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Enjoy Cold Garlic and Soy Green Beans as a side dish, appetizer, or snack. No matter how you choose to serve these freshly flavored green beans, you’re going to love how unique and delicious they are!
You know what I go crazy for during hot summer days? Cold food! Not any cold food, though – I’m talking about food that’s specifically meant to be eaten cold. There’s so much more to life than ice cream and cold fruits, too. Cold Garlic and Soy Green Beans are the BEST summertime snack or side when you want something savory, not sweet.
My mom made this side for us all the time when we were growing up. It was one of our favorites and we’d always ask for weekly repeats! That’s how you know it’s good – when kids are asking for more veggies on their plates. With green beans this fresh and flavor packed, it’s not a hard task to dig in and enjoy them!
I always make sure to blanch the beans just enough that they don’t get soggy and soft. I’m very particular about crisp beans, just like I am with my broccoli. This is still a great simple and yet so flavorful side dish to have on a hot day! Serve them crisp and cool, and enjoy.
What You’ll Need:
- Green Beans – Make sure they’re nice and fresh! You’ll want them to be totally green with no dark spots and pretty firm to the touch.
- Soy Sauce – I use a low sodium soy sauce to keep the beans from being too salty. Coconut aminos or tamari also work as a gluten free option.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic for this recipe for the best flavor.
- Sesame Oil – The slightly nutty flavor that sesame oil has does wonders for the overall flavor of this simple dish. Don’t substitute it with any other oil!
- Sugar – White granulated sugar is best here. It helps to balance the other bold ingredients while also adding a subtle touch of sweetness.
How to Make Cold Garlic and Soy Green Beans
For more detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post.
Blanch the beans. Blanch the green beans in a pot of boiling water for about 4-5 minutes and no longer. Toss them into an ice bath immediately after.
Combine the ingredients. Once drained, toss the green beans in a zip-top bag with the other ingredients. Shake it up!
Marinate. Let the beans cool and marinate in the fridge for an hour. Give them a toss, then marinate for an additional hour.
Enjoy! Give the beans a final toss just before serving. Enjoy them nice and cold!
Common Questions
Can I marinate the green beans for longer? I don’t recommend letting the green beans sit in the marinade for over 2 hours. At 2 hours, the beans adapt the flavors but maintain their crisp consistency. If you leave them for longer, you risk the beans losing that desired crunch.
Can I use frozen green beans? Only use fresh green beans for this recipe! Frozen or canned green beans will NOT yield the same results as fresh.
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Cold Garlic and Soy Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) fresh green beans
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) low sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the green beans for 4-5 minutes, no longer, and then throw them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Ice bath meaning a large bowl of water with ice in it.1 pound (454 g) fresh green beans
- Drain the beans and water.
- In a large ziploc bag, put in all the ingredients, zip it tightly and shake it all around until all beans are covered.⅓ cup (79 ml) low sodium soy sauce, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- Let cool in the fridge for 1 hour then toss them around again in the bag and cool for another hour.
- Toss the beans around prior to serving.
- Enjoy cold.
Just made for a summer get together. Everyone loved them!
This looks seriously yummy. I haven’t eaten green beans in ages. I must try this out.
Ooh these are so good! I made them with a lot less oil and sugar and they were still delish. Next time I may add a splash of rice vinegar for a hint of sour. Great summer recipe.
I love this! I am always looking for different ways to do green beans (I love them but the kids don’t) and I can’t wait to try these! I think my kids will actually eat them!
Oh my word these look so good. I’d just wipe them on my face and neck to cool off, foooo’ real.
I seriously could eat these everyday! Love this!
This looks like something that I will be having to make as a snack when I’m dying of heat in a couple weeks!
How awesome! I would definitely love eating some of these right now!
I use those ingredients a lot for marinating chicken, but I never thought of tossing it over some green beans! This sounds so refreshing, thanks for the *cold* recipe! We’ve had 3 triple digit days here this week and there’s no end in sight, UGH!
Yum! These do look really refreshing and yummy. I bet tossing some sesame seeds in there would be awesome too.