Green Beans in Spicy Miso Sauce
Submitted by Kelly4321
Crisp green beans tossed in a spicy white miso glaze with garlic, mirin, and hot sesame oil. This quick Japanese-inspired side dish is ready in 15 minutes and works over rice, noodles, or straight from the skillet.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
5 minREADY
15 minOne skillet, fifteen minutes, and a sauce so good you will want to drink it with a spoon. These green beans get a fast, hot sear in chile-spiked sesame oil, then get coated in a glossy miso glaze that is equal parts salty, sweet, and spicy.
White miso brings that deep umami backbone. Mirin and barley malt syrup round out the sweetness. A hit of kuzu (or arrowroot) pulls it all into a silky sauce that clings to every bean.
Serve this alongside grilled salmon, pile it over soba noodles, or eat it standing at the stove. No judgment.
Kitchen Tips
- Dissolve the miso in the water before adding it to the skillet. Dropping miso paste straight into hot oil will cause it to clump and burn.
- For the crispest beans, do not crowd the skillet. Cook in a single layer so they blister instead of steam.
- The make-ahead method in this recipe is gold for entertaining: blanch and ice-bath the beans up to two days ahead, then just make the sauce and toss them in.
- Use red miso instead of white for a deeper, funkier flavor.
- Adjust the heat by using more or less hot sesame oil, or substitute regular sesame oil and add red pepper flakes to taste.
Variations
- With protein: Toss in cubed firm tofu or sliced chicken breast for a complete meal.
- Noodle bowl: Serve over udon or soba with a soft-boiled egg and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
- Other vegetables: Swap the green beans for broccolini, snap peas, or asparagus using the same sauce and technique.
Ingredients
Directions
In a large skillet, heat hot pepper oil and sauté garlic for 30 seconds.
Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add green beans and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes.
Mix dissolved Miso, Barley Malt, Mirin and Kudzu or arrowroot together. (Cornstarch could also be used.)
Add to hot vegetable mixture and simmer, stirring constantly for about one minute or until thick.
Serve as a side dish or as a topping for noodles.
Make this ahead for easy preparation and/or to guarentee perfectly cooked tender crisp beans when company is coming.
Prepare the beans in advance. Bring a pot of water to a full boil, prepare a bowl of ice water. Add green beans to the boiling water, once back up to a boil time exactly 4 minutes. Immediately drain and drop the beans in ice water to stop the cooking.
Beans can be kept for up to two days in advance this way.
When ready to make the recipe, continue as previously directed omitting the green beans. Once the sauce is thickened add the drained green beans to reheat and voila! Perfectly cooked, bright green beans ready to serve.
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