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Fresh greens beans cooked low and slow with just a bit of smokey bacon bring back great memories of family suppers. These “southern style” green beans are a tradition in many homes and are always at covered dish suppers and church picnics.
I am a huge veggie lover, but this recipe right here might be my all time favorite! Anytime I’m feeling nostalgic or I need some good comfort food, this is my go-to vegetable side dish. Whether you’re hosting friends or making a weeknight meal, these Southern Style Green Beans are guaranteed to disappear quickly!
This recipe starts out just like any other tasty southern recipe… with a whole lot of bacon! The bold, smokey bacon acts as a flavorful foundation for your green beans. Add in a little vegetable stock and a sprinkle of seasoning, and you’ve got a match made in heaven!
Southern Style Greens Beans are cooked low and slow to create mouthwateringly delicious, full-bodied flavors. This recipe is simple to prepare and super versatile, you can serve it with poultry, red meat or seafood. With just 6 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of preparation, you’ll be enjoying this irresistible side dish in no time!
Ingredients Needed To Make Southern Style Green Beans
- Bacon – cut into ½″ pieces
- Fresh Green beans – washed, trimmed and snapped into about 2″ lengths
- Vegetable or Chicken stock
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
How To Make Southern Style Green Beans
- Place a heavy bottom pan or cast iron skillet over a medium heat. Add the sliced bacon to the skillet and cook until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Set aside.
- Add green beans to pan and cook over a medium high heat. Toss beans in bacon drippings to coat. Continue to cook until beans turn bright green.
- Carefully pour in stock and add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Add bacon pieces back to pot with beans.
- Turn burner to low, cover beans with a lid, and cook for about 1 hour until beans are tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately
People Often Ask…
There are all kinds of herbs and seasoning you can add to really amp up the flavor of your green beans, here are a couple of my favorites…
– Red Chili Flakes
– Lemon Zest or Juice
– Fresh Garlic
– Onions or Shallots
– Paprika
This is a very commonly asked question, the answer is yes and no! You can absolutely use frozen green beans if that is easier for you. However, frozen green beans have already been blanched so they are more likely to get soft and lose their shape when cooked low and slow. For this recipe, you will get the best results when you use fresh green beans.
More Green Bean Recipes To Try…
More Side Dishes You’ll Love…
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Southern Fried Corn Recipe
- Easy Everyday Green Salad
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Bacon
- Easy Roasted Broccoli
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon – cut into ½″ pieces
- 1 ½ pounds green beans – washed, trimmed and snapped into about 2″ lengths
- 1 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Cook bacon pieces in a heavy bottom pan until done. Remove bacon from pan and place on a paper towel to drain. Set aside.
- Add green beans to pan and cook on medium high heat. Toss beans in bacon drippings to coat. Continue to cook until beans turn bright green.
- Carefully pour in stock and add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Add bacon pieces back to pot with beans.
- Turn burner to low, cover beans with lid – slightly off center and cook for about 1 hour until beans are tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.
Comfort Food With A Twist
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