Are Chinese long beans the same as green beans?

The long bean — also known as Chinese long bean, yard-long bean, asparagus bean, and several other names — is well-known in East and Southeast Asia. A long bean may look like a thin extra-long version of our familiar pole or bush “green” bean, but the two are not closely related.

Are Chinese green beans healthy?

Green beans, string beans, or snap beans are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, and of folic acid and fiber. They have similar nutritional benefits to snap peas and okra.

Chinese Garlic Green Beans

Name: Chinese Garlic Green Beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 pound green beans, trimmed; 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sherry; 1 teaspoon sambal oelek; 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced; 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

This stir-fry Chinese Garlic Green Beans recipe is a super easy side dish! The green beans are blistered until tender, and tossed with tons of garlic and a spicy Asian sauce that is out of this world!

Total Time: 20 min
Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon sambal oelek
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)

Instructions

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add in the green beans and boil for 1 minute. Strain the green beans and add to a large bowl filled with ice water. Let sit for 2 minutes, then place the green beans on a kitchen or paper towel to dry thoroughly.
Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, sambal oelek, sherry wine, and ginger in a small bowl.
Heat a large skillet or wok with the oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the green beans until they start to blister and are tender, about 5-6 minutes. Then add in the garlic and continue to stir fry for 1 minute.
Toss in the sauce to thoroughly coat the green beans. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve while hot.

Notes

Blanching the green beans in boiling water for one minute, and shocking them in ice water, ensures that the beans will cook up evenly and quickly. I highly recommend this step!
Make sure to thoroughly dry the green beans before stir-frying. Wet green beans will make the oil sputter, and the green beans will not blister properly.
Try not to overcook the green beans. They should be crisp-tender, not overly wilted.

Watch a short video of this recipe here.

Author: Asian Caucasian
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Category: Sides
Method: Stove top
Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 133
Sugar: 4.4 g
Sodium: 166.9 mg
Fat: 10.5 g
Carbohydrates: 9.7 g
Protein: 2.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg