Last Updated on May 17, 2026 by Simon Fan
Sesame paste is a staple in Chinese cooking. Unlike tahini, Chinese sesame paste is made with toasted sesame seeds, resulting in a darker color and intensely nutty flavor. Because it’s thicker than tahini, it needs to be thinned out with water.
Sesame paste is particularly popular in Northern China, where locals use it frequently in dressings for cold dishes and noodles, sauces for dumplings, and hot pot dips.
This dish is inspired by ma zhi dou jiao (麻汁豆角), a signature dish from Shandong Province featuring yardlong beans. My recipe uses green beans instead. The sesame dressing, in the style of Shandong, is a mix of sesame paste, garlic paste, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and water. In Shanghai and the neighboring regions, their version of sesame dressing would not include garlic; instead, peanut butter is added to make the mixture creamier. Try both versions and find out which one you prefer.
You can use the same method to make blanched spinach with sesame dressing, another beloved dish from Northern China.
If yardlong beans are available to you (see information here), try them too.
Green beans with sesame dressing
Serves 2
Ingredients
Dressing
1 tablespoon Chinese sesame paste
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese black vinegar (from Shanxi or Zhenjiang)
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 or 2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
8 oz (225g) green beans, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths
1 teaspoon toasted white sesame seeds
Directions
- Put the sesame paste in a bowl. Gradually add the water, stirring and mixing, until the mixture is smooth without lumps. Mix in all the other ingredients for the dressing, adding more water as needed, until you have a smooth paste with the consistency of heavy cream.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt (it should taste like seawater) and the oil. Blanch the beans until crisp-tender (but not undercooked), about 3 minutes. Transfer the beans to a colander and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well.
- Arrange the beans beautifully on a serving plate. Pour the dressing on top and garnish with the sesame seeds.
