Green Beans With Minced Pork Recipe

Trim and rinse the green beans; cut into 1 1/2–2 inch pieces if desired. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, and slice the scallions for garnish.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar (or honey), chicken stock, cornstarch, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Set the sauce aside.

Option A — Blanch then sauté (recommended for tender-crisp beans)

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Immediately drain and plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

Option B — Direct stir-fry

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add green beans and stir-fry, tossing frequently, for 5–7 minutes until they blister and reach desired doneness. Remove beans and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent.

Add ground pork to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook 5–6 minutes until browned and no longer pink, stirring occasionally. If excess fat accumulates, spoon off most but leave a little for flavor.

Push the pork to one side of the pan (or make a small well). Add the minced garlic and ginger to the hot surface and cook 20–30 seconds until fragrant, stirring so they don’t burn and incorporate into the pork.

Return the green beans to the pan with the pork. Stir to combine and coat the beans with pork and aromatics.

Give the prepared sauce a quick stir (cornstarch may settle) and pour it over the pork and green beans. Stir continuously and bring to a gentle simmer; the sauce will thicken and glaze the ingredients in about 1–2 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add a splash of soy sauce or a pinch of salt if needed, or a little more sugar if you prefer sweeter glaze.

Turn off the heat. Stir in sliced scallions and sprinkle sesame seeds if using.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.