5 Star Reader Comment
This recipe is home cooking Southern style at its best!
Carolyn
A Table Loaded With Love
Sunday lunch at my grandmother’s table was never quiet. There was fried chicken, a roast, and rolls warm enough to melt butter on contact. But the pot that always emptied first was her Southern green beans and potatoes.
I used to watch her stand at the stove, stirring that pot with a wooden spoon, never rushing. She let it simmer while everything else came together. No timer. No fuss. Just bacon, broth, and beans cooking low and slow until the kitchen smelled like Sunday.
That is the heart of Southern cooking. Vegetables are near and dear to our hearts. We give them time, good fat, and a little patience. Simple ingredients, cooked with intention, become something bigger than the sum of their parts. That is the soul in this dish.
XO,
Donya’s Best Tips for Southern Green Beans and Potatoes
Buy beans that snap, not bend: Fresh green beans should feel firm and break clean with a crisp snap. If they bend instead of breaking, they are past their prime and will turn out limp no matter how long you cook them.
Cook everything in the bacon grease: Do not just crumble bacon on top at the end. Cooking your onion and garlic right in the rendered bacon fat builds a smoky base that soaks into every bean.
Let it go low and slow: Rushing this dish with high heat gives you beans that are tough on the outside and raw in the middle. Low heat breaks down the fiber slowly so the beans turn silky and tender all the way through.
Season at the end, not the beginning: Bacon and broth both carry salt, so seasoning too early can leave you with an oversalted pot. Taste once everything is tender, then adjust your salt and pepper so it is balanced.
Cover the pot once the potatoes go in: The lid traps steam that finishes the potatoes gently without drying out the beans. Take it off too soon and you will end up with potatoes that are hard in the center.
Want to make a delicious, heartfelt Southern meal? Serve these dish with Brown Sugar Mustard Baked Ham, Pineapple Casserole, and Skillet Cornbread.
What You Will Need
- Fresh green beans are the star here, and their bright, grassy flavor turns tender and rich after a slow simmer.
- Bacon brings the smoky, savory backbone that flavors the entire pot.
- Onion adds a soft, sweet base note as it cooks down in the bacon grease.
- Garlic rounds out that base with a warm, savory depth.
- Red potatoes hold their shape and turn creamy on the inside without falling apart.
- Butter adds a silky, rich finish that ties the broth together.
- Chicken stock is what makes this dish taste slow-cooked, giving the beans a savory backbone instead of tasting like plain water.
- Salt and pepper, added at the end, bring every flavor into balance.
Make It Your Own — Simple Swaps for Any Table
Skip the bacon and swap in olive oil with a splash of liquid smoke for a vegetarian version that still carries that deep, smoky flavor. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to keep it fully plant-based.
Add a smoked ham hock or a chunk of smoked turkey along with the bacon for an even richer, meatier pot.
Toss in sliced carrots or a handful of corn during the last twenty minutes if you want to stretch this into a heartier vegetable side.
Swap the red potatoes for Yukon gold if that is what you have on hand, since they hold up just as well in a long simmer.
Four Steps to the Best Pot of Green Beans You Have Ever Made
Step 1 — Start by cooking your chopped bacon in a Dutch oven until it turns golden and the fat renders out. Add your onion right into that grease and let it soften, then stir in the garlic just until fragrant.
Step 2 — Add the green beans, chicken stock, butter, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat down low and let everything simmer gently, stirring every so often.
Step 3 — Once the beans are tender, nestle in the potatoes and cover the pot. Let them simmer until they turn fork-tender and soak up all that smoky, buttery broth.
Step 4 — Taste before you serve, and adjust your salt and pepper if needed. Full quantities and details are in the recipe card below.
How My Mama Always Served It and Why It Still Works
This is the dish I always make the day before a big Sunday dinner or a holiday table. It sits in the fridge overnight, and the flavors only get deeper and more savory by the next day.
It works just as well for a church potluck, since it travels well and reheats without losing that tender, buttery texture. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
When you are ready to serve, warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave until it is piping hot. This dish reheats beautifully, and honestly, it tastes even better on day two.
Craving More Southern Sides? Try These Recipes
Ingredients
- 5- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- I lb fresh green beans trimmed
- 3 T butter
- 1 ½ Cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
- ½-3/4 lb red potatoes quartered
- ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a dutch oven (or similar pot) over medium heat.
- When bacon starts to cook, add the onion and cook until softened. About 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add green beans, stock, butter, salt and pepper, and set to low; cook for 20 min, stirring occasionally.
- Add the potatoes, cover, and cook 15 minutes unti potatoes are softened.
- Taste, adjust the salt and pepper as needed, & serve.
Video
Notes
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- Vegetarian and Vegan Option: Skip the bacon and add vegetable stock; try smoked paprika for a smoky touch.
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- Add Meat: For a heartier dish, add ham hocks, smoked turkey or smoked sausage.
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- More Vegetables: Add in more veggies like diced bell peppers or carrots.
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- Swap Potatoes: If you don’t have red potatoes, yukon gold or baby potatoes work well. You can also use sweet potatoes.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but the texture and flavor will be softer and less vibrant than fresh beans. If you do use canned, cut the cooking time significantly since they are already tender.
Yes, frozen green beans work well in this recipe. Add them straight from the freezer and expect the cooking time to run slightly shorter than with fresh beans.
I cut off each end to remove the hard stem. I also like to chop them in half or thirds so they are easier to eat.
Yes! You can prepare the dish in advance and reheat it on the stovetop or in the oven before serving.
Like my Southern-style green beans, or maple green beans, this dish can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. To reheat, simply microwave or cook on the stovetop.
What To Serve With Southern String Beans And Potatoes
For a true comfort-food dinner, serve it with juicy brown sugar glazed pork roast or roasted lemon chicken – both perfect for soaking up those rich flavors. If you’re keeping things easy, crock pot chicken thighs are fantastic. Round out the menu with a few classic Southern sides like deviled eggs, honey glazed carrots and creamed corn.
If you tried this Southern Green Bean & Potatoes Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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I made these for dinner this evening and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Perfect is exactly what Southern green beans and potatoes should be! So glad it made it to your dinner table tonight. Thank you for sharing that with me!
XO,
Donya
should I cover the pan when I start cooking the green beans or wait until I add the potatoes?
Great question! Add the potatoes first, then cover the pan — that is when you want the steam to build and do its work. Everything gets tender together and the flavors have time to meld beautifully. Hope you love it!
XO,
Donya
Tastes so good- making on repeat !
I love hearing that — on repeat is the best compliment! So glad you enjoyed it.
~Donya
I know fresh green beans are best, but can I use canned green beans from the grocery store? It seems like the bacon grease would “doctor” them up pretty good for a better flavor.
Thank you for sharing these recipes, because nothing beats the way grandma cooked.
Yes, you can definitely use canned green beans in place of fresh, especially if you’re short on time or fresh beans aren’t available. While fresh green beans do have a firmer texture and brighter flavor, canned green beans can still taste fantastic when prepared well — and you’re absolutely right: bacon grease will work magic on them! ~Donya
These are just like granny made! Thank you for the memory this brought to me. Will make these along with your Pecan Pound Cake and Baked Ham when guest come for weekend. Thanks for so many great things you share.
Thank you, Sherry! You have made my day. I am so thrilled you are cooking with tme.
~Donya
We love these together. The ingredients are like magic. They flavor the green beans and potatoes so deliciously. They are definitely a holiday dish with ham or turkey You have the best recipes. Thanks for sharing them with the world.
Wonderful! Thanks so much, Cookee. You’ve made my day and I’m so glad you are cooking with me.
~Donya
I was wondering if I can use frozen Green Beans.
I’ve never tested it that way. Let me know if you do.
Enjoy,
~Donya
Delicious
Thank you Linda!
~Donya
I made it as an entree and it was delicious!
I like the way you think, Florence. I’d made this as a main dish many times myself. Thanks for cooking with me.
~Donya
This recipe is home cooking Southern style at its best!