This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
One of the first dishes I learned to make were these restaurant-style Chinese Style Green Beans – this was my absolute favorite vegetable dish growing up and we would always order it when we went out to eat! The green beans are crisp and slightly blistered from the heat, and the fatty pork combined with the aromatics makes this an incredibly tasty dish!
Ingredient Tips for Chinese Style Green Beans
GREEN BEANS
- After washing and drying your green beans, I recommend trimming the ends and cutting them to 3″ pieces. If you prefer your green beans on the longer or shorter side, feel free to adjust to your preference! (Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly – if you cut them on the shorter end, they’ll cook faster vs. if you keep the green beans longer, you’ll need to add 1-2 min to your cooking time.) The most important thing is that they’re similar in size so they cook evenly in your wok.
LIGHT vs. DARK SOY SAUCE
- Yes, they’re different! Dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter (as well as has a higher sodium content) than regular soy sauce. If you don’t have dark soy sauce on hand, you can sub with oyster sauce!
SHAOXING WINE
- If you cannot or do not want to use wine, you can sub with sherry, mirin, or chicken stock!
MSG
- As always, this is optional 🙂
NEUTRAL OIL
- My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.
Recipe Tips for Chinese Style Green Beans
SUCCESS IS IN THE PREP!
- For a recipe that comes together extremely quickly, the key to pulling this recipe off successfully is having your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your washed and trimmed green beans, sauce, and aromatics ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.
ADJUST THE PROTEIN TO YOUR LIKING!
- While this dish traditionally uses ground pork, you can also sub with a different ground protein of your choice (chicken or turkey are great options) or omit altogether to make it a great vegetarian dish!
DRIED RED CHILIS
- If you are sensitive to heat, you can use less chilis OR remove the seeds. (To be clear, the seeds don’t contain the chemical that make the peppers hot BUT they are oftentimes coated with the oils that make peppers hot.)
Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Chinese Style Green Beans not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
If you tried this Chinese Style Green Beans or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Chinese Green Beans with Pork
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans, washed and trimmed
- 1 lb ground pork
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1/4 tsp msg, optional
- 1/2 cup dried red chilis, 15-20 pcs; deseed if you want less spice
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- salt, to taste
- 4 tbsp neutral oil, I prefer avocado oil
Instructions
- Wash and cut your green beans to equal 2" pieces.
- Mix together light soy, dark soy, sugar, and msg in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil to a pan, add your green beans and season with salt. Sauté your green beans over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes or until nicely blistered. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 3 tbsp of neutral oil over medium high heat and fry your garlic, ginger, and chilis for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Move them aside in the pan and fry your pork until browned and slightly crisp.
- Deglaze with 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, then add back your green beans and premixed sauce and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until the sauce as absorbed into the pork and green beans. Serve with rice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
