Spicy Garlic Smashed Green Beans
Make crispy, intensely flavored green beans by lightly smashing them before roasting or pan-searing them with garlic and a savory glaze.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Asian Inspired
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the trimmed green beans on a clean cutting board. Using the bottom of a heavy glass or a meat tenderizer, lightly smash each bean until it is slightly flattened or cracked open. Do not crush them completely.
- Toss the smashed green beans with olive oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper on the baking sheet. Spread them into a single layer.
- Roast for 15 minutes.
- While roasting, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar in a small bowl to create the glaze.
- Remove the beans from the oven. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the beans and toss gently on the sheet.
- Return the beans to the oven and roast for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are blistered and crispy.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, you can use an air fryer set to 380°F for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, before adding the glaze and cooking for 2 more minutes.
- If you prefer a milder flavor, reduce the red pepper flakes to 1/4 teaspoon.
- Use fresh garlic for the best flavor; dried garlic powder will not achieve the same result.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 0