This Miso Green Beans recipe features tender green beans sautéed to slight char with a savory miso-based sauce, garlic, and toasted sesame seeds for a quick and flavorful side dish.
Total Time:20 minutes
Yield:4 servings
Ingredients
The sauce
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup or agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
The green beans
1 pound green beans
2 teaspoons avocado oil or other neutral oil with high smoke point
3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the white miso, soy sauce, maple syrup (or agave nectar or honey), and sesame oil until smooth and well combined.
Trim the green beans: Cut off the ends of the green beans. For longer beans, cut them in half diagonally for a more appealing presentation.
Heat the skillet: Place a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. For best results, use an enameled cast iron skillet as it handles high heat better; if using stainless steel, you might need extra oil to prevent sticking.
Add oil and green beans: Add the avocado oil to the hot skillet and heat briefly. Then add the green beans, stirring to coat them evenly with oil. Spread the beans out in the pan and let them cook undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring every 45 seconds approximately, until they develop slight blackening and are just tender when pierced with a fork.
Cook the garlic: Add the minced garlic to the skillet and stir constantly for about 30 seconds to release its flavor, being careful not to burn it.
Toss with sauce and sesame seeds: Pour the prepared miso sauce over the green beans and sprinkle in the toasted sesame seeds. Toss everything together to coat the beans evenly, then remove the skillet from heat.
Serve immediately: Transfer the green beans to a serving dish and enjoy while warm.
Notes
If you don’t have white miso, yellow miso can be used as a substitute but will have a stronger flavor.
To keep the dish vegan, substitute honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as avocado or grapeseed oil to prevent burning during high heat cooking.
For extra crunch and flavor, sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.
Trim green beans evenly and cut diagonally for better texture and appearance.
