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Green beans with bacon are one of those simple, comforting side dishes that somehow always steal the spotlight. Growing up, any veggie instantly became more exciting the moment bacon showed up — and honestly, nothing has changed.
This stovetop green beans recipe gives you crisp-tender green beans, perfectly cooked bacon, and a buttery, savory finish that tastes like it came from a steakhouse, but it’s ready in just 20 minutes.
Whether you’re prepping for a holiday dinner or pulling together a quick weeknight meal, these skillet green beans with bacon deliver big flavor with hardly any work.
Easy Green Bean Recipe
I grew up on green beans — but they didn’t start out green, our green beans were purple! They were slightly sweeter than regular green beans, but otherwise tasted the same and would turn green after cooking.
Purple beans make me think of home and gardening every summer with my family. We worked long hours in that garden, but never as long as our mom, who is superwoman. Our hands would turn purple from picking and canning beans during the summer and we would have to scrub and scrub when we were done. Isn’t it funny how something you hated as a kid somehow becomes something you miss?
read more: Looking for easy sides? Try our Classic Baked Beans with Bacon next!
Why You’ll Love These Bacon Green Beans
- Quick: Side dishes should be quick and simple and this dish is ready in less than 20 minutes.
- Flavorful: It’s impossible for something to be bland when bacon is involved! Plus, add the garlic seasoning and this dish is bold in flavor!
- One-Skillet: Cleanup is a breeze and all the flavor is contained in one dish.
- Holiday-Friendly: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter…this dish works for them all! It’s a regular on our Sunday dinner table as well!
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this simple green bean recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Fresh Green Beans: Add crisp texture and natural sweetness and they hold up well to sautéing without getting mushy.
- Olive Oil: Prevents sticking, helps beans sauté evenly and adds light, savory flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness and a silky coating and it helps seasonings stick to the beans.
- Garlic Spread Seasoning: Quick way to add garlic and herb flavor without chopping garlic cloves.
- Brown Sugar: Balances the salty bacon and seasoning and lightly caramelizes the beans for extra flavor.
- Bacon: Adds smoky, salty crunch and the bacon drippings flavor the beans as they cook.
How to Make Green Beans with Bacon
- Cook the Green Beans: Place your trimmed green beans in a pot of boiling water. Let the green beans boil until they are bright green and tender.
- PRO TIP: It’s important to let the water boil first as beans put in too early will have to cook for longer and you’ll end up with a mushy, brown bean.
- Blanch: Use a stainless steel spider strainer (this is our favorite) to lift the green beans out of the pot and straight into an ice bath.
- Cook the Bacon: Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Once cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces.
- Combine: Add the green beans to the same pan you cooked the bacon in. Add a little oil and butter as well and sauté until hot and flavorful, then garnish with the bacon crumbles and serve!
How to Prepare Fresh Green Beans
If you are using fresh beans, then you will want to snap the ends off, making sure that you pull the attached “string” off with the stem (you will notice a fibrous string along the side that will come off when you try to “snap” the stem off. It’s similar to celery strings).
You can leave green beans long, but I actually prefer to snap ours once or twice because they are easier to eat.
How Long to Boil Fresh Green Beans?
For this simple green bean recipe, cook the fresh green beans in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Then, drain the beans and immediately submerge them in an ice bath to prevent them from cooking further. You’ll end up with bright green crispy-tender green beans.
Green Beans FAQs
An ice bath is used in cooking to quickly stop the cooking process. Don’t be tempted to skip it as the green beans will continue to cook and won’t be as appetizing. The ice bath will also keep the green beans a vibrant green versus over cooked beans that become dull in color and often tinged with brown.
Yes, this recipe can be made with fresh or canned string beans. If you use canned green beans, make sure that you use a pan that’s bigger as they will need space in order to not turn to mush in the pan when you sauté them. Skip the boiling and ice bath completely.
Green beans can be made ahead of time if you follow a few simple steps.
1. Boil the green beans like normal, but cut the time down to about 3 minutes.
2. Drain and place the beans in the ice bath and as soon as they are cool, place in a paper towel and blot them dry.
3. Store the partially cooked beans in a zip top bag in the fridge for up to 2 days.
4. Then, finish making the fresh green beans with bacon as the recipe instructs.
Green beans can be frozen as long as you blanch them first. Prepare the green beans just as you would for the make-ahead green beans. Place them in their bags and press out all of the air as you seal them. Lay the bags flat in the freezer and freeze.
Green beans will last in the freezer for up to 1 year. We prefer to eat ours within 6 months, unless we have used our Food Saver. We should seriously be their ambassador with how much we talk about it!
Tips for Making Sautéed Green Beans with Bacon
- If you don’t have garlic spread seasoning on hand, you’re welcome to use another favorite seasoning blend. Or, keep it simple and use regular garlic powder (you won’t need 2 teaspoons though).
- We used regular pork bacon for this easy green bean recipe, but you’re welcome to use any kind you’d like.
- These fresh green beans with bacon are best enjoyed right away while the bacon is still crisp. However, leftovers can be reheated in a skillet on the stove.
What to Serve with Fresh Green Beans with Bacon
I mentioned earlier that these green beans are perfect for holidays or just a simple side dish for a weeknight meal. Here are some ideas for main dishes to serve with it:
Storing and Reheating
Green beans with bacon should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for up to 5 days. I prefer to reheat it in a skillet on the stovetop so that the bacon crisps back up.
I hope these green beans with bacon find their way to your table and become one of those recipes your family asks for again and again. It’s simple food, but sometimes those are the dishes that end up being everyone’s favorite. Whether it’s and easy holiday side dish or for a quiet weeknight at home, these green beans add a little comfort, a little nostalgia, and a whole lot of flavor.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes:
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Prepare an ice bath by placing ice and water in a large bowl.
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Wash the beans, snap the ends, and snap into pieces and drop into a pot of boiling water.
1 Pound Green Beans
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Cook for 4-5 minutes and then place in an ice bath.
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Cook the bacon until crispy and remove to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon grease.
3-4 Slices Bacon
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To the skillet with the bacon grease, add a drizzle of oil if needed and the butter.
1 teaspoon Olive Oil, 2 teaspoons Butter
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Bring to a medium heat and add the green beans, brown sugar, and seasoning, stirring to coat.
1 Pound Green Beans, 2 teaspoons Garlic Spread Seasoning, 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
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Crumble the bacon and return to the frying pan (you can sop up the extra grease, or leave a little bit for extra flavor).
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Serve immediately.
- If using canned green beans: skip the boiling and add the beans directly into a frying pan after the bacon has cooked. Proceed as normal.
- Read through the post above for all frequently asked questions about green beans.
- May be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 135kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 1295mg, Potassium: 274mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 851IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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