Using only a few ingredients, this quick and easy green beans with oyster sauce is slightly sweet yet salty, and always a winner.
How to cook green beans with oyster sauce
Try to cook green beans straight from the market or as soon as possible. Fresh green beans are easier to cook, greener after cooking and more tender to eat. Older green beans tend to be tougher and chewier to eat. Frozen green beans have an olive color, tougher texture and are great for soups.
Step 1: After trimming off the ends, cook the green beans.
There are so many ways to cook green beans. Below are 5 ways to cook green beans — excluding baking, air frying and frying.
Method 1: Steaming green beans
Bring a small amount of water, about 1/2 inch, to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat to simmer, add a steamer basket with the green beans placed inside. Cover and steam to desired crunchy tenderness. Should take no more than 4-7 minutes.
Method 2: Microwave and boiling green beans
In a microwavable dish toss and season about 6 oz of green beans with salt and oil. Add 1/2-1 tablespoon of water, cover and microwave until desired doneness. Should take no more than 1-5 minutes (1 min = crunchy, 5 min = tender). Be sure to toss green beans in salt and water or they will wrinkle more.
Method 3: Sautéing/stir-frying and boiling green beens
In a pan warmed over medium-high heat, add oil, salt and green beans. Stir-fry until sizzling, add 2-4 tablespoons of water for 6 oz of green beans, cover and reduce to simmer. Boil about 4-7 minutes, checking periodically to ensure there is enough water.
Method 4: Blanching and boiling green beans
Pour enough water into a pot to just cover the green beans. Bring water to a boil without the green beans. Salt the water for flavoring and other potential reasons (read Cooking greens without losing nutrients or color). Also possible to use a brining ratio (I use Morton Salt’s brining ratio) of 1 tablespoon salt per cup of water. However, I use 1 teaspoon of salt for a quart of water, as the green beans taste too salty otherwise.
Carefully drop green beans into the water, cover and boil until they reach your desired crunchy tenderness. Should take no more than 4-7 minutes. Then drain and remove the green beans. If desired, halt the cooking process by shocking the green beans in ice water, thereby better retaining their crunchiness.
Method 5: Instant pot the green beans
Pour 1/2 cup cold water into the instant pot. Place the green beans on a trivet inside the pot. Cook on hi-pressure for 0-4 minutes (0 minutes for crunchy, 2 minutes for crunchy tender, 4 minutes for tender) and perform a quick release. Although this method is very convenient and easy, green beans lose their bright green color and turn olive the longer they pressure cook.
Step 2: In a skillet warmed over medium heat, add oil and cook minced garlic until fragrant. Add green beans, soy sauce, oyster sauce, maple syrup, pepper and salt if needed. Toss well, remove and serve.
Related blog post:
Green Beans with Oyster Sauce
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...Using only a few ingredients, this quick and easy green beans delight is slightly sweet yet salty, and sure to be a winner. The blog covers 5 ways to cook green beans for this dish: Steam, microwave, stir-fry, blanch ad instant pot.
Ingredients
- 12 oz green beans
- 1 garlic clove minced or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon maple syrup
- salt and black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon oil
Instructions
Trim ends off the green beans.
Cook green beans using any your preferred method.
In a skillet warmed over medium heat, add oil and minced garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.
Add green beans, soy sauce, oyster sauce, maple syrup and pepper. Add salt if necessary. Toss well, remove and serve.
Informational Resources
