Spicy Szechuan Green Beans Beef (Printable)
Vibrant stir-fry of crisp green beans and savory minced beef in bold Szechuan-style sauce with heat.
# What You Need:
→ Stir-Fry
01 - 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
02 - 1 lb lean ground beef
03 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
04 - 1 small onion, finely diced
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 scallions, sliced (whites and greens separated)
08 - 1 to 2 fresh red chilies, thinly sliced (optional)
→ Szechuan Sauce
09 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
11 - 1 tablespoon chili bean paste (Doubanjiang)
12 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
14 - 2 teaspoons sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
→ To Serve
16 - Steamed jasmine rice (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Boil salted water and blanch green beans for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp and bright green. Drain and rinse under cold water, then set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed Szechuan peppercorns and fry for 30 seconds until aromatic.
03 - Add ground beef to the wok, breaking it apart. Cook until browned and fully cooked, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove beef and drain excess fat.
04 - Add remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
05 - Stir in chili bean paste and cook for 1 minute. Return cooked beef to the wok and mix well.
06 - Add blanched green beans and sliced chilies if desired. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes to combine flavors.
07 - Pour soy sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and toasted sesame oil over the mixture. Toss everything evenly and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until heated through.
08 - Sprinkle sliced scallion greens over the dish. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice if preferred.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The green beans stay crisp and bright while soaking up every drop of that numbing, spicy sauce.
- Ground beef cooks in under five minutes, making this feel fancy but totally weeknight-friendly.
- That Szechuan peppercorn tingle is addictive, and you can dial it up or down depending on your mood.
02 -
- Szechuan peppercorns must be lightly crushed and toasted separately to unlock their unique numbing-heat potential, not just dumped into the sauce.
- If you skip blanching the green beans, they'll turn a dull color and remain tough in spots, completely changing the texture and appeal of the dish.
03 -
- Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking, because once that wok is hot, everything moves incredibly fast.
- If your ground beef releases excess fat, drain it off before returning the beef to the wok so the sauce isn't greasy and heavy.