Hey, y'all! Looking for the perfect side dish? Please allow me to introduce you to my Southern Green Beans with Bacon! These green beans are not your ordinary side dish -- they are chock-full of flavor with each bite, just like we do it down here in the South.

Southern Green Beans with Bacon

Name: Southern Green Beans with Bacon
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs. fresh green beans (washed, strung, and snapped); 1/2 lb. bacon; 3 c. chicken broth; 1 c. water; 1/2 vidalia onion (chopped); 2 tsp. black pepper (more to taste); 1 tsp. kosher salt (more to taste); 1 tsp. garlic powder; 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

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Southern Green Beans with Bacon Ingredients

2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed, strung, and snapped
½ lb. bacon
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
½ vidalia onion, chopped
2 tsp. black pepper, more to taste
1 tsp. kosher salt, more to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. red pepper flakes

How to Make Southern Green Beans with Bacon

Wash green beans. Snap and string each bean.
Cut bacon into smaller pieces and cook in a large pot over medium heat until brown. Remove from pan and reserve the bacon grease. Cook diced onion in bacon grease for 3-4 minutes.
Add fresh green beans, chicken broth, water, black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Bring beans to a boil.
Once the green beans are boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for roughly 2 hours, stirring every 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and drain excess liquid if desired. Season additionally to taste. Add in bacon crumbles. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use fresh green beans?

Fresh green beans are definitely better when making this recipe. That said, if you are pressed for time, you can use canned green beans. When cooking canned green beans, I do not use this much liquid. I simply drain the beans and add enough chicken stock to cook them over medium heat until warm.

Should you wash green beans?

You should thoroughly wash fresh green beans to rid of garden debris or other unwanted materials. Always wash beans in cold water.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

Always wash fresh beans in cold water.
Fresh green beans truly make all of the difference in this recipe; that said, you can "doctor" up canned green beans in a similar fashion.
Do not drain the bacon grease after cooking the bacon; you will use it to sauté the onion and to flavor the beans.

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Southern Green Beans with Bacon Recipe

Southern Green Beans with Bacon

JC Phelps

These aren't your normal green beans -- level up the classic side dish by making my Southern Green Beans with Bacon!

5 from 33 votes

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings servings

Calories 246 kcal

Ingredients

2 lbs. fresh green beans washed, strung, and snapped
½ lb. bacon
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. water
½ vidalia onion chopped
2 tsp. black pepper more to taste
1 tsp. kosher salt more to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

Wash green beans. Snap and string each bean.
Cut bacon into smaller pieces and cook in a large pot over medium heat until brown. Remove from pan and reserve the bacon grease. Cook diced onion in bacon grease for 3-4 minutes.
Add fresh green beans, chicken broth, water, black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Bring beans to a boil.
Once the green beans are boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for roughly 2 hours, stirring every 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and drain excess liquid if desired. Season additionally to taste. Add in bacon crumbles. Enjoy!

Notes

Always wash fresh beans in cold water.

Fresh green beans truly make all of the difference in this recipe; that said, you can "doctor" up canned green beans in a similar fashion.

Do not drain the bacon grease after cooking the bacon; you will use it to sauté the onion and to flavor the beans.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 501mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 706IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg

Keyword green beans, southern green beans with bacon

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