There’s nothing quite like crisp, fresh-cut green beans. The satisfying snap, the hearty texture, and a hint of natural earthy flavor you can taste, as opposed to canned green beans that just taste like salt. Yes, there’s no doubt about it, fresh green beans are just all-around superior.

They can, however, be a little bland if you don’t know how to prepare them properly. Like most veggies, green beans don’t have a ton of flavor on their own, but they are great when mixed with sauces or dips. Well, have I got a sauce for you to try out next time you’re in the mood for green beans! This Sriracha sauce would go great with any veggie, really, but I particularly enjoy it with green beans. With garlic, sweet chili sauce, Sriracha, and toasted sesame seeds, you’ll have people begging for seconds and thirds!

First, go ahead and whisk soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha together in a small bowl and set aside. Then, fill a large pan with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 3 minutes. While the green beans cook, fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. After the 3 minutes are up, strain green beans and then dunk them into the ice water for about 1 minute.

The ice water bath stops the cooking process, so the green beans maintain that nice crunch while still being tender and well-cooked. Set the beans aside, and get ready to finish up the sauce!

Pour sesame oil into the same pan you cooked the beans in, sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds. Add the green beans back in, stirring well to coat everything. Add Sriracha mixture to the pan and simmer uncovered for a few minutes. The beans will cook a bit more while in the pan, so keep an eye on them for when they’ve reached your desired tenderness.

These Sriracha green beans are easy enough to make to spice up a weeknight dinner, and fancy enough to impress for a date night dinner. Does it get much better than that?