October 14, 2020

Garlic Blistered Green Beans with Capers

Name: Garlic Blistered Green Beans with Capers
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup peanut oil; 3/4-1 lb. green beans (my favs are the haricots verts thin french green beans) (patted dry of any surface moisture or condensation); kosher salt (to taste); 6 garlic cloves (sliced); 1 tablespoon capers (drained, chopped); 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

These Garlic Blistered Green Beans with Capers are inspired by the traditional Sichuan technique of dry-frying string beans. The trick is to let the beans cook undisturbed until they are blistered, crinkly, and flavorful. While it seems strange to add capers to a chinese bean dish, it TOTALLY works. The capers add a briny shot of saltiness that is “just right.”

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Green Beans (Haricots Verts)

For this dish, I like to use haricots verts beans, otherwise known as thin french green beans. They cook more quickly than the typical green bean and have a better flavor (in my opinion!).

Organizing Ingredients for Garlic Blistered Green Beans with Capers

green beans, garlic, capers, hot pepper flakes and salt

This dish comes together quickly so prep the ingredients before you start cooking the green beans. Thoroughly pat dry the beans, sliver the garlic, chop the capers, and measure the red pepper flakes and salt.

Blistering the Green Beans

Add oil to the pan over medium-high heat and once oil is hot and begins to shimmer, add the thoroughly dried green beans. Spread the beans out in the pan in a single layer and do not disturb for three or so minutes. This allows the beans to get the nice, blistered effect. Continue cooking the beans for another 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Adding the Garlic, Capers and Red Pepper Flakes

adding garlic slivers, chopped capers and red pepper flakes to the blistered green beans

cooking bean mixture until garlic browns

The last step is to add the garlic, capers, red pepper flakes and salt. Give the dish a good toss in the pan using tongs. Cook until the garlic turns golden brown, approximately 1-2 minutes.

Garlic Blistered Green Beans with Capers

Transfer to a platter. Season with more salt if needed.

Print Recipe

Garlic Blistered Green Beans with Capers

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course, Side, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: Capers, garlic, gluten free, green beans, haricots verts, red pepper flakes, vegetarian

Servings: 4 servings

Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com

Ingredients

1/4 cup peanut oil
3/4-1 lb. green beans (my favs are the haricots verts thin french green beans) patted dry of any surface moisture or condensation
kosher salt to taste
6 garlic cloves sliced
1 tablespoon capers drained, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes use more or less depending on your level of spice preference (1/4 tsp for mild, 1/2 tsp for medium, and 1 tsp or more for hot!)

Instructions

Add oil to a large pan and heat on medium-high.
Once pan is hot and oil begins to shimmer add the green beans (the dryer they are, the less they will spatter when they hit the oil) and cook UNDISTURBED, covering skillet as needed if beans are spattering, until browned underneath, about 3 minutes.
Then turn beans with tongs and redistribute so they brown evenly (don’t toss them because hot oil can easily splash out of the pan). Continue to cook, turning occasionally, until browned and blistered all over and tender, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt.
Next add the garlic, capers, and red pepper flakes. Cook, tossing occasionally, just until garlic turns golden, about 1-2 minutes longer.
Transfer to a platter and season with more salt if needed.

Notes

This vegetable dish can easily be turned into a meal by adding ground beef/pork/chicken, tofu crumbles or a couple of fried eggs.

If you can’t find haricot verts, use regular green beans. The cook time will be longer because regular green beans are thicker than haricot verts and trimming the ends will be necessary.

It’s very easy to double this recipe but you will have to cook in batches because it is important not to overcrowd the pan to allow for maximum blistering.

I use Trader Joe’s pre-packaged and Ready-To-Use Haricots Verts but many green beans are not sold this way. So, if you are buying green beans that aren’t ready-to-use, you must wash and thoroughly dry them before using. You may also need to trim the ends.

Recipe from Bon Appetit magazine with slight modifications by me.

If you like this recipe, you may also like these GFchow recipes. Blistered Green Beans, Gluten Free Teriyaki Skirt Steak, and Flavor Poppin’ Roasted Broccoli with Red Onions .

Gluten Free Disclaimer

The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.