Air Fryer Din Tai Fung Green Beans (Restaurant Style)

Ditch the deep frying and make this super easy and delicious 15-minute Air Fryer Din Tai Fung Green Beans packed with umami flavour! We love the home version of this restaurant-style crispy green beans with lots of garlic. This Asian side dish is a healthier alternative to fried beans at Chinese restaurants. It only requires a few ingredients! Make this signature vegetable dish with this one secret ingredient, butter!

This copycat Din Tai Fung Green Beans Recipe has the garlicky flavour you crave! The crunchy texture is fantastic and tastes even better than Din Tai Fung restaurant itself! In fact, it is so good that we've been cooking these fresh green beans the whole week! The best part, kids approve! 

> In This Post: Everything You'll Need For The Best Chinese Garlic Dry Fried Green Beans Recipe 

This recipe comes together so quickly that you don't need to make it beforehand. Air-frying string beans result in tender insides and crispy texture, with some blistered surface of the green beans and no excess oil.

In fact, this fibre-rich Asian side dish is easily customizable. Transform it into a main course recipe by adding your favourite proteins, such as tiger shrimp and chicken, or keep it vegan with tofu. Don't be shy with your garnishes. I love adding crushed chilli pepper flakes, roasted peanuts, cilantro, and finely chopped spring scallions.

Check out this quick story summary of our recipe!

Jump to:

• > In This Post: Everything You'll Need For The Best Chinese Garlic Dry Fried Green Beans Recipe
• What is Din Tai Fung?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Instructions
• How To Meal Prep Chinese Dry Fried Green Beans Recipe
• What To Serve With Chinese Green Beans with Garlic
• > Recipe Card
• Air Fryer Din Tai Fung Green Beans (Restaurant Style)

What is Din Tai Fung?

Din Tai Fung, 鼎泰豐, is a global Taiwanese restaurant headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. It is famous for its Xiao long bao soup-filled dumplings (小籠包, Xiǎo lóng bāo). The menu features many popular items, but the crispy garlic green beans are always a customer favourite. Here is what you need to make them successful at home.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Let's recreate Din Tai Fung's super addictive international recipe with a few ingredients in just 15 minutes! Air frying yields healthy, tender, crispy beans with less oil and effort. You can indulge in this dish without any guilt, knowing that it's packed with nutrients and flavour.

Air frying can't be beat for easy, healthy, blistered beans at home. It's a great way to achieve that crispy texture without the excess oil and potential mess of deep frying. Plus, the cooking temperature is very consistent, ensuring your beans are perfectly cooked every time.

Toss garden fresh green beans with fresh garlic cloves, chicken essence powder, fresh lemon juice and this one secret ingredient to instantly upgrade your crunchy green beans!

Fresh Green Beans - Use fresh green beans instead of frozen. During summertime, I love visiting our local farmer's market. They always have the freshest garden string beans. Trim both ends and cut into approximately 3 inches.

Shocking the beans (submerging them in an ice bath) stops the cooking process and locks in their bright green colour.

Fresh Garlic Cloves - Freshly minced garlic is delicious and aromatic. Flash-fry them to make them crispy. I love those Russian Elephant garlic cloves!

Chicken Essence Powder - Chicken bouillon is an excellent alternative to using MSG. This concentrated seasoning powder bursts umami and enhances the flavours of your dish! Shiitake Mushroom Powder is a vegan-friendly substitute that is richly savoury. Mushroom seasoning is made of natural ingredients and is perfect for cooking and meal prep.

Butter - Add this secret ingredient and effortlessly upgrade this super addictive Din Tai Fung green beans recipe. Skip the high heat tolerance neutral oil like avocado oil if using butter or a dairy-free alternative. Make sure your butter is at room temperature.

Fresh Lemon Juice - Add a quick squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice on top of blistered beans to cut the fat and instantly brighten the overall dish.

Kosher Salt and Pepper - to taste.

Optional Ingredient

Chili Oil - Make a spicy version of this green bean recipe by adding a splash of red chilli oil before cooking, or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce.

Optional Garnish Ingredients

• Finely Chopped Green Onions
• Fresh Cilantro

Most dry goods ingredients, tools, and supplies can be purchased at local Asian markets, Chinese grocery stores, or Amazon Online. Amazon Prime members receive free shipping and faster delivery times.

Instructions

This Asian dry-frying vegetable recipe comes with great texture and flavour. It takes little preparation and can be made in small batches or meal-prepped. Enjoy this fibre-rich 'stir fry' on its own or as a side dish.

Follow our step-by-step instructions to ace this crowd-favourite dish!

Wash and pat dry green beans with paper towels. Trim both ends and cut into approximately 3 inches.

Prepare a large bowl filled with ice and cold water. Set aside.

Blanch the green beans for 90 seconds. Drain and immediately shock the green beans in the ice water bath. This secret hack will keep the beans bright green!

Pat dry with paper towels or on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add parboiled green beans, minced garlic, chicken essence powder, salt and pepper and room-temperature butter to a large mixing bowl. Toss until even coated.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Place seasoned green beans into the air fryer basket in a single layer. 

Air fry the green beans at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. Tossing halfway.

One of the best things about using an air fryer is avoiding getting burned from hot oil and reducing excess oil used when deep frying in a large skillet or pot. Plus, the cooking temperature is very consistent. It never drastically changes in an air fryer! 

I've tried several large air fryers over the years, but I love THIS one! 

Pro Tip: Use air fryer parchment paper and line the bottom of the basket for easy cleanups. 

The beans should be crispy, moderately blistered, but still tender inside.

Remove carefully with kitchen tongs and transfer to a large serving plate.

Give your cooked green beans a quick squeeze of lemon juice.

Garnish with fresh cilantro or finely chopped green onions if desired.

Serve and enjoy hot.

Variations

Bulk up this signature Din Tai Fung garlicky crispy green beans with your choice of protein. It is a great way to turn this veggie side dish into a main dish! We love adding prawns, grilled chicken or tofu!

How To Meal Prep Chinese Dry Fried Green Beans Recipe

You can efficiently incorporate this Chinese Green Bean Air Fryer recipe into your healthy family meal prep ideas for the week. Whether making freezer meals, making ahead for one, or batching, store the meal-prepped green beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. 

Reheat in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 375°F.

Other Vegetable Recipes You'll Love

If you love this addicting green bean recipe, you may also like these vegetable-forward recipes on our blog. They're a total change of texture and flavour, but they're readers' favourites!

This Chinese Green Bean Appetizer recipe is so easy you do not need to go to Din Tai Fung or rely on an Asian meal prep delivery service for takeout! 

• Simple Pan Fried Okra Sauteed With Garlic
• Spicy Celtuce Stem Salad Recipe 酸辣涼拌萵筍
• Spicy Miso Air Fryer Corn Ribs

What To Serve With Chinese Green Beans with Garlic

This great recipe is a flavourful side dish. It goes perfectly with some Dried Scallops Egg White Fried Rice 瑤柱蛋白炒飯 or a bowl of creamy Vegan Dan Dan Noodles.

Complete the meal with the following delicious dishes.

• Air Fried Chinese BBQ Pork 氣炸鍋蜜汁叉燒
• Chinese Steamed Chicken With Shiitake Mushrooms 冬菇蒸雞
• Instant Pot Braised Chinese Mushrooms 髮菜炆冬菇食譜
• Microwave Soy Sauce Chicken Wings 豉油雞翅微波爐
• Chinese Tomato Egg Stir-fry 番茄炒蛋

After eating lots of heavy, rich, and deep-fried foods, a great way to reduce bloating and heat is with a bowl of this liver-detoxing Chinese Sweet Mung Bean Soup 綠豆沙 or Hawthorn Goji Berry Tea Digestion Tea 山楂杞子茶 that aids digestion.

I'd love to see how you've used my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS.

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