Crispy Fried Green Beans (Easy Crowd-Pleasing Recipe)

Disclosure: Delightful Plate is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We only recommend products we use and trust.

These crispy fried green beans are a quick and easy snack, appetizer or side that both adults and kids will love. They are crunchy on the outside while tender, juicy but still slightly firm on the inside.

a plate of crispy fried green beans.

If you’re craving something fried but a bit healthier, this fried green beans recipe is a great option. We didn’t know fried green beans could be so crispy and fun to eat until we tried Charles Phan’s version from his cookbook. While his recipe was delicious, the coating felt a bit too thick for us. We wanted something lighter, something that wouldn’t feel too heavy so that we could eat more.

So we decided to use our go-to frying batter for vegetables. This lighter coating gives you all the crunch without feeling weighed down. It’s now one of our favorite ways to prepare green beans besides in stir-fries and salads. We think it could easily become a hit at your table too! You can quickly fry a large batch in about 20 minutes.

Keep the Batter Cold

My batter is a simple mix of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. I like to season it with a pinch of salt and pepper, but feel free to adjust it to your liking. You can easily add garlic powder or any other spices to give it your own twist.

a thin batter in a mixing bowl used for frying green beans.
Dipping green beans into the batter.

To achieve a thin, light, airy, and crispy coating, use iced cold water when mixing the batter. I also keep a small ice cube in the batter while Iโ€™m working to ensure it stays cold throughout the frying process.

Frying Tips

Here are a few additional frying tips for this crispy fried green beans recipe. Make sure to use a generous amount of oil enough to deep fry the beans and give it time to heat up properly. I use my All-Clad fry pan, which provides a spacious surface for frying, with about 1.5 inches of oil.

green beans being deep-fried in a stainless steel fry pan.

The green beans fry up very quickly, and youโ€™ll know the oil is at the perfect temperature when they float to the surface as soon as theyโ€™re added. If the oil is too cool, the beans will absorb too much oil, resulting in a soggy, greasy texture – definitely not what weโ€™re going for.

How to Serve

There are plenty of delicious ways to serve these crispy fried green beans. For example, you may serve them with a variety of dipping sauces like garlic aioli, spicy mayo, ranch, honey mustard, or sweet chili sauce for extra flavor. They also make a great addition to a finger food spread. Arrange them alongside wings, sliders, or mozzarella sticks for a perfect game day or party platter. Alternatively, you can serve them as a side dish with grilled or roasted meats like chicken, steak, duck, or pork chops, for a lighter and healthier option instead of traditional fries.

a plate of Golden Fried Green Beans on a white dining table.

As for us, we like to keep things quick and simple. After frying, we sprinkle more salt and pepper, then top them with chopped scallions and crispy fried garlic bits (made by frying minced garlic briefly in the same oil after the green beans). To mix things up, we also sprinkle ground Sichuan pepper or sansho pepper for a subtle heat and citrusy kick. I look forward to hearing how you serve yours.

โญ๏ธ Iโ€™d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so letโ€™s connect onย Facebook,ย Youtube,ย Pinterestย andย Instagramย for the latest updates.ย You can find my collection ofย Vietnamese recipesย here.

Crispy Fried Green Beans

These crispy fried green beans are a quick and easy snack, appetizer or side that both adults and kids will enjoy. The green beans come out perfectly crunchy on the outside, while the inside remains tender and juicy, but still with a nice firm bite.
Author: Sophie
No ratings yet
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients
 

  • vegetable oil for deep-frying
  • 1.6 oz all-purpose flour (45g, about โ…“ cup)
  • 1.2 oz cornstarch (33g, about ยผ cup)
  • ยผ teaspoon baking soda
  • ยฝ teaspoon salt (plus more to sprinkle after frying)
  • black pepper
  • ยฝ cup ice water
  • 1 lb trimmed green beans, cleaned and patted dry

Instructions
 

  • Add oil to a fry pan (or pot) which is appropriate for deep-frying over medium heat. You will need about 1.5 inches of oil. Heat the oil until 370โ„‰.
  • While heating the oil, add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and pepper to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Then add the ice water (it is best to leave a small ice cube in the water) and mix to form a smooth batter.
  • Once the oil is ready, add green beans to the batter in batches. Add them to the oil and fry until golden. They are very quick to fry, about 40 seconds. You can fry just a few at the beginning to get used to the timing. Between batches, skim the crumbs in the oil.
  • Transfer to a rack to drain excess oil. Sprinkle more salt and pepper and serve right away with your favorite sauces.

Notes

Mix the batter just before you are ready to begin frying. The batter is not thick and the coating will be light, airy and crispy. The green beans can stay crispy for at least 30 minutes.ย 
I also like to sprinkle additional seasonings after frying the green beans, such as ground Sichuan pepper or sansho pepper. My other toppings include chopped scallion and fried garlic bits (which are minced garlic that has been rinsed, patted dry, and then briefly fried in the same oil after the green beans).
Feel free to add your own twist!

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 368mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 782IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Appetizers and Side dishes
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Comment & Rate below or Tag @delightfulplate on Instagram
Liked our videos?Subscribe to our Youtube channel and cook along with us

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating