Southern Green Beans
Published Oct 06, 2022 Updated Oct 29, 2023
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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 or water– For extra flavor, I always add chicken broth. Water will work also.
- Ghee: or you can use regular or vegan butter
- Bacon
- 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.
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Southern Green Beans
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.
Ingredients
- 3-4 14.5 oz cans cut green beans undrained
- 3 cups chicken broth or water
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 medium yellow onion sliced and torn into pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
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 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.
Notes
- You can sub French style green beans for cut green beans.
- As for the liquid, you can use chicken broth or water. I love using chicken broth because it give the beans a lot of great flavors.
- Be sure to check back on the beans frequently to make sure it has enough liquid. Make sure there is always liquid slightly covering the beans.
- You can cook in the crockpot on low for 6 hours. However, I just don’t like them as well as the stovetop version. They will not taste the same, but they are still good.
- Store any leftover green beans in Tupperware and in the fridge for up to one week.
- Canned green beans are the best. You can use fresh but it will not taste near as good as canned.
- 7 NET carbs per serving
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 594mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @healthylittlepeach or tag #healthylittlepeach!
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!