Sesame Green Beans

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.

Course side

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 103kcal

Author Amy Palanjian

Equipment

Green Pan Non-Stick Pan

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

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 1/4-1/2 inch, for an older baby feeding himself finger foods.

Nutrition