This recipe for Sweet Sambal Green Beans is one of my all time favourite things to make. It kinda reminds me of the green beans you get at Szechuan restaurants - the ones that are really blistered and come with about a pound of chilis on top.
I never used to like spicy food. In fact, I used to get VERY annoyed at my brother when he would put Emeril’s “essence” on everything he cooked at our house. (Any old-school Food Network fans out there?)
It really is true though, the more heat you expose yourself to, the more you can handle. And now I’m a total die hard hot sauce loving animal. Who knew?
Why I love these Sweet Spicy Beans
This recipe is in no way traditional. It’s authentic to me, because I made it just the way I wanted it, and it turned out to be so good that I had to share it with you.
The whole thing comes together in about 5 minutes which means it’s the perfect thing to make when you’re feeling real lazy and all you really want to do is watch back-to-back episodes of the Golden Girls - or whatever the kids are watching these days.
Spicy hot Sambal Oelek is balanced out with Maple Syrup, tons of ginger and garlic, and the beans get coated so nicely in all of this magic before the final touch of salted roasted peanuts.
You’ll end up with a sticky plate of sweet spicy morsels that you literally can’t stop eating. The heat keeps you coming back for more, and more, until they’re gone. As for what to eat along with these beans? I wouldn't say no my Creamy Gochujang Noodles. This combo will kill any hangover in a heartbeat.
Easy to find ingredients
All the ingredients you need for this can be found at your regular grocery store. If you’re unfamiliar with Sambal Oelek, look in the Asian section. It’ll be there. If you can’t find it there, it’s definitely online! It’s a wonderful chili paste that is a pantry staple for me, and I have a feeling it might become the same for you.
So grab a cold beer and let’s make these guys!
One little note: In the video, I accidentally used fish sauce instead of sesame oil. I guess I was too busy being in awkward YouTuber mode and I wasn’t paying attention!
But it turns out, the fish sauce was an AMAZING mistake. If you go this route, be sure to add a little more maple syrup to balance out all the salt. I do recommend that you follow my mistake though, it’s freaking delish.
Snuggle up and enjoy!
This sambal green bean recipe is sure to please the heat lovers in your life. If you’re not a heat lover, you can definitely reduce the sambal to tone it down a notch or two.
Eat this as a side dish, bring to a potluck, and feel free to add diced chicken or put an egg on it if you feel that you need that protein.
But for me, this is a perfect dinner just as it is, to be demolished with a cold beer and a snuggly cozy movie on a lazy Sunday evening.
Enjoy!
Sweet Sambal Green Beans
Ingredients
- 400 grams trimmed green beans
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek
- 100 grams peanuts, roasted & salted
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium high heat
- Add 1 Tbsp oil to the wok. This could be peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or any neutral oil.
- Add the ginger and garlic to the pan, and stir around for a few seconds.
- Add the green beans and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until the green beans are crisp, tender and bright green. The skin will also start to blister, which is what we want.
- Add the soy sauce, chili paste, maple syrup, and sesame oil, and stir fry until the green beans are coated, and the sauce starts to look sticky. You’re basically making homemade sweet chili sauce right in the wok.
- Toss in the chopped peanuts and toss for another few seconds until they get coated in the sauce too.
Hilary says
How are they sweet? There is no sugar/maple syrup in the recipe list.
Paula says
Ah the maple syrup got lost in a previous edit. Sorry about that! It's back in the ingredient list now! 😬
Peter says
We had some sweet soya sauce that we used instead of the soy/sugar/maple combo. It tasted great, like I was back in Singapore!
Paula says
Oooh fantastic! I have yet to visit Singapore but I hope to one day soon, and I'll be sure to try the green beans!
tubidy official says
I tried making these Sweet Sambal Green Beans for dinner last night, and they were a hit! The balance of sweetness and spice was perfect. Thank you for the clear instructions; I'll definitely be adding this to my regular rotation!
Paula says
Woohoo! SO glad to hear it. Enjoy!!
LOSTLIFE APP says
I just made the Sweet Sambal Green Beans for dinner, and they were a hit! The sweet and spicy flavors are amazing together, and they paired perfectly with the chicken I made. Thanks for sharing such an easy and delicious recipe!
Paula says
OOH so glad you liked them! I've been craving them recently too. Gotta fix that!
Sprunki Phase 7 Online says
I tried this Sweet Sambal Green Beans recipe for dinner last night, and it was a hit! The balance of sweetness and spice was perfect, and it paired wonderfully with the grilled chicken we made. Thank you for sharing such a delicious and easy recipe!