Thai Sweet Chili Green Beans Recipe

I turned a simple bag of green beans into a Thai Side Dishes sweet chili creation using one clever pantry trick.

I love flipping plain side dishes into something exciting, and Thai Sweet Chili Green Beans does just that. Fresh green beans meet Thai sweet chili sauce, it’s vibrant, tangy and a little sneaky with heat.

This isn’t your usual Asian Green Beans, it’s more like the Thai Side Dishes you find at hole in the wall spots where everything tastes outrageously good. If you like Spicy Green Bean Recipes that punch above their weight this will make you rethink a veggie side, you might even crave it on weeknights.

Ingredients

• Crunchy, high in fiber and vitamin C, good for filling, low in calories.
• Bright sweet chili sauce, sweet heat, mostly sugars with tangy chili notes.
• Sharp aromatic garlic, small amount packs flavor and antioxidants, can lower blood pressure.
• Salty umami soy sauce, adds savory balance, watch sodium cause its pretty salty.
• Tiny splash of toasted sesame oil gives nutty aroma and richness, use sparingly.
• Fresh scallions give a mild onion bite, adds crunch and color at finish.
• Rice vinegar adds light tangy lift, cuts sweetness and brightens the sauce.
• Cornstarch gives thickening power, makes sauce cling for a glossy coat, dont overdo it.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 pound (450 g) fresh green beans trimmed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or neutral oil
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce optional
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Pinch red pepper flakes optional

How to Make this

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the trimmed green beans and blanch 2 to 3 minutes until bright green and just tender, then drain and plunge into ice water to stop cooking; drain well and pat dry.

2. In a small bowl whisk together the Thai sweet chili sauce, low sodium soy sauce, fish sauce if using, rice vinegar, brown sugar or honey and set aside.

3. Mix the cornstarch with the 1 tablespoon water until smooth to make a slurry and keep near the stove.

4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering, add the minced garlic and stir 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

5. Add the green beans and stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes until they get some blistering and are cooked to your liking; season lightly with salt and black pepper as they cook.

6. Pour the sauce into the pan, toss to coat and bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 30 to 60 seconds until the sauce thickens and clings to the beans.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning, add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want more heat, remember fish sauce is salty so taste first.

8. Remove from heat, drizzle the toasted sesame oil, toss with the thinly sliced scallions, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top and serve warm; if you like it saucier add a little extra sweet chili sauce.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot for blanching the beans and bringing salted water to a boil
2. Large bowl filled with ice water to plunge and stop the cooking (shock them)
3. Colander or fine mesh sieve to drain the beans, let them dry a bit
4. Large skillet or wok for stir fry, big enough to toss the beans
5. Spatula or wooden spoon for stirring and tossing, tongs work too
6. Small bowl and whisk or fork to mix the sauce and the cornstarch slurry
7. Measuring spoons and a tablespoon for the sauces and sugar
8. Cutting board and a sharp knife to trim the beans and slice scallions
9. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat the beans dry before frying

FAQ

Thai Sweet Chili Green Beans Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Thai sweet chili sauce
  • Sriracha + honey, mix equal parts sriracha and honey for sweet heat, taste and tweak
  • Plum sauce, swap 1:1, a bit less spicy but sweet and sticky
  • Gochujang diluted with honey and water, use 1 part gochujang to 1 part honey and thin to saucy consistency
• Low sodium soy sauce
  • Tamari, 1:1, gluten free and same salty umami
  • Coconut aminos, 1:1, milder and slightly sweeter so taste as you go
  • Regular soy sauce, use a little less if you worry about salt
• Fish sauce
  • Soy sauce + lime juice, use equal soy to fish amount then add a splash of lime for brightness
  • Anchovy paste diluted with water, use about half the amount of paste plus water to match saltiness
  • Miso paste thinned with water, start with half the amount and stir till smooth
• Cornstarch
  • Arrowroot powder, 1:1, gives a clear glossy finish but dont boil too long
  • Potato starch, 1:1, good for thickening at lower temps
  • All purpose flour, use about 2 times the amount and cook a bit longer to remove raw taste

Pro Tips

– Dry the beans really well after the ice bath. If theyre still wet theyll steam instead of blistering, and you get a soggy texture plus nasty oil splatter.

– Get the pan super hot and dont crowd it, work in batches if needed. Each bean should hit the hot metal so you get those little charred spots and better texture.

– Make the sauce ahead and taste it before you toss it in, because sweet chili and fish sauce vary a lot. Warm honey or brown sugar first so it blends easier, and add fish sauce slowly since its very salty.

– Mix the cornstarch into cold water till totally smooth, stir it into a simmering sauce and cook just until glossy, 30 to 60 seconds or it turns gluey. Finish off with toasted sesame oil off the heat and add sesame seeds or chopped peanuts for crunch.