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    Home » Side Dishes

    Southern Green Beans with Bacon

    Published: Dec 1, 2021 · Modified: Sep 27, 2022 by Diana Reis · This post may contain affiliate links

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    If you need an easy and delicious side dish these beautiful green beans are cooked up with crispy bacon and soft onions with just the right amount of spice. They cook up in 20 minutes and add a pop of color and loads of flavor to any meal.

    finished green beans in cast iron skillet

    Green beans are a great side dish and can be cooked up in so many delicious ways. Southern style green beans with bacon and onion was a catering favorite. I mean, who doesn’t love crispy bits of bacon with their vegetables. I honestly can’t tell you how many pounds of this recipe I’ve made over the years, and I’ve got some great tips to help you make this recipe at home.

    Contents hide
    Ingredients
    How to Make Southern Green Beans with Bacon
    FAQs
    Diana's Tips For Success
    Substitutions
    Related Recipes
    📖 Recipe
    Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon

    Ingredients

    smothered green beans ingredients

    Green Beans- Look for firm beans that are a nice, bright shade of green. Modern varieties of green beans no longer have a tough string down that runs the length of the bean. This makes cleaning very easy since you just need to remove any remaining stem and cut long beans in half.

    Yellow Onions- Slightly pungent onion that gets sweeter as it cooks. Overall, the flavor is mild and delicious.

    Bacon- Choose a savory style bacon and preferably a thick cut. 

    Paprika- This will add a mild, sweet pepper flavor that will round out the dish.

    How to Make Southern Green Beans with Bacon

    Step 1: Clean Green Beans

    • Start by cleaning the beans and cutting them in half.
    step 1- cleaned green beans

    Step 2: Par-cook Green Beans

    • Next, par cook the beans using either the boiling or microwave method.
    • Place cleaned green beans in a microwave safe bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the bowl and cover with cling wrap. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. After four minutes the green beans will be near fully cooked.
    • (See boiling method below.)
    Step 2- microwave steamed green beans

    Step 3: Crisp Bacon

    • Then, fry diced bacon pieces in a large pan on low heat slowly rendering out the fat.
    Step 3- fried bacon in pan

    Step 4: Add Flavor

    • Once the bacon is crispy and brown, add diced yellow onions and cook until softened. 
    • Then, add paprika, dried parsley, salt, and pepper.
    step 4- bacon and onions in pan with seasoning

    Step 5: Finish the Green Beans

    • Finally, add the par cooked green beans to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes or until fully cooked.
    • Make sure to toss them in the bacon drippings and get a good coating of fat on all of the beans. 
    • Serve them warm with your favorite main dishes.
    step 5- steamed greens added to pan

    FAQs

    How do you clean green beans?

    Green beans should be rinsed clean and free of dirt or debris. The ends should be trimmed to remove stems. Most modern varieties do not need to have the string removed from each bean. The strings are much more tender and edible.

    If you picked up an heirloom variety of beans you will need to remove that fibrous string. It is really tough to chew and not very pleasant to eat.

    How do you parboil green beans?

    Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add green beans to the boiling water. Cook for four minutes. Strain away the excess water. Finish cooking the beans by adding them to the cooked bacon and onions.

    Diana's Tips For Success

    Start with medium/low heat when crisping your bacon. This will allow time for the fat to slowly render out and prevent uneven cooking and burnt bits. You can turn the heat up to medium once you add the beans and the pan is more full.

    Use a wider bowl for the microwave. Spreading the beans out a little will help them cook evenly.

    Substitutions

    You can use frozen green beans for this recipe. Frozen beans are not blanched or precooked in any way. You will still need to boil or microwave them before adding them to the sauté pan. They will take an extra 2 minutes in the boiling water and 1-2 minutes in the microwave.

    Arkansas green beans with bacon on a fork

    Related Recipes

    • Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
    • Sausage Green Beans and Potato Skillet
    • Roasted Delicata Squash Beet and Feta Salad
    • Sesame Grilled Baby Bok Choy
    • Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

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    📖 Recipe

    featured image smothered green beans

    Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon

    Green beans cooked up with crispy bacon and sweet onions are seasoned up in the southern style for an easy and delicious side dish.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish, Side Dishes
    Cuisine: American, American Classic
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 People
    Calories: 119kcal
    Author: Diana Reis

    Equipment

    • Skillet or 10 Inch Frying Pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 Pound Fresh Green Beans cleaned, cut in half
    • 2 Pieces Thick Cut Bacon diced
    • ½ Cup Yellow Onion diced
    • ½ Teaspoon Salt
    • ½ Teaspoon Paprika
    • ½ Teaspon Dry Parsley
    • Black Pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Start by cleaning the beans and cutting them in half.
    • Next, par cook the green beans using either the boiling or microwave method listed below.
    • Fry diced bacon pieces in a large pan on low heat slowly rendering out the fat.
    • Once the bacon is crispy and brown, add diced yellow onions and cook until softened.
    • Then, add paprika, dried parsley, salt, and pepper.
    • Finally, add the par cooked green beans to the pan and saute for 5 minutes or until fully cooked.
    • Make sure to toss them in the bacon drippings and get a good coating of fat on all of the beans.
    • Serve them warm with your favorite main dishes.

    Notes

    How do you clean green beans?
    Green beans should be rinsed clean and free of dirt or debris. The ends should be trimmed to remove stems. Most modern varieties do not need to have the string removed from each bean. The strings are much more tender and edible.
    If you picked up an heirloom variety of beans you will need to remove that fibrous string. It is really tough to chew and not very pleasant to eat. 
    How do you cook green beans in the microwave?
    Place cleaned green beans in a microwave safe bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the bowl and cover with cling wrap. Microwave on high for 4 minutes. After four minutes the green beans will be near fully cooked. At this stage, you can finish beans on the stove or add them to other dishes to finish cooking. 
    You can also finish cooking the beans in the microwave. Add a small amount of butter and you preferred seasoning, cover, and microwave for one more minute.
    How do you parboil green beans?
    Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add green beans to the boiling water. Cook for four minutes. Strain away the excess water. Finish cooking the beans by adding them to the cooked bacon and onions.
    Tips for Success
    • Start with low heat when crisping your bacon. This will allow time for the fat to slowly render out and prevent uneven cooking and burnt bits.
    • Use a wider bowl for the microwave. Spreading the beans out a little will help them cook evenly. 
    Substitutions
    You can use frozen green beans for this recipe. Frozen beans are not blanched or precooked in any way. You will still need to boil or microwave them before adding them to the sauté pan. They will take an extra 2 minutes in the boiling water and 1-2 minutes in the microwave.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 915IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @DianDeliciousB or tag #DeliciousByDesign!

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    Comments

      5 from 6 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Anjali says

      September 27, 2022 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a simple and easy side dish! The bacon adds so much flavor to these beans!

      Reply
    2. Dana says

      September 27, 2022 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe takes green beans to a whole new level! Love the bacon bits. This will be a great side dish for the holidays!

      Reply
    3. Tara says

      September 27, 2022 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      Such a fantastic side! The flavors sound absolutely amazing, especially with the addition of the bacon.

      Reply
    4. Amy says

      September 27, 2022 at 8:17 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great idea for a side dish, I make it all the time!

      Reply
    5. Heather says

      September 27, 2022 at 8:39 pm

      5 stars
      These green beans were simple and perfect - loved the addition of the bacon too! Really put them over the top!

      Reply
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