Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe - Simply Stacie (2024)

Dress up your green beans with this Southern-Style Green Beans recipe! Tender and melt in your mouth green beans that are seasoned and paired with salty bacon. One incredibly easy green bean recipe that will leave everyone reaching for one more scoop. Grab your slow cooker and let’s get to work on these green beans.

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I’d been craving green beans ever since I madeGreen Beans Almondine. I saw a recipe for Southern-Style Green Beans in my copy ofCooking Light Slow Cooker Tonight!and made myself this delicious side dish on the weekend. It ended up being the main course for me since I was by myself all weekend with my kids in Ontario at my parents. I didn’t mind at all eating alone…more for me!

Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe - Simply Stacie (1)

Southern Style Green Beans

These beans were so good! The bacon and onion flavor really came out in the beans. I’ve never tried or even heard of Southern-Style Green Beans, but this is a recipe I will be making again. You can count on that!

Now one thing I want to note is that depending on where you live depends on how you grew up eating these beans. So, know there are a handful of ways to make green beans.

What Are Southern Green Beans

Southern Green Beans are a wonderful side dish that has been around for years. You take fresh cut green beans and pair with a savory broth, onions, and garlic and even sometimes meat. Then slowly cook your beans low and slow all day for that smokey, tender green bean.

Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe - Simply Stacie (2)

How to Prepare Fresh Green Beans

To be honest I just rinse and clean my beans and then with a knife cut the ends off and then cut down to the size I need. It is rather quick to do and you still are left with incredible green beans. You can leave the tails on and just cut off the stems if you want. Or if you prefer the look get rid of the tails and stems so each side is a fresh cut.

Variations for Southern Green Beans

Depending on what recipe you come across will vary what the ingredients and method are. I wanted to share a few variations you can consider!

  • Instead of bacon do smoked ham or ham hocks
  • If you cook your bacon in the beans hold some back to top the beans when done to offer that crispy texture.
  • Add a splash (1 teaspoon) of white vinegar for acidity flavoring.
  • Some love sweetness so they add like 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons of sugar to the mixture.

Depending on where you live will depend on the type of recipe you grew up eating.

Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe - Simply Stacie (3)

What to Pair with Southern Green Beans

Truthfully these beans are versatile in flavor and truly can pair with almost any main dish. Let me share a few recipes I like to use this recipe as a side dish.

  • Maple Dijon Grilled Chicken
  • Orange Mustard Pork Tenderloin
  • Sour Cream Chicken Bake

How to Make Slow Cooker Southern Style Green Beans

Start by cooking your bacon in a skillet until it is cooked through. Then remove from the pan and chop it up into crumbles. Remove all but a teaspoon of the grease, and add in your onion to saute until tender. This takes around five minutes.

Then in your slow cooker pour in your broth, salt, onion, green beans, and cover and cook on low for 8 hours. You know when it is done because the beans will be tender.

Top with crumbled bacon and serve hot.

Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe - Simply Stacie (4)

Can You Use Canned Green Beans for Southern Green Beans

I have not tried using canned for this recipe. I think if you were to cook canned green beans for 8 hours they would be complete mush. You would probably want to drop down cook time to like 2-4 hours. But you might also lack some flavor since it is a low and slow cooking.

How to Store Your Leftover Green Beans

You can place all leftover green beans in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat you can warm up in the microwave or on the stove. If you do stove top add in some chicken stock to help add moisture to the beans as they warm up on low heat. Then serve as is, or dice up some fresh bacon and crumble on top if you want a slight crunch.

As you can see this recipe is really so easy to make. A handful of ingredients is all you need to get it cooking in your slow cooker. I have made this recipe for potlucks, family dinners, summer cookouts, and it is never a disappointment. Feel free to try this recipe and let me know what you think.

Have you ever made Southern green beans before?

Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe - Simply Stacie (5)

You’ll also like these Chili Buttered Green Beans.

Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe - Simply Stacie (6)

Rate this Recipe

4.60 from 5 votes

Southern-Style Green Beans

Created by Stacie Vaughan

Servings 4

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

The easiest 5-ingredient side dish! Salty bacon is the perfect companion for crisp green beans with a little onion and chicken broth. Yum!

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Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ lb green beans trimmed

Instructions

  • Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and reserve about 1 tsp of bacon grease in the pan. Add in onion and saute for another 5 minutes or until tender. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

  • Combine broth, salt, onion and green beans in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or until beans are tender. Transfer beans to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and serve hot.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 114kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 524mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine American

Keyword Southern-Style Green Beans

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FAQs

How does Julia Child cook green beans? ›

Pour 4 quarts of water and 2 Tbsp salt into a Dutch oven or large pot and bring to a boil. Add green beans and cook until soft and slightly overdone but not mushy, about 9 minutes. Drain green beans into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside to drain and dry.

Are green beans good for your stomach? ›

Green beans are full of fiber, which is an important nutrient for many reasons. Soluble fiber, in particular, may help to improve the health of your heart by lowering your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels. The fiber in green beans helps to keep your digestive system healthy and running smoothly.

Should you cook bacon before adding to beans? ›

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until much of the grease has been released, but bacon is still flexible. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Stir together baked beans, onion, apple, brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard in a 9-inch square baking dish until well combined.

Is it better to steam or boil fresh green beans? ›

Steaming is a simple way to cook vegetables, and it leaves the flavor and much of the nutrients intact. It's slightly healthier than boiling since fewer nutrients end up in the water. Plus, steaming requires little time and attention. A steamer basket is a great kitchen tool to have on hand.

What was Julia Child's favorite recipe? ›

Vichyssoise. Well-known as one of Julia Child's favorite dishes, this chilled leek and potato soup is startling in its simplicity. Aside from the leek, potato, and water, Child's version of the soup calls for barely any additional ingredients.

When should you not eat green beans? ›

Fresh green beans in good condition will feel firm and should snap apart when bent. Older green beans that feel limp and have started to develop a slimy texture are no longer safe to eat. If you see any fuzzy mold on them, they are definitely too bad to eat.

Do green beans cause gas or bloating? ›

Beans are a nutritious food packed with essential nutrients, but they can also cause gas and bloating due to their high fiber content. In addition, beans contain oligosaccharides, which are not easily digested in the small intestine and are fermented by bacteria in the large intestine, producing gas.

What happens to your body when you eat green beans? ›

The vegetable helps fight inflammation and is a good source of folate and potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Green beans also are a good source of protein and fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, Vadiveloo said. "Fiber is underconsumed by U.S. adults and children, and it's good for gut health," she said.

Why do people put water in the pan before cooking bacon? ›

The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders. Plus, since the water helps render the fat, there will be significantly less splatter as your bacon finishes in the pan.

What not to do when cooking beans? ›

13 Common Mistakes Everyone Makes With Beans
  1. Only eating canned beans. Ilia Nesolenyi/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Sticking to one type of bean. ...
  3. Not rinsing canned beans. ...
  4. Not rinsing and soaking dried beans. ...
  5. Cooking with hard water. ...
  6. Using acidic ingredients when cooking beans. ...
  7. Not adding aromatics. ...
  8. Overcooking your beans.
Jan 30, 2023

What makes green beans better? ›

A little butter, minced garlic, and lemon-pepper seasoning are all you need to bring the best out of fresh green beans.

Why are my steamed green beans tough? ›

It's “hard to cook,” HTC beans, for short. It is usually a problem with beans that have been stored for a long time, or which have not been stored in ideal conditions (too hot, etc.), most often because of their age, so most simply call it 'old beans.

Can dogs eat green beans? ›

Are Green Beans Safe for Dogs? Chopped, steamed, raw, or canned—all types of green beans are safe for dogs to eat, as long as they are plain. Green beans themselves are not only safe for dogs, but veterinarians also recommend them as a healthy treat. Best of all, dogs seem to love them.

What is Julia Child's cooking style? ›

Julia Child revolutionized American cuisine through her French cooking school, award-winning cookbooks, and world-renowned television programs by presenting an approachable version of sophisticated French cooking to her eager audience for four decades.

How to cook green beans Jamie Oliver? ›

Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Meanwhile, trim the the beans. Once the water is boiling, steam or boil the beans until tender. Drain well, then tip the cooked beans into the bowl with your dressing and toss everything together, making sure all the beans get coated.

Why cook green beans in baking soda? ›

Your Beans Will Cook Faster

Well, creating an alkaline (or basic) environment by adding a small amount (about 1 teaspoon per cup of dry beans) of baking soda to your soaking/cooking water can actually help your beans cook faster.

Did Julia Child know how do you cook? ›

Child repeatedly recalled her first meal at La Couronne in Rouen as a culinary revelation; once, she described the meal of oysters, sole meunière, and fine wine to The New York Times as "an opening up of the soul and spirit for me." In 1951, she graduated from the famous Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris and later ...

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