Din Tai Fung-Inspired Green Beans Recipe

If you've been to Din Tai Fung and had their famous green beans, you might never be satisfied with plain green beans again. The smoky charred flavor and blistered texture that these beans are known for seems like it would require restaurant-quality equipment to achieve, but in fact, it's possible to make this dish at home. The secret to getting the perfect blister is a hot pan, dry green beans, and the willpower to leave them undisturbed when they first hit the pan. It's in those first 2 minutes that the magic happens, and that charred exterior is what makes these beans so special. This version is inspired by the original, rather than an exact copycat, and we've elevated the blistered green beans by adding a fresh sauce to finish the dish, made from garlic, lime, cilantro, and sesame oil. It adds just the right amount of brightness, tang, and savory flavor, and is a fun twist from the original version.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "These flavorful green beans are perfect as a side for a weeknight dinner or a fancier occasion. If you want to make them ahead of time, or have leftovers, you just put them into a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes to heat up."

To make this recipe, start in the produce section of the store and grab the green beans. To save time, you can look for the type that are washed and trimmed. This will also ensure the beans are thoroughly dry for the perfect blister. While in the produce aisle, pick up garlic, cilantro, and a lime. For the umami flavor, you'll need some mushroom powder. Then check your pantry for sesame oil, avocado oil, salt, and white pepper.

Zest and juice the lime

In a small bowl, combine 3 cloves of the minced garlic, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.

Cut the green beans into 3-inch pieces.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a cast iron skillet and bring the heat to medium-high.

Add ⅓ of the green beans in a single layer in the pan. Let them sit completely undisturbed for 2 minutes until charred on the underside.

Toss and cook the beans for 1 more minute until the skins are blistered. Repeat the process twice with the remaining green beans.

Remove the pan from the heat and add in all of the cooked green beans, the remaining garlic, mushroom powder, salt, and white pepper. Toss well to coat.

Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and spoon the cilantro lime sesame oil over the top before serving.

• Easy Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe
• Roasted Pork Lo Mein Recipe
• Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Recipe
• Apple Cider and Gochujang Braised Pork Recipe
• Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowl Recipe

To start, if you aren't using beans that have been washed and trimmed, there are some tips for making sure the beans are very dry, which is necessary to achieve that nice blister effect. If time allows, wash them well in advance. An hour or two is perfect. If you have a salad spinner, start with that, then pat them down with a clean dish towel and lay them out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Let the beans air dry for 30 minutes on the sheet pan.

Make sure the pan has had several minutes to heat up before adding the beans. Although it might be tempting to add in the whole batch of green beans, they will begin to steam if they are overcrowded. A cast iron skillet is the preferred pan, but a heavy-bottom stainless steel pan also works well. Typically, non-stick pans shouldn't be used with high heat, so avoid those.

Finally, it's crucial to leave the beans undisturbed for the first few minutes in order to achieve the perfect blister: They need to be in contact with the heat to char properly.

If you want to change things up in the recipe, there are several ingredient substitutions that you can make. For one thing, you can swap up the vegetable itself. The blistering technique also works beautifully with asparagus. Just cut the asparagus into 3-inch pieces and follow the same instructions to get a delicious, blistered asparagus side dish. If you don't have mushroom powder, try adding 2 teaspoons of soy sauce or tamari for the same effect. You can also try a teaspoon or two of nutritional yeast.

Instead of the cilantro for the finishing sauce, you can swap this out with either flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley. Thai basil is another good choice, or you can use finely chopped scallions or chives. The lime is a great complement, but lemon will also work and offer the same amount of citrusy brightness. Rice vinegar can be used for a pungent flavor that is less citrusy, but still tasty. 

Fresh garlic is very key in this recipe, but in a pinch, you can use 2 tablespoons of garlic granules, or use 1 tablespoon of minced shallots for some extra allium flavor.

• Copycat Din Tai Fung Green Beans Recipe
• Mashed Miso Maple Purple Sweet Potatoes With Sesame Crunch Recipe
• Edamame Salad With Peanut Dressing Recipe
• 5-Spice Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
• Roasted Bok Choy With Crispy Tempeh Recipe