Thai Sweet Chili Green Beans

If you’ve been looking for a simple side dish that’s still intensely flavorful, look no further than Thai Sweet Chili Green Beans. The crisp green beans perfectly complement the sticky, sweet glaze for an easy summer side that will elevate any meal.

This Thai bean recipe uses minimal ingredients, mostly pantry staples, to transform a basic vegetable into a deliciously vibrant dish. It’s a nice alternative to noodles or rice for Thai side dishes!

To make Thai green beans, I first sauté the green beans in garlic and oil to infuse them with flavor, and I also get some browning on them to increase the umami element in this dish. Then, they continue to cook more in a combination of vegetable broth and sweet chili sauce, creating a delectable glaze. This recipe is finished with crushed red pepper flakes for a kick of spice that balances out the other sweet and tangy flavors.

The cooking method used for this dish ensures that the green beans remain crisp and snappy! However, if you prefer a softer texture, cook them longer.

This customizable Thai bean recipe allows you to adjust it to your spice tolerance and how saucy you’d like. This makes it a great option for everyone’s taste. Enjoy these sweet and spicy green beans alongside various main courses this summer!

This Spicy Green Bean recipe is:

• Flavorful! Combining the sweet chili sauce and red pepper flakes takes this Thai green bean dish up a notch.
• Quick and easy! This recipe is simple to make and cooks up fast.
• Crisp and delicious! This cooking method keeps the green beans on the crispier side, which pairs well with the sticky, sweet glaze.
• Customizable! Adjust the amount of spice in this dish to your tolerance.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Green Beans: This recipe uses 2 pounds of fresh green beans. I like the crispness of fresh green beans, but this glaze is also delicious over frozen green beans.
• Canola Oil: Canola oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, which helps the green beans get a nice brown color. You can also use vegetable or avocado oil.
• Vegetable Broth: This recipe uses vegetable broth which keeps this dish vegetarian, but you can also use chicken broth. I like to use low-sodium broths which makes it easier to adjust the saltiness.
• Sweet Chili Sauce: Sweet Chili sauce, known as nam chim kai in Thailand, is popular in Asian cooking. As the name suggests, it has a sweet and spicy flavor with notes of sourness and tanginess.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds umami to this green bean dish and also a touch of bitterness, which complements the sweetness of the sauce. I prefer low-sodium soy sauce in all my recipes. If you do not consume soy, coconut aminos are a good alternative.
• Red Pepper Flakes: The amount of crushed red pepper flakes is completely up to personal preference. The sweet chili sauce has a bit of a kick, so you may not want to add them.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant.

• Add green beans and cook, stirring often or until beans are beginning to brown.

• Add sweet chili sauce, broth, and soy sauce.
• Cook, stirring often, for 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
• Add crushed red pepper flakes and salt to taste.

• Done! Thai Sweet Chili Green Beans for a quick and easy side dish!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• Only the stem end needs to be trimmed off the green beans. The tip end is tender and perfectly fine to eat.​​ I’ve tried numerous ways to speed up the process of trimming the stem ends from beans. Honestly, there is no quick and easy way. Here are some ways to do it.
  • You can do them one by one and enjoy the zen of it.
  • Line several of them up on a cutting board, cut the ends with a knife.
  • Grab two or three at a time, and break the stem end off with your other hand.
  • Grab two or three from your pile where you see stems together and snip them with kitchen shears.
• Slicing the garlic rather than mincing it for this spicy green bean recipe reduces the risk of burning as you sauté the green beans.