Din Tai Fung Green Beans Air Fryer
by Let me show you how to recreate this super addictive Din Tai Fung green beans recipe in an air fryer, with just 4 ingredients – fresh string beans, salt, oil, and garlic. Fresh green beans tossed in lots of minced garlic then air-fried to crispy, garlicky goodness!
If you don’t have an air fryer yet, give my Chinese garlic green beans a try. It’s made on a stovetop and just as delicious!
Ingredients
Din Tai Fung is a global Taiwanese restaurant famous for its Xiao long bao, or soup dumplings. The menu features many popular items, but the crispy garlic green beans are always a customer favorite. Here is what you need to make them:
- Green beans – Make sure to use fresh green beans. Trim both ends and dice them into 2.5-3-inch sections.
- Avocado oil – A great neutral-flavored oil that’s good for high-heat cooking.
- Garlic cloves – The flavor of the dish. You’ll need loads to make the green beans taste just like the original.
- Coarse sea salt – I prefer using coarse sea salt because it’s easier not to over-salt your food with coarse salt.
- Takii mushroom seasoning – It’s a vegetarian version of chicken bouillon made with dried shiitake mushrooms. Restaurants normally use MSG to get the umami flavor. It’s optional but very good to have in your pantry!
Substitutions and variations
- Mushroom seasoning: Shiitake mushroom seasoning adds a savory umami taste to the dish. It’s a good alternative to MSG. You can also use my homemade chicken bouillon or season the dish with more salt to taste.
- Different oil: Any neutral-flavored oil would work well for this dish. Restaurants normally use canola or vegetable oil. I don’t recommend using butter.
- Extra savory: Add a splash of soy sauce when sauteeing the green beans. Adjust the salt quantity to suit your taste.
- Nutty flavor: Drizzle a little toasted sesame oil if you prefer it slightly nutty.
- Spicy version: Level up the spice with a tablespoon of Chili garlic sauce before serving.
How to make Din Tai Fung green beans in an air fryer
In Din Tai Fung’s original green bean recipe, the beans are blanched, flash-fried, and then sauteed on a stovetop. In my copycat recipe, I’ll show you how to make it in an air fryer so it turns out just as delicious, if not better than the original:
- Cut off the beans’ ends and dice them into 2.5 to 3-inch sections.
- Par-boil the green beans for 1 ½ minutes. Then, shock them in ice water to maintain their bright green color. Make sure to pat them dry and drain them well.
- Coat the beans with half a tbsp of oil. After that, spread them out evenly in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry them at 350°F (177°C) for 3 minutes. Shake the basket and air fry for another 2 minutes.
- Over medium heat, preheat a large saute pan. Lower the heat and add the rest of the oil and garlic. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon for about 5-10 seconds.
- Add the beans. Turn the heat up, and season with salt and mushroom seasoning. Toss it in the skillet with garlic and salt for 30 seconds.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to. Serve it warm.
Blanching the green beans
- Blanching the green beans is the key to getting that signature Din Tai Fung-style crispy garlicky green beans.
- Blanching helps the beans blister more evenly and cook up crisp yet tender. It also brightens the vibrant green color slightly.
- If you want to achieve that signature Din Tai Fung style green beans, blanching is an important first step for achieving that classic Din Tai Fung texture and appearance.
Air fry vs. flash fry green beans
Flash fry (restaurant style)
Flash-fried green beans on a stovetop (like they do in restaurants) create that signature wrinkled, blistered exterior and super crispy texture. This requires a good pat down to remove moisture, a lot of hot oil for frying, and using a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature so it doesn’t drop lower than 350°F.
The results are worth it – beautifully blistered and crispy beans! However, deep frying packs in more fat and calories.
Air fry
Air frying cuts down on a lot of the oil and mess, while still cooking up tender yet crispy beans. It’s faster, easier, and lower in calories.
Air-fried beans are light and crisp without being greasy. The blistering may not be quite as pronounced as deep frying, but the texture is still delicious. So for home cooking, air frying is an easier, lighter way to enjoy garlic green beans with a fraction of the oil. Air fryer frozen green beans is an easy dish you can make using this method.
Final thought
Deep frying makes the classic blistered green beans, but air frying is the better homemade option. Air frying yields tender, crispy beans with less oil and effort. Though not as wrinkled, air-fried beans still get slightly blistered with a satisfying crunch. For easy, healthy blistered beans at home, air frying can’t be beat.
How to make-ahead, store, and reheat
This copycat Din Tai Fung recipe comes together quickly, so you don’t have to make it ahead. But if you need to, here’s how to do it:
- Make-ahead: Blanch the beans a day in advance. Pat dry the beans and store them in a container in the fridge. Line the container with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
- Storage: After cooking, keep any leftovers in an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: These dried sauteed string beans taste perfect at room temperature or slightly chilled. If you prefer it warm, heat it up in a microwave on medium power for 30 seconds.
What to serve with Din Tai Fung garlic green beans
Besides dim sum, these green beans also go well with various dishes. Here are some ideas on how to include them in your everyday meals:
- Vegetarian dishes: Make a vegetarian meal with Chinese blistered green beans alongside air fryer fried rice or Din Tai Fung fried rice with Asian cucumber salad, wok sauteed bok choy with garlic, or Shanghai rice cake with cabbage and bok choy.
- Dumplings delight: Pair with gluten free wonton soup and daikon dumplings for a full at-home dim sum experience.
- Protein and vegetables: Enjoy with side dishes like string bean chicken Panda Express or Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce, which are both yummy and veggie-packed.
Tips for success
- Fresh green beans: Select beans with no bruises and firm to the touch. Trim off both tip ends before cooking.
- Blanching: For the most authentic Din Tai Fung style, blanch beans first (90 seconds) for more uniform blistering. However, you can skip this step if you want.
- Dry the beans very thoroughly before frying to prevent splattering. Pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- If flashing frying: Flash-fry the beans in 350-375°F oil for 15-30 seconds only until the skin blisters. The beans are not battered. Fry in small batches.
- Air frying the green beans will mimic the garlic green beans in Din Tai Fung restaurant. It’s less greasy and a healthier way to make it at home.
- Garlic: Use loads of fresh minced garlic. This is the flavor of the dish! Sauté garlic just until fragrant.
- Medium-high to high heat: After frying or dry frying, quickly toss the fried beans and sauce together and serve immediately for the best texture.
- Season with salt. You can also add sesame oil, white pepper, chili crisp or other spices.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat leftovers in a microwave or gently saute on a stovetop to maintain its crispy texture.
- Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like avocado oil or rice bran oil.
FAQs
Yes, you can make Din Tai Fung style garlic green beans from frozen. Use completely frozen beans, toss in oil, and air fry at 380°F for 6-12 minutes depending on their size. After frying, saute on a stovetop and season the beans with garlic.
Yes, you can make Din Tai Fung green bean recipe without blanching. Simply trim, dry thoroughly, and flash fry in 350°F oil for 15-30 seconds or air fry at 350 for 5 until the skin blisters. Then toss with minced garlic and seasonings. Blanching helps beans blister evenly but is optional for Din Tai Fung style green beans.
Green beans taste great simply with garlic, oil, and salt. You can also toss cooked green beans with sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and chili oil or chili crisp. Garnish with chopped scallions, crushed peanuts, or furikake seasoning.
More green bean recipes you might like
If you enjoyed this air-fried version of flash-fried green beans, you’ll also love these dishes:
Din tai fung green beans recipe air fryer
Video
Ingredients
- 12 oz. green beans, trimmed and diced to 2.5 to 3-inch sections
- 1 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 0.8 oz garlic cloves, finely minced, 6 large cloves
- ½ tsp coarse salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp Takii mushroom seasoning, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Trim the beans by cutting of tip ends and dice them into 2.5 to 3-inch sections.
- Hot water blanch (par-boil) the green beans for 90 seconds then immediately shock them in cold water. This will keep the beans in bright green color. Make sure you pat them dry.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the beans with 0.5 tbsp oil then pour the beans into an air fryer basket. Spread them out into an even layer. Some overlaps are okay.
- Air fry at 350F for 3 minutes, open the basket and toss the beans, then air fryer for 2 more minutes. The beans should be tender, crisp, and still have some bites but not burnt or mushy. Set them aside.
- Preheat a large saute pan over medium-heat until it feels warm. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 0.5 tbsp oil and garlic. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon until fragrant but not burnt, about 5-10 seconds.
- Add-in the beans. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Season with salt and mushroom seasoning, if using. Keep tossing the beans to coat with the garlic and salt for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the beans to a large serving plate. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Serve warm.
Notes
- Asian shiitake mushroom seasoning adds a savory umami taste to the dish. It’s a good alternative to MSG. If you don’t have it, season with a little more salt to taste.
- Please pay attention to the stovetop temperature written in the recipe instructions. The beans should be perfectly tender and crisp and the exterior is a little wrinkled to mimic the deep-frying texture.
- Blanching the green beans is the key to getting that signature Din Tai Fung-style crispy garlic green beans. Blanching helps the beans blister more evenly and cook up crisp yet tender. It also brightens the vibrant green color slightly. So blanching is an important first step for achieving that classic Din Tai Fung texture and appearance.
Nutrition
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This recipe was easy to follow and was a delicious side dish! Would definitely recommend!
Amazing. Thank you!