Green beans are stir-fried with an aromatic mix of garlic and ginger and combined with seasoned ground pork. Garlic and ginger add aromatics while a combination of soy sauce, sambal oelek, sesame oil and a bit of sugar is used to season the dish. I first had this Sichuan dry-fried green beans dish at Din Tai Fung in Shanghai and have been obsessed ever since.

This dish is typically served as an appetizer or side dish but I love to double the pork and serve it over white rice for an easy and complete dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes. The recipe below is for the appetizer version so if you’re making for dinner be sure to use 1 pound (16oz) of pork. If using whole green beans I recommend blanching them first for the best texture. Cutting them into 2″ (5cm) pieces cuts down the cooking time and is perfect for a stir fry.

Sichuan Green Beans with Ground Pork

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Green beans – In my version of this dish, trimmed green beans are first blanched to retain their bright color. They are dry-fried in a skillet or wok with a bit of oil until tender then combined with the seasoned pork.
Pork – Ground pork typically comes from minced pork shoulder meat and is incredibly versatile. Trey swapping the pork for another lean ground meat like turkey or chicken in this recipe.
Sambal oelek – This Indonesian chili paste condiment is made with chilies, vinegar and other ingredients like garlic. I love the flavor and texture of this sauce. If you cannot find sambal I recommend substituting with sriracha or another chili-garlic sauce.
Soy sauce – The soy sauce gives the meat a more complex flavor.
Sugar – A bit of sugar helps the sauce to caramelize onto the meat and balance the spicy flavors with a bit of sweetness.

How to Make Sichuan Green Beans

Blanch the green beans. If using whole green beans, blanch the beans. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the green beans and blanch until the green beans are tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain the green beans in ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.
Combine the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal oelek and sugar. Set aside.
Pan fry the green beans. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the green beans and sauté until tender and slightly blistered about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the beans to a bowl and set aside.
Cook the pork. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant then add the pork and allow to brown, breaking apart the pieces with a wooden spoon, about 8 minutes.
Add the sauce. Drizzle the sauce over the pork, stirring to combine and continue to cook for an additional minute. Return the green beans to the pan stirring to combine.
Serve. Serve immediately either as a side or with rice for an entrée.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

Swaps and Substitutions

For a vegetarian take on this dish omit the pork.
For a gluten-free version opt to use tamari rather than soy sauce.
Serve over rice and double the amount of ground pork for a more complete and quick dinner rather than an appetizer.
Some recipes add sichuan peppercorns for added flavor.

Tips for Quicker Cooking

If you are in a rush you can skip blanching the green beans and chop them into 2″ (5cm) pieces for faster cooking. I find it easier to serve it this way if serving as a dinner over rice.