By Jehan Yusoof  |  Updated September 20, 2026  |  ★4.7 (8 reviews)  |  3 Comments.

Sri Lankan spicy green bean potato stir-fry. If you love the combination of green beans and potatoes with chillies that add extra punch, then you just might love this colourful, skillet dish.
If you love heat, this one’s for you.
For a milder version, try my creamy, Sri Lankan coconut milk-based potato and bean curry.

If you try this, I’d love to know how it turned out; a quick rating or comment really helps other readers decide what to cook.

Ingredients for Spicy green beans and Potato stir-fry

• The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
  • Green beans(about 2 cups, trimmed and halved)
  • Medium-sized potatoes cut into cubes(1 inch or slightly bigger)
  • Coconut oil, vegetable oil or any light oil(you can add more if you need)
  • A sprig of curry leaves(you can add a bay leaf as a substitute)
  • Medium-sized onion, finely sliced or chopped
  • Garlic cloves, finely sliced or chopped
  • Turmeric powder
  • Water as needed
  • Red chilli flakes
  • Green or red whole chillies split in the middle
  • Salt to season

What you will need in the kitchen.

• Chopping Board and Knife
• A bowl
• Medium-sized frying pan, preferably non-stick.

PHOTO TUTORIAL

Spicy green beans and potato stir-fry

Prep work before you begin.

Slice or chop the garlic and onions
Split the green or red chillies
Wash, Clean, peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Cube them into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Wash the green beans, trim the ends and cut them in half. Set aside.

Cooking the spicy Potato and green bean stir-fry

Place the frying pan over medium heat and pour in the oil; let the oil heat for a few seconds.
Add the curry leaves, chopped garlic and onions.
Sauté the ingredients for a few minutes or until the onions turn translucent. 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the potatoes and Turmeric powder to the tempering ingredients and cook until the potatoes turn light golden brown over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Pour in 1/4 cup water, cook until the water completely evaporates.
(I’m cooking the potatoes in such a small amount of water to make sure that the potatoes are cooked through.)
Once the water evaporates, add in the red chilli flakes and whole chillies. 
Continue to cook and season with salt.
Finally, add the green beans to the stir-fry.
Add a tablespoon of oil if you feel it’s necessary while you continue to cook.
While combining the ingredients, you might find the browned bits of potatoes sticking to the skillet; gently scrape them off the pan and continue cooking, as these bits of really browned potato and onions add flavour to the dish.
Once the beans are cooked through, check for seasoning, add salt if necessary and serve warm.

FAQ: Spicy green bean potato stir-fry

• How do I cut the potatoes for this spicy potato and green bean stir-fry?
  • Instead of cutting the potatoes into wedges, discs or strips, cut them into cubes so that they fry evenly.

• Can I use frozen green beans to make this dish?
  • Yes, you can make this vegetarian stir-fry using frozen green beans.

• Why do you need a non-stick frying pan to make this green beans and potato fry?
  • You will be cooking onions and potatoes until they turn brown; during this process, the onions and some bits of the potatoes might stick to the pan.
  • These dark, caramelised bits add flavour to the stir-fry, so you will want to gently scrape them with a wooden spoon and mix them in with the beans and potatoes.
  • Using a non-stick pan makes this part of the cooking process easy.

What to serve with spicy green beans and potatoes.

• Rice dishes to pair with the stir-fry.
  • How to cook rice on the stove(perfect rice without a rice cooker
  • Sri Lankan yellow rice(traditional recipe)
  • Chicken fried rice
• Vegetarian curries to pair with green beans and potato dish.
  • Sri Lankan Dhal spinach curry
  • Sri Lankan Dhal Curry (Parippu) — Easy 30-Minute Recipe
  • Pumpkin curry(Sri Lankan wattakka curry)
  • Butternut currySri Lankan Pumpkin curry

• Meat curries to pair with green beans stir fry.
  • Sri Lankan chicken curry
  • Sri Lankan red chilli fish curry(Thalapath malu mirisata)
  • Sri Lankan slow-cooked beef curry(just like my grandmother makes)

Storage, Freezing and Reheating guide.

• Storing in the refrigerator.
  • Store in air-tight glass containers once the green bean and potato stir-fry are cool. Avoid using plastic containers as the spices will stain the containers.
• Freezing.
  • Can be portioned and frozen for two weeks. If using within 48 hours, simply refrigerate the stir-fry.
• Reheating.
  • If you’ve refrigerated, you can reheat over a stovetop or microwave.
  • Add a tablespoon of water before heating the beans and potato fry.
  • If frozen, remove it from the freezer at least an hour before serving time, and let it reach room temperature before heating the dish
• Stop food waste.
  • Add green beans to any leftover rice to make quick fried rice. You can also add any leftovers to your omelette.
  • Leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken can be added to this skillet and turned into a single- or two-person skillet dinner in a rush.

More green Bean and Potato recipes

Potato and leeks Curry
Sri Lankan spicy Dry Potato curry(ala theldala)
Chickpea and potato curry(chana aloo curry)

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Sri Lankan spicy potato, green bean stir-fry.

Yield: 3

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Sri Lankan spicy green bean potato stir-fry. If you love the combination of green beans and potatoes with chillies that add extra punch, then you just might love this colourful, skillet dish.
If you love heat, this one's for you.

4.7 Stars (8 Reviews)

Print

Ingredients

• 250g green beans
• 2 medium-sized potatoes cut into cubes(1 inch or slightly bigger)
• 3 tablespoons of coconut, vegetable oil(you can add more if you need)
• A sprig of curry leaves(you can add a bay leaf as a substitute)
• 1 medium-sized onion finely sliced or chopped
• 2 garlic cloves finely sliced or chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon of red chilli flakes
• 2 to 3 green or red whole chillies split in the middle
• Salt to season

Instructions

Prep work before you begin.

1. Slice or chop the garlic and onions.
2. Split the green or red chillies.
3. Wash, Clean, peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Cube them into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
4. Wash the green beans, trim the ends and cut them in half. Set aside.

Cooking the spicy Potato and green bean stir-fry

1. Place the frying pan over medium heat and pour in the oil; let the oil heat for a few seconds.
2. Add the curry leaves, chopped garlic and onions.
3. Sauté the ingredients for a few minutes or until the onions turn translucent. 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and Turmeric powder to the tempering ingredients and cook until the potatoes turn light golden brown over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes.
5. Pour in 1/4 cup water, cook until the water completely evaporates.
   (I'm cooking the potatoes in such a small amount of water to make sure that the potatoes are cooked through.)
6. Once the water evaporates, add in the red chilli flakes and whole chillies. continue to cook and season with salt.
7. Finally, add the green beans to the stir-fry.
8. Add a tablespoon of oil if you feel it's necessary while you continue to cook.
9. While combining the ingredients, you might find the browned bits of potatoes sticking to the skillet; gently scrape them off the pan and continue cooking, as these bits of really browned potato and onions add flavour to the dish.
10. Once the beans are cooked through, check for seasoning, add salt if necessary and serve warm.
    I'd love to know how it turned out.
    Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment; I read every one — it helps other visitors trust the recipe and helps them find me too.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 284Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 6gSugar: 6gProtein: 5g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. I’ve tested every recipe on this site more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough for you to follow.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.