Weeknight dinners are tough in the summer. All I want to do is get my workout in, shower, and relax in the backyard for the rest of evening. Spending an hour on dinner just isn’t realistic every night, which is why I turn to quick sides that are packed with flavor and can be made in 10 minutes.
These green beans are utterly perfect. They get a quick blanch in some hot water, a plunge in an ice bath to keep them crisp, and a toss in a hot skillet to blister along with tons of minced garlic and ginger. While the combination of garlic and ginger is Asian-inspired, don’t be afraid to serve these with various proteins to suit your taste. I love having them alongside fresh summer rice-paper rolls, or with grilled Asian barbecue chicken. Even better? Throw them on top of a huge chopped salad with shrimp, corn, bean spouts, and peanuts. The combo of the hot green beans with the cold and crisp salad is awesome for summer.
Give these green beans a try when you need a change-up in the weekly rotation for no time at all. Don’t forget to share your photos and tag me @theardentcook on Instagram so I can see all that you’re cooking up.
Ingredients
1 ¼ lb green beans, washed and trimmed
1 inch piece ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
Oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Bring ¼ inch of water to a boil in a wide, deep pan with a lid.
- Add trimmed green beans and blanch until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. When the time is up, transfer the beans immediately to a bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green beans, ginger, and garlic, and cook, tossing frequently, until the beans become slightly blistered and the ginger and garlic are fragrant, approximately 3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the soy sauce and rice vinegar. Serve immediately!
The Ardent Cook 
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