Green beans, cooked, Szechuan-style
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Szechuan-style cooked green beans are crisp-tender beans blistered in hot oil, then tossed with fiery chili, garlic, and savory fermented black beans. The texture is a delightful contrast: snappy, slightly chewy, and coated in a fragrant, numbing-spicy sauce. At just 106 calories per 100g, they deliver a satisfying, vegetable-forward dish with a good dose of fiber.
Calorie split: 10% protein · 32% carbs · 59% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore this dish for its explosive 'málà' flavor—a thrilling combination of spicy heat and tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorn numbness. It's a beloved staple in Sichuan cuisine, prized for transforming a simple vegetable into a bold, addictive side dish or main.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The high-heat cooking method can make the dish quite oily, and the generous use of fermented black beans and soy sauce means it can be high in sodium. Those watching oil or salt intake should enjoy it in moderation. To counteract this, you can ask for it 'light on oil' when ordering, or at home, use a non-stick wok with less oil and reduce added salt.
Key benefits
- Good source of dietary fiber for digestive health
- Low in calories, supporting weight management
- Contains plant-based protein
- Rich in vitamins K and C from the beans and aromatics
- Capsaicin from chilies may boost metabolism
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The signature 'dry-frying' technique for this dish involves cooking the beans in oil until they blister and wrinkle, a process that concentrates their flavor and allows them to better absorb the spicy seasonings.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 80.6 g |
| Energy | 106 kcal |
| Protein | 2.5 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 7.0 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 8.4 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 3.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.3 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 48.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.84 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 32.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 55.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 309 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 226 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.45 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.11 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 1.2 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 10.3 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.06 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.10 mg |
| Niacin | 0.80 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.16 mg |
| Folate, total | 28.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 28.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 28.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 14.4 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 34.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 365 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 54.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 11.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 583 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.6 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 56.6 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.95 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.68 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.21 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 2.8 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 2.7 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 2.7 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 2.4 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.34 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Beans, snap, green, canned, no salt added, solids and liquids — USDA does not publish this profile for Green beans.
| Tryptophan | 0.01 g |
| Threonine | 0.04 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.03 g |
| Leucine | 0.05 g |
| Lysine | 0.04 g |
| Methionine | 0.01 g |
| Cystine | 0.01 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.03 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.02 g |
| Valine | 0.04 g |
| Arginine | 0.03 g |
| Histidine | 0.01 g |
| Alanine | 0.04 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.11 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.08 g |
| Glycine | 0.03 g |
| Proline | 0.03 g |
| Serine | 0.04 g |
FAQ
What makes Szechuan-style green beans different from regular stir-fried green beans?
The key difference is the 'dry-frying' technique and the specific 'málà' seasoning. The beans are cooked in more oil until blistered, then tossed with a potent mix of chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, ginger, and often fermented black beans, creating a much bolder, more complex flavor profile.
Are these beans spicy?
Yes, traditionally they are quite spicy and numbing. The heat comes from dried red chilies and chili flakes, while the signature tingle comes from Sichuan peppercorns. However, the spice level can often be adjusted when ordering or cooking.
Can I make a healthier version at home?
Absolutely. Use a non-stick pan or wok to reduce the oil needed for dry-frying. You can also blanch the beans first to partially cook them, then stir-fry with minimal oil. Use low-sodium soy sauce and go lighter on the fermented black beans to control salt.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.06 kcal/g · 10% calories from protein · 3.0 g fiber · 2.3 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.73 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.