You know those people who go around saying that they have no regrets in life? I'm pretty sure those people are liars. You don't regret that perm you got in 3rd grade from Fantastic Sam's? Or the giant red glasses you picked out when you were 10 because you loved Sally Jessy Raphael that much?
Okay fine, that was me, not you.
But anyway! We all have regrets, but hopefully they're of the bad perm and red glasses variety, and not of the I'm-$40K-in-debt-for-a-degree-I-don't-use variety. (Ha ha, that would be me too. Think long and hard about that liberal arts degree, kids. It sounds cool now, but you're probably going to end up blogging about tempeh in 10 years.) And as summer comes to an end, I feel a lot of regret over not posting more bean recipes...
Beans! I'm sorry for neglecting you! And the funny thing is, we ate lots of beans this summer, thanks to my abundant long bean crop, but most of the time I just threw something together rather than making an actual recipe. At first, I tried a lot of different things, but then I settled on either roasting or sautéing them with chili garlic sauce. It didn't occur to me to post the recipe here because it's so simple and easy, but then I thought "Aha! People will love it because it's simple and easy!" And since you probably don't have an abundant long bean crop (or any long bean crop), I decided to use green beans instead.
Not only are Chili Garlic Green Beans incredibly easy to make, they're also my favorite green bean recipe at the moment. They are the official green beans of Summer 2013. With the spicy chili garlic sauce and a splash of fresh lime juice, they're so tasty I could even eat them as a snack. And did I mention they take about 15 minutes to make from start to finish? 15 minutes! You can't not make these beans.
(Well, you could not make them, but I think you'd regret it.)
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds green beans, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Place the green beans in a large bowl and toss them with the olive oil and chili garlic sauce. Transfer the beans to a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time, or until beans are tender and just starting to brown. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
He he! I, too, have a liberal arts degree. I just graduated with my Bachelor's in English. Twenty eight thousand dollars later, I'm smart. I'm glad I'm now officially smart, but I'm hoping I can actually find a job. If not, I'll be blogging full time.
I'm somewhat addicted to green beans. Like, I can eat an entire pot by myself. I can't wait to try and eat every last bean.
Kiersten says
Good luck! My husband has a degree in sociology and now he works in pharmaceuticals, so you never know where you'll end up. 🙂 Or maybe you'll be blogging full-time which isn't that bad either!
Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says
Girl, you crack me up! There was this one store like Claire's Boutique that I got all of my favorite jewelry and of course the fake glasses. I didn't go SJR or Carol Seaver but actually somewhat similar to the ones I wear now. I was ahead of my time. Maybe it's why I'm partial to glasses because it reminds me of the good old days when I wanted to look smarters instead of getting old lady eyes when reading the cable guide.
Beans. Snapping those babies are like cheap therapy!
Kiersten says
I remember fake glasses! Do they still sell those? I bet they do. Now I only wear glasses first thing in the morning, then I switch to contacts. Sometimes I miss them though...
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
You make green beans GORGEOUS! Nice work 🙂
Cassie says
These totally remind me of my favorite side from a really good Chinese restaurant in KC...sometimes I would get the green beans for my entree! Love these, Kiersten!
Kiersten says
I have done that at Chinese restaurants too! 🙂
Archana @ FeedingtheFoodie says
what a great recipe ! I love green beans but I dont cook them enough - I'm lazy about cleaning them. Big fan of easy recipes and this is certainly one. Thanks for sharing!
Kiersten says
Yeah, it's a pain to prep them, especially the trimming. But they're worth it! 🙂
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
i am just the opposite when it comes to beans - i never buy it because i dont know what to do with it. thanks for sharing this
Kiersten says
Even if you just roast them and squeeze a little bit of lemon juice on them, they're so good!
Kathryn says
I love green beans but we normally end up going down the tomato route when we cook them so I'm excited to change it up a little with this recipe!
Kiersten says
I rarely make my beans with tomatoes, but I just found a recipe for it that I really want to make soon. So I will have to change things up too! 🙂
Emma says
Yum! I just roasted green beans for the first time last night using Dreena Burton's lemon broiled beans recipe and will have to try these spiced up ones now too 🙂 Is sriracha the same as chili-garlic sauce?
I studied languages at uni and am just about to start a masters in translation. Part of me thinks I'm wasting money though and I might actually prefer a career in food....!
Kiersten says
Chili garlic sauce is kind of like sriracha, except that it's not pureed smooth--it's chunky. 🙂 It's usually sold right next to the sriracha though! I think translation is definitely a useful degree. I have two friends who are translators!
Suzanne @ hello, veggy! says
Roasted beans rock! I recently whipped up a similar recipe for my (bean hating) family and they loved them!
Kiersten says
They are so good when they're roasted, right? I never want to prepare them any other way!
Shirley says
Everybody loves 15-minute recipes! And I've been wanting to make green beans. I might be a new convert but I'm not sure yet, and this sounds really good. I have to tell you, I *wanted* a perm in the '80s! All that big hair, and the spiral curls everybody on TV had. My mother forbade me from ever getting one, saying it would damage my hair. I guess she saved me from that regret. 🙂
Kiersten says
My perm was terrible. It was the first perm the guy at Fantastic Sam's ever did and one side was super curly and the other side was almost straight. I think I tried a home perm kit later and the results were similarly disastrous. I still remember the smell of the chemicals...
Liz says
"Or the giant red glasses you picked out when you were 10 because you loved Sally Jessy Raphael that much?"
Ah, the Sally Jesse Raphael Show. So entertaining and gone much too soon. . .
Kiersten says
Didn't Ricki Lake start doing a talk show again? Why not Sally?! This needs to happen!
Caitlin says
yes! i love the simple recipes! keep 'em coming!
i hear you about regret. i don't dwell on things in the past, but i do think on occasion things like, "if i knew then what i know now, i definitely would NOT have gotten my degree in art history." could there be a more competitive field?! i was so naive to think i could just apply and get into any art museum position once i graduated, but reality really bit me in the ass. haha.
Kiersten says
Ugh, yes. I got my master's degree in a really competitive field, so I know how that is. I have friends who graduated 3-4 years ago who still don't have jobs. And I was laid off last summer & had absolutely no job prospects. When I was in school, I totally mocked people who majored in business, but they were the smart ones!
Emily @ Jelly Toast says
I forgot about the glasses, lol! My sister was the lucky ones with the red glasses, because, alas - I didn't need glasses until high school. Although I was jealous. I love simple recipes and I, too struggle with posting them. I get into the rut that every recipe that gets blogged needs to be Earth shattering. In reality, it's these recipes that I make most often and love the most! Thank you for sharing these beans! They look perfect!
Kiersten says
Ha! When I was a kid, I wanted glasses sooooo badly and when I finally needed to get them, I was thrilled about it. I don't know what I was thinking. And yeah, the simple recipe thing: I often feel like people will be like "meh" when I post something simple, but a lot of those really simple recipes end up being my most popular. (And sometimes they're complete flops too. The joys of blogging, right?)
Emily says
These look delicious - I love green beans but tire of eating them the same way day after day. Thanks for the new idea!
Kiersten says
Yeah, I get in a rut with green beans sometimes too. But adding hot sauce makes everything better!
honeywhatscooking says
oooh, yum, such a great recipe and so easy.
Ronnie Fein says
My mother-in-law used to say people who have no regrets must be cows because they aren't thinking, just lazily grazing on grass. I have lots of regrets but nothing I can't live with, even my liberal arts degree. I can still say that Art History was my favorite subject -- without regret. Also, the green beans look awesome.
Kiersten says
Ha! Your mother-in-law is a smart woman. I really loved the classes I took in school, but I cringe to think about how much I owe for a degree I'm not using. I should have majored in business and taken a few history electives instead. 😉
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Food that made from your own garden produce must taste particularly delicious!
Kiersten says
Yes, homegrown definitely always tastes better!
Grace @ Earthy Feast says
Golly I've only made beans a couple times this summer and I've only had corn twice! What's wrong with me! I need more hours in the day to eat more summer produce! These beans look and sound so good! Need to make this, like now!
Kiersten says
I know, every September, I go into freak out mode because I feel like I haven't eaten enough corn. Is that weird?
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
What a great way to "amp" up those green beans that I just love!!!
Mandy says
Stupid question from a non-cook (I try, but I always fail. Always): is chili garlic sauce something you whip up yourself or do you buy it jarred? Thanks!
Kiersten says
You buy it in a jar--if your grocery store has an international aisle or Asian section, it will be in there. 🙂 I live in a smallish town and our grocery store sells several different brands, so I'm sure you'll be able to find it!
Liz @ I Spy Plum Pie says
Considering we're only just heading into Spring down in the land of Oz I'm just starting to get excited about the return of spring and summer produce! I love beans and these look delicious (and simple, my kinda dish!)
Kiersten says
I wish I could say the same for fall veggies, but nope, I'm definitely going to miss the summer produce. 🙂
Scotia says
Great recipe. We have loads of green beans also. I've been making several recipes with the long beans, blue lakes, and romas. Our Danish white limas are drying on the vine and will be great this winter!
A good one is Grace Young's stir-fry veg recipe. Stir-fry the beans in a little hot peanut oil with some minced garlic and ginger, and when they are just done add a sauce of 2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shao Hsing rice wine, 1 tablespoon chicken broth, 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Toss and add a splash of good fish sauce at the end.
Another recipe is Jamie Oliver's good ole green bean salad. I love this recipe! Or how about a lightly roasted green bean and roasted until slightly golden new potato salad with a dressing of dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic (roasted or not), salt & black pepper, good olive oil, crushed red pepper to taste and some fresh chives.
Cheers!
Kiersten says
Ah, I tried to let some of my beans dry on the vine, but that hasn't been working out too well. We've got fire ants in our yard and they like to hang out on the bean plants. :/ Thanks for the recipe ideas!
Scotia says
P. S. The soy sauce I use is vegetarian and is very good to use for cooking or for dipping sauces. I never have figured out what the name of this is, it has "Chay" on the label but that is vegetable in Vietnamese, it is a green label with a chef in the white coat and chef hat on the front. I know you do not eat meat, but the fish sauce is a very good aged one called Red Boat. It is delicious.
Kiersten says
I'll have to look for the soy sauce next time I'm at the Asian market!
Aaron says
Your Sally Jessie comment had me cracking up!! And as a young boy, who really wanted to rock some big red glasses a la SJ, I really appreciate it!
Kiersten says
High fives! 10-year-old me would have loved hanging out with you.
mjskit says
Oh I am definitely one that regrets all those perm years! I wish I had a source of good green beans because I would be making these tomorrow night. I love green beans and garlic and chile sound like perfect complements!
Kiersten says
Yeah, nice, fresh green beans are a must! I always try to buy them local because if I don't, they seem to go south really quickly.