Saucy, stovetop Thai Green Beans made with a creamy peanut sauce and garnished with crushed peanuts. A quick and easy vegan Thanksgiving side dish!
I've never been a fan of green beans until I started finding ways to make them more enjoyable! Personally, green bean casserole was never my thing. But green beans have a lovely, tender texture that lends itself to rich flavors, like a Thai Peanut Sauce. I created this recipe for Thanksgiving as a side dish, and I absolutely love how it turned out. Even my green bean-hating husband ate an entire plate of these!
The green beans are tossed and sautéed in a rich and creamy, nutty, umami sauce with salty, crushed peanuts that add a scrumptious texture. 🙂
Ingredients
The green beans are sautéed in toasted sesame oil for a warm and toasty, umami flavor. Minced garlic cloves add pungent flavor, while the Thai Peanut Sauce adds a nutty, creamy, and rich flavor. The sauce is made with tamari for saltiness and umami, the peanut butter adds a subtly sweet and salty flavor, and rice wine vinegar is added for acidity and tanginess. More toasted sesame oil is added too.
Once everything is tossed together, water helps the green beans get nice and tender. Salt is added to desired taste preference. It really helps bring out all of the delicious flavors!
How to Trim Green Beans
Inspect the green beans and toss out any that appear wilted. Then bunch a handful together at a time and chop off the stem ends of the green beans.
Alternatively, you can grab one green bean at a time and snap the ends off with your hands.
Kitchen shears work great here too!
How to Make Thai Green Beans
Heat oil in a large pan over medium. Once warm, add garlic and sauté for about a minute. Add the green beans and sauté over medium high for 8 minutes.
While the green beans are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
When the green beans are tender, add the sauce to the pan and stir. Add the water. Cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Serve with crushed peanuts.
Optional Garnish Ideas
This recipe features crushed peanuts as a garnish, which is delicious as is! However, if you are looking for additional textures and flavors, here are some other garnish ideas!
- Sesame seeds
- Chili flakes
- Sriracha
- Crushed cashews
- Minced Thai basil, mint or cilantro
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will Thai Green Beans keep in the fridge?
Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I recommend enjoying it fresh. As it only takes 20 minutes, it's quick and easy to make when the craving hits!
How do you make green beans not taste bitter?
Adding the water and covering the pan will help the green beans become flavorful and tender. Plus, the Thai Peanut Sauce adds a sweet, nutty, umami flavor that counteracts any lingering bitterness.
Can I freeze Thai Green Beans?
Yes, however they taste best fresh! You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
More Side Dishes!
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower with Spicy Tahini Sauce
- Harissa Roasted Carrots
- Harvest Bowl with Maple Tahini Sauce
- Sourdough Garlic Bread
- French Style Potato Salad
📖 Recipe
Thai Green Beans
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 12 ounces green beans, trimmed
- ¼ cup water
- Salt to taste
Thai Peanut Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium. Once warm, add garlic and sauté for about a minute. Add the green beans and sauté over medium high for 8 minutes.
- While the green beans are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
- When the green beans are tender, add the sauce to the pan and stir. Add the water. Cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Serve with crushed peanuts.
