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5.0 from 498 votes

Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans

RECIPE VIDEO ABOVE. A simplified version of the popular Szechuan dish Stir Fried Green Beans with Minced Pork. Same flavour punch but made with everyday ingredients. Has intense flavour so you won't miss the sauciness of usual stir fries. Mix it up with rice then eaten with a spoon - forget chopsticks!  Don’t skip charring the beans, it's the defining feature of this stir frySpiciness: Mild. Similar - try the Japanese version of this dish, on RecipeTin Japan!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 2 -3
Calories: 350 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian , Japanese

Ingredients

  • 300g / 10oz green beans (Note 1)
  • 220g / 7 oz pork mince (Note 2)
  • 1/2 small onion , finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped (Note 3)
  • 2 tsp ginger , finely chopped (Note 3)
  • 2 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable or canola)
Sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 4)
  • 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) (Note 5 for subs)
  • 1 tsp white sugar (sub any sugar or faux sugar)
  • 1 1/2 tsp + chilli garlic sauce (Note 6)
For serving
  • Rice of choice
  • Sliced red chilli

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Sauce - Mix Sauce ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Trim the stem end of the beans, then chop into 2 - 2.5cm / 4/5 - 1" pieces.
  3. Char Beans: Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a heavy based skillet over high heat (I use cast iron) until smoking. Add beans, spread out to cover base. Leave for 1 minute. Quick stir, spread out, cook for 30 seconds. Stir, then leave for 30 seconds, then repeat once more (so 2 1/2 minutes in total cook time) until beans are charred but tender crisp (not withered and floppy). Remove into bowl.
  4. Sauté aromatics - Turn heat down to medium high, add 1 tbsp oil. Add onion, then garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute until edges of onion are golden.
  5. Cook pork - Turn heat back up to high. Add pork and cook, breaking it up as you go. Cook for 2 minutes until the pork is cooked through, then add Sauce. Cook for 30 seconds, then add beans and stir for another 30 seconds.
  6. Serve over rice. Garnish with slices of large red chilli (it's mild), entirely optional. To eat, mix the pork into the rice then eat it with a spoon - forget chopsticks for this one! (For a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice)

Notes

  • Beans - If using frozen, thaw and drain away excess water, and pat dry. If the bean is too soggy, you will struggle to get the char.
  • Protein - also terrific with chicken, turkey and beef.
  • Chopping rather than mincing garlic and ginger stop them from sticking and burning on the extremely hot skillet. Good general tip for stir fries!
  • Dark soy sauce has more intense flavour than light and all purpose soy sauces. It will work fine with light and all purpose though, but you won't get the same colour on the pork. See here for more about different soy sauces and what you can sub when.
  • Chinese cooking wine ("Shaoxing wine") is an essential ingredient for making truly "restaurant standard" Chinese dishes, you can even find it at regular grocery stores these days though cheaper at Asian stores. Substitute with 1/4 cup chicken stock (low sodium) and expect to cook for an extra minute to let the sauce reduce.
  • Chilli Garlic Sauce is readily available in large supermarkets. It's not "blow your head off" spicy, so feel free to increase it (stick your finger in the Sauce for a taste). It can be substituted with sriracha, sambal oelak or any hot sauce that has a bit of a vinegary taste (eg Frank's) but you'll need to adjust the quantity depending on the spiciness of what you use.
  • Frozen cooked white rice is a quick-meal life saver. A very Asian thing to do, all my relatives in Japan do it! Cook rice of choice as you usually do, rest, fluff, cool, then cling wrap or put into containers in serving size portions and freeze. To reheat, place in a bowl (frozen), sprinkle with water, cover with cling wrap then microwave until warm (1 serving = about 2 1/2 minutes from frozen). Let stand in microwave for 2 minutes - the extra steaming helps remoisten the rice. Serve!
  • Nutrition assumes 3 servings, excluding rice i.e. stir fry only. 3/4 cup of cooked white rice is 130 calories which takes the total up to 480 calories per serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving 199g Calories 350cal (18%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 15g (30%) Fat 27g (42%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 12g Cholesterol 53mg (18%) Sodium 506mg (21%) Potassium 475mg (14%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 696IU (14%) Vitamin C 15mg (17%) Calcium 57mg (6%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2-3

Amount Per Serving

Calories 350

% Daily Value*

Serving 199g
Calories 350cal 18%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 15g 30%
Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 53mg 18%
Sodium 506mg 21%
Potassium 475mg 10%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 696IU 14%
Vitamin C 15mg 17%
Calcium 57mg 6%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.