Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon
Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon is a comfort food classic. Fresh green beans slow simmered with onions, chicken broth and bacon. Perfect for holidays and Sunday supper!
Are you looking for the perfect comfort food side dish to serve for your next holiday or Sunday dinner? Look no further than these Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon. They slow simmered in chicken broth with onions, crushed red pepper and finished with crispy bacon. Your entire family will love these!
What ingredients do you need to make Southern Style Green Beans?
To make southern style green beans you’ll need just a handful of ingredients. Fresh Green Beans, bacon, yellow onion, chicken broth, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.
Fresh green beans are the best beans to use in this recipe. This recipe requires that the beans cook for at least an hour, fresh green beans will hold up much better than canned or frozen green beans.
The crushed red pepper in this recipe is totally optional. I like the little bit of heat that they add, but if you’re cooking for people who are sensitive to heat you can leave them out.
How to clean and prepare fresh green beans:
Rinse fresh green beans under cool water. To trim them, you can simply snap the ends off of each bean. To speed up the process, I will often simply cut off the top 1/4 inch of the beans.
After they are cleaned, simply cut into 1 – 2 inch pieces.
How to make southern style green beans with bacon:
To make these green beans with bacon, you’ll start by cooking the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s browned, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate and keep warm or refrigerate until ready to use. I prefer to add the bacon at the end of cooking so that it is crispy instead of soft.
Next, add the onions and crushed red pepper to the pan drippings. Finally add the green beans and toss to coat.
Pour in chicken broth and scrape any brown bits that have accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer on low for 1 – 1 1/2 hours or until beans are soft.
DES’ PRO TIP: The key to these beans is to cook them low and slow. Under cooked beans are rubbery, overcooked beans are mushy. Start checking the beans after 1 hour to ensure they are tender.
What to serve with green beans with bacon?
These green beans are a comfort food classic so it only seems right to serve them along side some of our other comfort food favorites. I always serve them with brined fried chicken or even on Thanksgiving with roasted turkey thighs!
Looking for new vegetable side dishes? You’ve got to check these out!
Homemade Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Other Main Dish Recipes to serve with green beans:
Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 4 slices bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 pound green beans trimmed
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet cook bacon until browned.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Cover and keep warm or refrigerate until ready to use.
- In the same skillet, add the onion and crushed red pepper. Cook 1 - 2 minutes. Add in green beans and toss to coat. Pour in chicken broth. Cover and turn heat to low. Simmer for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Sprinkle with bacon and cook just until bacon is warmed through.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Hey! I'm Des!
Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.
Ron Buckridge
December 6, 2023 at 3:23 pmThese were great. Thinking of adding some new red potatoes to cook with them. How much more broth would it take to cook them but not overwhelm the taste of the bacon?
Christine McSorley
October 21, 2023 at 9:41 amAWESOME!!!
J. M.
November 23, 2022 at 7:04 pmKeep worm? I think I’ll leave out the worm!
Deseree
November 24, 2022 at 9:41 amHah! Woops!
Kayla
August 4, 2022 at 7:27 amHey do I leave bacon grease in pan after I cook that bacon and start to put onions and chicken broth in or do I leave bacon grease in the pan? Thanks
Krystal
November 22, 2021 at 7:06 amCould this be made in a crock pot? How long would the cook time be? I will be tripling this recipe.
Deseree
November 22, 2021 at 9:20 amHi Krystal! I’ve actually never made them in a slow cooker so I can’t be sure how long the cook time will be. I’m sorry!
Barb
November 13, 2021 at 8:22 pmCan I make these a day ahead and just warm the next day?
Deseree
November 14, 2021 at 12:05 pmYou can! I’ve done it before. Since they are already pretty soft you won’t have to worry about the texture like you would with other green beans. I eat these leftovers :)
Debbie Hatch
October 28, 2021 at 11:59 pmIf I double the recipe, how long should I cook the beans?
Deseree
October 29, 2021 at 10:25 pmI don’t think that you’ll need to cook them that much longer if you double the recipe. I’d start checking at the 1 1/2 hour mark and just keep cooking until they are the desired tenderness. You may need 10 – 15 more minutes but I don’t think you’d need to double the time because you double the beans.
Elice Shelton
March 25, 2021 at 10:11 amCan this recipe be prepared ahead of time and put in the deep freeze satisfactorily? Thanks
Deseree
March 26, 2021 at 9:37 pmHi Elice! I don’t have any experience deep freezing these so I cannot recommend. Sorry!
Sandra Shaffer
September 15, 2020 at 8:45 pmThis is the best way to eat beans….with bacon! Delicious with chicken as well as steak.