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Easy Sesame Ginger Beef and Green Beans

sesame ginger beef and green beans on top of brown rice on a white plate with a gold fork.
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Craving Chinese? Skip the takeout and make this healthier 20-minute Sesame Ginger Beef and Green Beans at home! The sweet and savory steak with crisp green beans tastes better than your favorite restaurant, and comes together even quicker than ordering out. (dairy-free, gluten-free option)

Ingredients

Scale

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger paste or fresh grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)

 

For the stir-fry:

  • 1 lb beef, sliced 1/4 inch thick (some good cuts to use are flank steak, skirt steak, or thin sirloin)
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 12 oz green beans, trimmed
  • Water

For garnish (optional):

  • Green onions, chopped
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Whisk together all sauce ingredients. Set aside.
  2. Thinly slice beef across the grain into 1/4" thick slices. This is easiest when beef is very cold or even slightly frozen.
  3. Bring about 2 inches of salted water to boil in a large skillet. Add green beans and cook until bright green, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain green beans, and place in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
  4. Wipe the skillet dry and place back on the stove. Heat sesame oil over medium high heat.
  5. Season beef with salt and pepper. Sear in the skillet for 5-6 minutes, turning to brown both sides of the meat.
  6. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add green beans and sauce. Cook, stirring, until green beans and beef are warmed through and sauce is thickened. If the sauce gets too thick, add a bit of water as needed to thin it out.
  7. Serve sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds over brown rice, noodles, cauliflower rice, or quinoa.

Notes

  • Do all the prep work first - whisking the sauce, slicing the steak, prepping the green beans. The dish comes together very quickly, so you should have all the ingredients ready to go.
  • For the most tender steak, make sure to trim any white membranes from the meat before cooking. Slice thinly into 1/4-inch thick slices against the grain (perpendicular to the natural lines in the meat). It will be easiest to slice thinly using a sharp knife while beef is very cold or slightly frozen.
  • If you prefer your green beans more tender, cook them a few minutes longer in the blanching step so that they are mostly soft.
  • You can use frozen green beans if you'd like. Skip the blanching step and just add them in after cooking them beef.
  • You can use tapioca flour or tapioca starch in place of cornstarch.
  • For gluten-free, use tamari in place of soy sauce.
  • I love the ease of ginger paste for dishes like this, which is fresh, pre-grated ginger found in the produce section of grocery stores, usually near the fresh herbs and minced garlic. Grating fresh ginger also works well, though it takes just a bit more effort.

Keywords: ginger beef and green beans, beef and green bean stir fry, healthy sesame ginger beef and green beans

Find it online: https://livelytable.com/easy-sesame-ginger-beef-and-green-beans/