Southern Green Beans
Published Oct 06, 2022 Updated Oct 30, 2025
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These Southern Green Beans are the ultimate sidekick, slow-cooked all day with bacon, butter, onions, and garlic. They’re a perfect pairing for any dish and a must-have for holiday feasts or BBQ gatherings.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Great
These Southern Green Beans will become a weekly staple side dish. They pair perfectly with everything and are bursting with flavor. I grew up with my mom and grandmother making these green beans, and I’ll never prepare them any other way. They truly are the best. And if you love this recipe, you must try my Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
- Canned cut green beans– You can also use French Style Green Beans. They are both delicious in this recipe.
- Chicken broth, Beef Broth or water– For extra flavor, I always add chicken broth. Water will work also.
- Ghee: or you can use regular or vegan butter
- Bacon: can sub ham
- Yellow onion
- Garlic cloves
- Salt/pepper
- Garlic and onion Powder
Step-By-Step
- Place a large pot over low heat. Add the butter, garlic, and onions. Cook until fragrant, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add the bacon and allow it to cook for another minute or so.
- Transfer the cans of green beans, undrained, along with the chicken broth and seasoning to the onion mixture.
- Cook uncovered for 6-7 hours on low heat. Be sure to check on the green beans periodically. As they cook, they may start to run low on liquid, so add more chicken broth or water as needed. If they don’t have enough liquid, they may shrivel and become crispy.
- Once the beans are done cooking, remove the bacon, chop it into smaller pieces if desired, and then add it back to the green beans.
- Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking.
Mac’s Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Liquid Addition: Add liquid throughout the cooking process: Throughout the day, be sure to check on the green beans. If the liquid gets low, add either chicken broth or water to cover the green beans. Without this step, they may burn and shrivel up.
- Bacon: For the best flavor, make sure to add whole slices of bacon to the pot of green beans during the cooking process. When you’re ready to serve, you can either cut the bacon into small pieces and mix it in or remove it. The main purpose of the bacon is to infuse flavor into the beans.
- Cook Time: Cook on low for an extended period. On Sundays, I double my recipe and cook it all day. We enjoy some of the green beans for Sunday night dinner and have enough leftovers for the entire week.
- Crockpot: While you can cook the green beans in a crockpot, they may not have the same depth of flavor as when cooked on the stovetop. I’ve tried several times, but they just don’t compare to the stovetop version.
Storage
- Refrigeration: Once the green beans have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you have a large batch, consider dividing it into smaller portions for easier storage.
- Freezing (Optional): If you have a surplus of southern green beans and want to keep them for a longer period, you can freeze them. First, let them cool completely, then transfer them to airtight, freezer-safe containers or resealable plastic bags. Ensure you remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Frozen southern green beans can be stored for up to 10-12 months.
ecipe in the crockpot on low for about 6 hours. They’ll still be tasty, but I’ll be honest, the stovetop version has that deeper, old-fashioned flavor that just can’t be beat
Canned green beans really are the best for this recipe. You can use fresh, but they just won’t get that same tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture or flavor. You can swap in French-style green beans if you prefer a different texture
For sure. A lot of traditional Southern green bean recipes use ham, but I prefer the flavor and richness that come from the extra fat in the bacon.
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Southern Green Beans
Ingredients
- 3-4 14.5 oz cans cut green beans undrained
- 3 cups beef or chicken broth (I like beef broth for more flavor)
- 4 slices bacon diced if desired
- 1/2-1 medium yellow onion diced or sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a large pot over low heat. Add the butter, garlic, and onions. Cook until fragrant, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Next, add the bacon and allow it to cook for a few minutes until browned. You can do diced or whole bacon here.
- Transfer the cans of green beans, undrained, along with the beef or chicken broth and seasoning to the onion mixture.
- Cook uncovered for 6-7 hours on low heat. Be sure to check on the green beans periodically. As they cook, they may start to run low on liquid, add more broth or water as needed. I like the tops of the green beans to get slightly crispy on the top.
- Once the beans are done cooking, remove the bacon if you left it whole, chop it into smaller pieces if desired, and then add it back to the green beans.
- Taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking.
Notes
- You can swap in French-style green beans if you prefer a different texture.
- For the liquid, use chicken broth, beef broth, or even water. I highly recommend beef broth. It gives the beans a rich, savory flavor that really sets them apart.
- As the beans cook, check on them occasionally to make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot. You’ll want the beans to stay just slightly covered at all times.
- You can also make this recipe in the crockpot on low for about 6 hours. They’ll still be tasty, but I’ll be honest—the stovetop version has that deeper, old-fashioned flavor that just can’t be beat.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
- And here’s my Southern secret: canned green beans really are the best for this recipe. You can use fresh, but they just won’t get that same tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture or flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It’s mind-blowing how far you can go with just a few very simple ingredients 💛
An absolute joy to eat and a treat for colder days.
One thing to note though: I’ve added less than a teaspoon of salt for this amount of beans and liquid and it came out quite salty, so I had to adjust later on with water. So maybe try cooking without salt first & check if you need it at the end.
Thank you for this great recipe!
Thank you so much! Yes, you can always adjust the seasoning to suit your taste.
I’ve been cooking green beans for many many years but they’ve never turn out as good as when I used this recipe! This is a keeper for sure! Thank you!
I gave it a five , yet I haven’t cooked em , cause they sound delicious.
Questions:
Do you prefer chicken or beef stock( broth) .. you say prefer chicken , then in actual recipe it says beef?
Also where’s the crispy part , isn’t the only way to achieve would be to let that broth cook down to almost nothing ? I’ve achieved that ( accidentally) with fresh beans due to cooking liquid down until it’s almost non existent. Just wanting to clarify. Thanks
The recipe lists chicken broth, but I prefer beef broth for a richer, deeper flavor. Also, as the beans simmer on the stove if you don’t stir them frequently the top layer can form a crispy crust.