Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon

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.

Course Side Dish, Side Dishes

Cuisine American, American Classic

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Servings 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