A Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans that packs an amazing flavour punch for something with so few ingredients! You’ll love how it’s eaten with a spoon, and that it takes just over 10 minutes to make.
Made with ground pork, this recipe is a simplified version of the popular Szechuan Stir Fried Green Beans with Minced Pork. Don’t skip the charring of the beans, it’s the defining feature of this stir fry!
Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans
If you’ve ever been to a Chinese Szechuan restaurant, you might be familiar with a green bean and pork stir fry which is a firm favourite among spicy Asian food lovers. Chopped green beans cooked over high heat until blistered, then stir fried with a spicy intense flavoured sauce and pork.
If the full blown Szechuan version is what you’re after, you’ll need a couple of speciality ingredients requiring a trip to the Asian grocery store – Szechuanpicked mustard greens (Sui Mi Ya Cai), Szechuan peppercorns, dried chillies. And here are a couple of recipes from my most trusted Chinese cooking blogs – Woks of Life and Omnivore’s Cookbook.
This Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans recipe is a slightly simplified version of the authentic Szechuan version. It packs a similar flavour punch, and it still has the signature charred green beans, but I pick up everything from the supermarket. In fact, if you have pork mince (that’s ground pork to those of you in Canada and the States!) and beans, there’s every possibility you have everything you need to make this right now.
This Pork Stir Fry is a quick and easy ground pork recipe with big flavours!
Magic 4 ingredient stir fry sauce
The sauce for this Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans only has 4 ingredients in it:
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Chinese cooking wine (see recipe notes for subs)
-
dark soy sauce (for colour)
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Chilli Garlic Sauce (for spice / vinegar / general Asian tasty flavour – see notes for subs)
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sugar.
The reason this recipe gets away with such a simple sauce is because of this – the charred green beans. Char any vegetable, and you take it from bland to amazing. Steamed beans vs charred green beans is simply no contest!
Best charred in a hot skillet
Unlike most of my stir fries, I like to cook this in a cast iron skillet so you can spread the beans out to char them. It takes a mere 2 ½ – 3 minutes, faster than using a wok.
Because of this extreme high heat cooking – that skillet gets stinking hot – the one tip I have for this stir fry is to chop rather than grate / mince the ginger and garlic. It will stop it from sticking to the skillet and burning in 2 seconds.
Actually, that’s a general stir frying tip. 🙂 Chop instead of grate the ginger and garlic. Never again suffer burnt garlic in your stir fry!
Oh PS That’s the Chilli Garlic Sauce I use. ↑↑↑ Available at supermarket – Woolies, Coles etc. BUT if you can’t find that exact brand or similar, sriracha or even non Asian hot sauces will make a terrific sub. Anything that is spicy but also a bit vinegary – which most hot sauces are. Even Franks Hot Sauce!
You won’t miss sauciness
When it comes to stir fries, I’m usually all about the sauce, the sauce, the sauce. And if you’re in the sauce camp with me, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how you don’t miss sauce with this Pork Stir Fry.
The pork mince sucks up all that sauce and is actually quite intense flavoured – you’d find it rather salty without rice.
So mix it up with the rice, then enjoy the leisure of a stir fry you can eat with a spoon. It’s perfect Couch Food – which I define as food you can eat with a spoon without taking your eyes off the TV. 😂 – Nagi x
PS And because my mother will never forgive me if I don’t mention this – this Beans and Pork Mince Stir Fry is the Japanese version of this stir fry on her website. Similar flavour, but made using Japanese sauces.
More quick ground pork / pork mince recipes
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San Choy Bow (Chinese Lettuce Cups)
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Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelette with Pork)
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See 15 Minute Recipes recipe collection
Also, try this popular Quick Asian Beef Ramen Noodles or Asian Beef Bowls using ground pork / mince instead of beef!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans
Ingredients
- 10 oz / 300 g green beans (Note 1a)
- 7 oz / 220 g pork mince (Note 1b)
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tsp finely chopped garlic (2 cloves) (Note 2)
- 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped (Note 2)
- 2 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable or canola)
Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Note 4 for subs)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp + Chilli Garlic Sauce (Note 5)
Instructions
- Mix Sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Trim the tough end of the beans, then chop into 2 - 2.5cm / 4/5 - 1" pieces.
- Charred 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)
Recipe Notes:
.
4. You can substitute Chinese cooking wine with dry sherry, cooking sake or Mirin. If you sub with Mirin, omit the sugar. Here are the cooking wines I use. The Pandaroo Chinese Cooking Wine is sold at Woolies, Coles, Harris Farms. I really urge you to use one of these options as cooking alcohol is key to achieve a truly restauranty quality for Asian food, especially Chinese recipes. If you can't consume alcohol, the next best option is to use low sodium chicken broth. Use 1/4 of cup. It will take an extra minute or so for the Sauce to reduce. 5. 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. 6. 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, including resting it for 10 minutes (never skip this!). While the rice is still warm, cling wrap into serving size portions, put it in plastic bags or containers, then 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! 7. The nutritional analysis 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 498 calories per serving.
Originally published June 2014, long overdue for an update with fresh new photos and a recipe video!
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
At the coffee shop, when he spies food on neighbouring tables. He’s been known to make grown men give up huge chunks of their breakfast with just a glance…
Sam says
This was super tasty – thanks Nagi!
When i make it again i might add some water chestnuts too 🙂
Alannah McCann says
Just made this tonight for dinner for husband and me.
Yummy, quick, easy and economical. This goes into my regular repertoire.
thank you !
Helen Gentges says
Nagi, this is a favorite dinner of our family! Everyone loves the taste and I love that it’s fast, easy, and really cheap when I’m in a *super frugal* mood. Thank you for your awesome blog!
Diana says
This recipe has become a weekly staple at my house. My college kids had it for breakfast the next morning the first time I made it. We all love it!! I make extra sauce at my husband’s request. Thank you Nagi, you are my favorite! I will give it 10 stars if I could.
Ellie Westbrook says
This recipe has become one of my emergency mid week dinners. It’s so favourful and tastes just like the pork with beans from Four seasons in China town. Thanks for creating this recipe Nagi
Tracy Gauci says
Hi Nagi,
I have been cooking many of your recipes and love them all. I went out and bought coconut milk powder after seeing a recipe that I thought I would try. The question is which recipe was it?? I have looked and now can’t find which recipe of yours contains coconut milk powder. HELP!!
Nagi says
Was it Coconut rice perhaps Tracy? https://www.recipetineats.com/fluffy-coconut-rice/
Hasnajla says
Made it for the first time. Sub pork with beef and cooking wine with chicken stock, it was very easy and delicious!! Thank you for the recipe nagi!!
Kim says
Another delicious recipe! You are an amazing cook, we have made numerous of your dishes and all have become favorites. Sicilian pasta, sun dried tomato pasta, Chinese stir fry, this. All yummy
Tracey says
We loved this!! In fact I haven’t made anything we don’t love yet!
This will be on rotation!!
Tracy says
Can I make this with pork fillet sliced thinly and stir fried rather than pork mince?
Nagi says
You sure can Tracy! It will be fab 👌🏼
Liz says
Cant seem to find chili garlic in my local store. Is it same as Chilli oul (chiu chao)?
Caitlin says
This was delicious! I made it exactly as written and we devoured it!
Nagi says
That’s awesome Caitlin!! N x
Yvette says
Hi Nagi. I cooked your recipe today with a lot of substitutions because those were the ingredients I had on hand – thanks to your notes! It turned out pretty good! Thank you for a wonderful recipe and the great tips!
Julie Fitzgerald says
Hi Nagi, Tried this tonight for the first time as it looked great and so easy. Fantastic. I added a piece of lup cheong (chinese sausage) and aced it!
Nagi says
YUM! Sounds like you nailed it! N x
Sharleen says
I doubled the sauce and it was SO delicious eating it over rice! Another great quick dinner recipe! Thanks so much Nagi, we love your website and it’s all we refer to now when cooking in!
Nagi says
YES!!! I’m so happy you loved it Sharleen! N x
TW says
Love, love, love this recipe! Big hit with my kids too (reduced amount of chilli for them).
Nagi says
That’s awesome TW! N x
Steph says
Made this today, delicious! I didn’t have minced pork, so I used button mushrooms, worked pretty well surprisingly.
Will make again soon!
Nagi says
A great vegetarian meal Steph! N x
Donna B says
I made this last night; easy and delicious. Another keeper, thanks, Nagi! Saving to Favourites.
Nagi says
Wahoo! That’s great Donna! N x
Donna B says
Have made this a few times now. I now double the recipe because it’s so good, I like to have the leftovers for lunch. Sooo deelicious!!
Long says
Just made this subbing in chicken stock and sambal. So quick, easy and tasty! :yum:
Kimmie says
Love your recipes! Can you leave the chill sauce out? Or substitute it for something not spicy – kids don’t eat chilli.
Nagi says
Hi Kimmie – just leave it out in this one – N x