Spicy and crunchy, it’s hard to beat Szechuan-Style Green Beans. These dry fried green beans will quickly become your favorite way to use this green veg. Serve it with rice and your favorite Asian-inspired main dish and dinner is served!

This is an update of a recipe that I first shared in 2013 and has long been one of my favorite ways to serve green beans. I’m updating it today with new photos and a few tips and tricks. 

What’s So Special About Szechuan-Style Green Beans

Szechuan-Style Green Beans are spicy green beans that are made by dry-frying. This method of cooking fries them in a skillet or wok over high heat in a small amount of oil. The moisture evaporates from the beans, resulting in super crisp green beans that are tender and deeply browned in spots. 

Traditionally this style of green beans are made using the uniquely spicy Szechuan peppercorns (“Sichuan peppercorns”) that cause a numbing sensation in your mouth, but this recipe uses easy-to-find red pepper flakes for spice. This recipe also strays from the traditional by using Hoisin sauce for added flavor. 

These green beans are:

• Fresh
• Spicy
• Flavorful
• Crisp
• Gluten-Free

Simple Summer Sides

All this week we’re celebrating simple summer sides! It’s hot outside and beautiful produce is in-season, so I know we’re all looking for more ways to prepare those vegetables. 

Follow along as I share my five current favorite summer sides that use one vegetable, pantry staples, and maybe a few herbs or aromatics to round things out. It will include:

• Sweet And Tangy Marinated Cucumbers
• Crisp Corn Fritters
• Pan-Seared Zucchini with Garlic and Basil
• Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes
• Spicy Szechuan-Style Green Beans (featured here)

Ingredients

• Green Beans – You can leave the green beans whole, but I love to chop these into small bite-sized pieces which gives them maximum surface area to turn golden brown and soak up flavor. 
• Garlic and Ginger – Even though it takes a little time to prep these, don’t skip them – they add so much flavor. 
• Hoisin Sauce – Hoisin sauce is sweet and savory. It’s a sauce that is common in Chinese cooking, and can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores. (Kikkoman makes a great gluten-free version.) 
• Rice Vinegar and Soy Sauce – These pantry staples are great for a variety of Asian and Asian-inspired recipes. Use Tamari if you need a gluten-free option. 
• Toasted Sesame Oil – A little goes a long way to add savory flavor to the dish.
• Red Pepper Flakes – Use more or less for the amount of spice you prefer. 

More Easy Side Dishes

Roasted Asparagus and Potatoes

Rice Noodle Salad

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Sweet Potato Stacks with Butter and Thyme