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READY IN 25 mins

'Chinese Buffet' Green Beans

Read Reviews (130)

"Every time my family and I go to a Chinese buffet we make a bee line for the green beans! This is a simple and tasty re-creation of that much loved side dish, goes well with any Asian meal. Make sure to slice the garlic, don't use a garlic press. Oyster sauce can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store, at an Asian grocery store, and online." — roweena

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Original recipe makes 6 servings Change Servings

1 tablespoon oil, peanut or sesame
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce

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Directions

Heat peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the edges begin to brown, about 20 seconds. Add the green beans; cook and stir until the green beans begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Continue cooking and stirring for several minutes until the beans have attained the desired degree of tenderness.

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PREP 15 mins
COOK 10 mins
READY IN 25 mins

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jan 26, 2009

**IMPORTANT NOTE** Thanks to everyone who has tried this recipe! After reading all of the comments I think it is important to note that there can be a BIG difference between the "asian" store and "american" store version of your ingredients. I know that most american versions of soy sauce have a lot more salt, so I am assuming the american version of oyster sauce is also a bit different. We only use the asian store version for all of our ingredients, which is pretty close, if not sometimes the same brand, that they use in the restaurants. So if it didn't turn out for you the first time, try making a stop into your local asian grocer and try again :) ** And for some reason allrecipes changed my cooking instructions, but you do want to turn down down the heat a little once you add in the sauces to prevent burning and my beans actually take closer to 10 mins to cook to my desired tenderness. **

—roweena

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Sep 25, 2008

These were okay but the flavors didn't stand out. We also thought that they were way too sweet. I may try again and leave the sugar out.

—Cat

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171 Ratings

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Apr 13, 2009

oh these were so delicious! the only problem i had was that my oyster sauce was cold from having already been opened and stored in the fridge, and when it hit the wok it sort of congealed into some lumps instead of mixing well and creating a sauce, but that was my fault not the recipe's. also, i used regular vegetable oil because that was all i had and i didn't notice any missing flavor not having peanut oil. these tasted just like chinese buffet green beans! yum!

—BECCAP

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May 20, 2008

Thank you Roweena!!!! Loved this recipe! For years, my family also made a Bee-line for the green beans at the Chinese Buffet - we could have made a meal on the beans alone. Now, I can make them simply and easily right at home any time I want. I used haricot vert green beans found at Sam's, and I did blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes before sauting them. I was also unsure of the oyster sauce, so I cut back a bit on that, but next time, I'll use the full amount the recipe calls for... so good, so good!

—dabbler

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May 25, 2009

While these weren't the prettiest green beans I've ever made, they sure were one of the tastiest! Such great flavor! I didn't add the sugar and don't regret it. I added fresh minced garlic and am glad I did. The oyster and soy sauces give these a dark brown coating which doesn't make them the most attractive (plus I overcooked mine) but I'll call these green beans one good "ugly duckling!"

—naples34102

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Jul 02, 2010

yummy with a few tweaks (i'm used to certain green beans from yang chow in LA, CA). fresh green beans - steamed them till tender first and set aside (since cooking them with the garlic tends to make the garlic burn by the time the beans are good). then sauteed minced garlic and ~1.5 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger. instead used 2 tb of soy and 1-2 tsp of oyster sauce.

—bodeeena

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Sep 24, 2008

I have made similar green bean recipes before using only soy sauce but they never seemed just "right." The oyster sauce is the real key! This is an excellent side dish.

—gapch1026

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Aug 23, 2008

Great flavor - I followed the recipe exactly except to mix some sesame oil in with the peanut oil. The sauce is so tasty and you could add more veggies of your liking. A versatile recipe for sure.

—Patti

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Nutrition

Calories
55 kcal
3%

Carbohydrates
8.1 g
3%

Cholesterol
0 mg
0%

Fat
2.3 g
4%

Fiber
2.6 g
10%

Protein
1.6 g
3%

Sodium
141 mg
6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

'Chinese Buffet' Green Beans

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 55
Calories from Fat: 21

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2.3g 4 %
Saturated Fat 0.4g 2 %
Cholesterol 0mg 0 %
Sodium 141mg 6 %
Potassium 167mg 5 %
Total Carbohydrates 8.1g 3 %
Dietary Fiber 2.6g 10 %
Protein 1.6g 3 %
Sugars 3.2g
Vitamin A 10 %
Vitamin C 21 %
Calcium 4 %
Iron 8 %
Thiamin 7 %
Niacin 7 %
Vitamin B6 4 %
Magnesium 7 %
Folate 16 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.