With flavors of garlic, ginger, and soy, Sesame Green beans are a fast side dish for busy weeknights. You can prep the beans ahead and cook them up in less than 15 minutes. And: They’re SO good.
Sesame Green Beans
I’m always looking for easy ways to keep the kids interested in eating veggies and while they’re fans of cooked green beans with just butter and salt, they also like this more flavorful version too. These Sesame Green Beans are easy to make and they boast just enough flavor to keep things interesting for the kids and the adults.
They’re one of my favorite go-to side dishes to make when I don’t have a ton of time. This dish pairs perfectly with chicken or shrimp and rice and is just slightly sweet—which is always helpful with getting the kids to actually eat them!
(You may also like my Green Bean Baby Food.)
How to Pick and Prep Green Beans
When you’re at the store, look for green beans that don’t appear blemished (so avoid too many with brown spots), that are dry (to avoid them getting moldy in the fridge) and look hydrated (so they won’t be too old and tough).
You’ll want to wash them in a colander, then snap the ends off.
You can wash and trim them 3 days ahead of then you plan to make this recipe if you dry the beans completely and store them in an airtight container such as a quart size Mason jar. That is a simple way to cut down the amount of prep work you need to do right before cooking dinner on a busy weeknight.
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Ingredients You Need
To make this recipe, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go.
- Toasted sesame oil: This adds a lot of flavor in a very small amount.
- Green beans: I usually make this with fresh green beans, but you can use frozen ones if you prefer.
- Garlic: You can use fresh or jarred minced garlic here.
- Fresh ginger: You can store fresh ginger in a freezer bag in the freezer and grate it frozen (peel and all) on a microplane.
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce: Or tamari if you need it to be gluten-free.
- Maple syrup: Or honey works too for kids over age 1.
TIP: The toasted sesame oil adds a lot of flavor, so it’s worth picking up a bottle at your grocery store if it’s not something you usually keep on hand.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to cook green beans in this super simple recipe. It comes together quickly, so I like to make it just before dinner time—or totally ahead and served after a quick reheat in the microwave.
- Wash and trim the beans. Snap into 1-2 inch pieces. (photo 1)
- Warm the oil in a large skillet. Add the green beans. (photo 2)
- Grate the clove and ginger over the beans. Cover. Let cook. (photo 2 and 3)
- Add the soy sauce or tamari and the maple syrup. Stir again and serve. (photo 4)
Recommended Pan
I like to make this in a stainless steel skillet— a big one so there’s plenty of room for the veggies—though a nonstick pan will work too. You will want to use a pan with a lid to help trap the steam, which will speed up the cooking process and help prevent the beans from sticking to the pan.
Green Beans for Baby
Yes, though leave the maple syrup out. You may also want to dice them into small pea-sized pieces for an older baby who does well with finger foods.
Pairing Suggestions
I like to serve these Sesame Green Beans with chicken tenders and rice, over Stir-Fry Noodles, or over a grain bowl with quinoa eggs. They’re Asian in flavor, so they’d also go well with fried rice or sweet and sour chicken!
The Best Way to Store Fresh Ginger
Since fresh ginger isn’t something that everyone always has on hand, I recommend storing a piece in a zip top plastic bag in the freezer. It stays fresh for months and you can grate it—skin and all!—while still frozen. It’s super handy.
Best Tips for Success
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and serve with rice, scrambled eggs, or plain noodles.
- Prep the beans earlier in the day or week when you have time and store them in a zip top bag or an airtight container. You can then simply add the beans to the pan when ready to cook.
- Covering the pan in Step 1 traps in steam and helps the green beans soften. It also helps prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Grating the ginger and garlic ensures ample flavor, but it avoids detectable pieces that might not please the kids.
- Cut the beans into smaller pieces closer to 1/4-½ inch, for an older baby feeding himself finger foods.
Related Recipes
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Quick & Easy Sauteed Carrots
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Sweet Potato Puree
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe so please comment below!
Sesame Green Beans
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 pound green beans (trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 inch size piece fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari or a sprinkle of salt)
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans.
- Use a fine Microplane to grate the clove (discard the peel) and ginger over the beans and stir to combine.
- Cover. Let cook for about 8 minutes. Remove cover and taste one to see if it’s soft enough. Cook for an additional minute or two as needed. (I like them firm, tender, but you can cook them a little longer to make them softer.)
- Add the soy sauce or tamari and the maple syrup. Stir again. Serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and serve with rice, scrambled eggs, or plain noodles.
- Prep the beans earlier in the day or week when you have time and store them in a zip top bag or an airtight container. You can then simply add the beans to the pan when ready to cook.
- Covering the pan in Step 1 traps in steam and helps the green beans soften. It also helps prevent them from sticking to the pan.
- Grating the ginger and garlic ensures ample flavor, but it avoids detectable pieces that might not please the kids.
- If you’d like the beans to be softer, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of water and cook until softer.
- Cut the beans into smaller pieces closer to 1/4-½ inch, for an older baby feeding himself finger foods.
Nutrition
This post was first published March 2019.
These were so delicious! For some reason I have been craving green beans recently and I saw you post about these on Instagram. I’m so glad I watch your stories because this simple recipe really upped our side dish game! I kept my green beans longer and doubled the garlic (we’re big garlic fans in this house). I plan on making these over and over.
Made these green beans for my 19 month old and whole family. They were a huge hit for everyone. The best green beans I’ve ever had. I use several of your recipes every week to help make flavorful healthy food for my family. So thankful for you!
I’m so glad to hear that!
My 2 year old devoured these first off his plate and went back for seconds. My husband and I did too!
This recipe looked SO yummy that I had to try it – and wow, it tastes just as amazing as it looks! We added some toasted sesame seeds and even my 2 yr old gobbled them right up. Huge success in our family!
Tried this last night to go with some salmon and jasmine rice, and they were delicious!! Thank you!
Your recipe says grate clove but clove is not in the list of ingredients…did you mean garlic?
Yes, sorry!
This looks great, would it work with frozen green beans?
I think so! The cooking time might be a little less since they will already be precooked (most likely) so check every few minutes to avoid them becoming too soft.