I’ve had this Bon Appetit recipe bookmarked since April, when I first read about it Carla Lalli Music’s Wednesday newsletter.*
The recipe is a spin on the Sichuan “dry-fried” preparation for string beans. Dry-frying, if you are unfamiliar, is a complete misnomer — classic recipes call for blanching beans in heaps of oil, making the technique more similar to deep frying than anything else.
BA‘s recipe pares the oil way back and calls for finishing the beans with garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and capers (as opposed to the more traditional shallots, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and ginger). The minimal ingredient list coupled with the enticing photo of the shriveled, glistening beans strewn with golden slivers of garlic had me longing for summer.
When the first green beans arrived in our CSA, I immediately pulled up this recipe but, for whatever reason, took a different path: instead of cooking the beans in oil stovetop, I broiled them; and while the beans cooked, I infused a few tablespoons of oil in a small skillet with the same aromatics as BA: garlic, capers, and crushed red pepper flakes.
In just about 5 minutes, when the green beans looked blistered to my liking, I piled them on a platter and poured the spicy, garlicky oil overtop. No joke: I ate the entire pound of green beans standing at the counter hovered over the platter.
Friends! These beans are so good and simple to prepare, too. The hardest part is slicing the 6 cloves of garlic thinly, which, if you are brave, you can do with a mandoline. And if you start the oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and capers in a cold pan, you’ll ensure you won’t burn the garlic. Just be patient: there’s a fine line between garlic that’s crispy and caramelized and burnt and bitter.
That’s it! I hope you give it a go. The method has me wondering if it might work with broiled asparagus? broccoli? cauliflower? peppers? I can’t imagine a charred vegetable that wouldn’t welcome a sizzle of salty, fragrant, fiery oil.
Like Char? Five Blistered Favorites:
- Charred Broccoli Salad with Dates & Almonds
- Crispy, Oven-Roasted Cabbage Wedges
- Burnt Carrots with Honey & Almonds
- 4-Ingredient Balsamic-Roasted Peppers
- Blistered Poblanos Stuffed with Corn & Quinoa
*FYI, always a great read!
Spicy, Blistered Green Beans with Sizzling Garlic and Capers
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2 as a side dish
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Inspired by the flavors in this recipe in Bon Appetit.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or less if you are sensitive to heat)
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 lb. green beans, stemmed
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the broiler to high for at least 15 minutes. Line a rimmed sheet pan with aluminum foil.
- In a small skillet, place 2 tablespoons of the oil, the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes (start with a quarter teaspoon if you are sensitive to heat), and capers. Turn the heat to low and let the oil slowly infuse.
- Meanwhile, toss the green beans on the prepared sheet pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and kosher salt to taste. Taste a green bean raw — it should taste nicely seasoned. Transfer pan to broiler and cook 2 minutes. Check. If the beans aren’t beginning to char, return for another 1 to 2 minutes. If they are charring, toss, and return to the broiler for another 2 minutes. Check again. Remove from oven if the beans are blistered to your liking, otherwise, cook for another minute or so. (Note: When my broiler has preheated sufficiently, my beans consistently blister in 5 minutes, with one toss halfway through. Every oven is different, however, so be vigilant!)
- Transfer blistered green beans to a serving platter.
- Meanwhile, your olive oil should be gently shimmering with the garlic, capers, and pepper flakes. Turn the heat up to medium or high and keep a close watch. Stir occasionally and as soon as you see the garlic beginning to brown at the edges and crisp up, remove the pan from the burner and pour the oil over the beans.
- Gently toss. Taste. Season with more salt if desired. Serve immediately.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Broiler/Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: blistered, broiled, green beans, garlic, spicy, capers, chilies, crushed red pepper flakes
![In the March 2009 issue of Gourmet, Ruth Reichl describes this warm sesame tofu as: “a beautiful dish, which takes ten minutes, costs very little, and is so utterly delicious”.
It truly is. The method calls for simmering tofu in water, making a simple sesame-scallion sauce, and pouring the sauce over the warm tofu, which gets custard-like in texture during its warm water bath.
Over a decade later, I still have that issue of Gourmet (hoarder), I’m still making the tofu, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to eat it. So simple and good. 💯
Recipe linked in bio, how-to in stories 🤗[alexandracooks.com]
#ruthreichl @ruthreichl 💗
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Seratops says
These were so good! I loved the flavor profile especially the crispy capers. Next time I will let the beans come to room temperature before broiling, they took longer than advertised straight from the fridge. I also found the oil to be excessive, next time I would use only 2-3 tablespoons total. I’ll definitely make this again!
★★★★
alexandra says
So happy to hear this! And right? The crispy capers are so good.
Molly says
I loved it. My red pepper flakes are extra spicy so this was extra zippy. My CSA is sending more green beans so I’ll get to make it again.
alexandra says
So happy to hear this Molly! And I have been meaning to make a note re red pepper flakes since I posted it … it’s very spicy! Doing so now. ANd me too: green beans every week in the CSA. Love them.
yumzen says
I never thought green beans could look so delicious! Will definitely try…
★★★★
Jenny says
These were delicious and 3 out of our 5 kids ate them which is a victory in our house!
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Jenny! And so happy to hear from YOU xoxo
May says
I only have two recipes to eat green beans and is this the second one. It comes together so fast and is so good, the green beans are addictive served like this. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, May! I find these addictive, too 🙂
Kate says
Wow! These were delicious and easy. Such a fantastic recipe – thank you!!
★★★★★
alexandra says
So happy to hear this, Kate!