Green Beans with Bacon

These green beans with bacon are fresh string beans cooked until tender, then topped with plenty of crispy bacon. An easy and elegant side dish that’s perfect for a holiday meal or an easy weeknight dinner.

Green beans are one of my favorite vegetables – they’re great battered and fried as a party snack, perfect for stir fries, and always make for a delicious side dish. These bacon green beans can be prepared in just minutes, and are always a big hit.

My family is not a huge fan of green bean casserole, so when I’m planning my holiday menus, I often make these greens with bacon. The combination of freshly sauteed beans and crispy smoked bacon just cannot be beat!

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FRESH GREEN BEANS?

To get your green beans ready for this recipe, all you need to do is give them a good wash, then trim off the stem end. The fastest way to trim off the stem end is to line up a handful of green beans, then cut the stems off all at once. It makes prep time go a lot faster.

How do you make green beans with bacon?

This recipe starts with bacon, which is cooked on the stove top. When the bacon is nice and crispy, take it out of the pan leaving only a little of the bacon fat. That bit of bacon fat will give amazing flavor to the chopped onions that go into the pan. Cook up those onions for a few minutes until they are translucent. Put your green beans into the pan with the onions and they will absorb the savory flavor. Add a little salt and pepper and cook the beans until tender. Sprinkle the crispy bacon on top along with some parsley, and the beans are ready to serve.

Tips for green beans with bacon

• You can use regular green beans, or for an elegant dish try using small french haricot vert. You can also use wax beans or romano beans with similar results.
• I typically make this dish with whole beans, but you can also cut your beans into 1 inch pieces if you prefer.
• Use kitchen shears for a quick and easy way to cut up the raw bacon into small pieces.
• Feel free to add any herbs you like on top for extra flavor. I like to sprinkle on a little parsley, but other great options include chives, basil or thyme.

Bacon green beans variations

This is a basic recipe for pan cooked green beans, but you can add so many different ingredients to customize your green beans to your tastes.

• Cheese: Add grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese before serving.
• Tomatoes: Stir 1 cup of  halved cherry tomatoes into the finished dish.
• Mushrooms: Add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms to the pan when you cook the green beans.
• Crispy Onions: Add 1/2 cup of canned french fried onions on top of the finished dish.
• Seasonings: Try adding a sprinkle of garlic powder or dried Italian seasoning while the beans are cooking.

These recipe is a classic way to prepare green beans that are full of savory flavor. The onion and bacon taste great with tender, freshly cooked green beans. These green beans are perfect for holidays and dinner parties but they are easy enough to make any time of the year.

More side dish recipes you’ll enjoy

• Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
• Broccoli Mac and Cheese
• Fried Corn with Bacon
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Scalloped Corn Casserole