clients (it's a favorite for families with kids).

Need green beans for a crowd? This is it! You can easily double this recipe to use for a potluck or holiday gathering.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Happy cooking! ~ Cin

more delicious asian recipes that go well with sautéed green beans

• refreshing taiwanese cold noodles
• vegetarian kimchi fried rice
• korean pumpkin porrdige (hobakjuk)
• vegan cauliflower, lentils, and cherry tacos
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• creamy miso peanut chicken lettuce wraps by pinch of yum

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cooking equipment and pantry items used in this green bean recipe

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