You’re going to love how easy it is to make these bacon wrapped green bean bundles! Crisp tender beans, smoky bacon, and a brown sugar balsamic glaze on top make the perfect holiday side dish!
They’re as good as our skillet green beans with bacon, but something about wrapping them into bundles makes them feel extra special. I hope you love them!
These fun bacon wrapped green beans are THE best! I especially love how well the savory and smoky bacon pairs so well with the garlicky brown sugar balsamic glaze. It’s the perfect way to add elegance to what is really a simple side dish.
While I love making these green bean bundles for Thanksgiving and the holidays, they are great year-round too. These bacon wrapped green beans are always a hit when I make them for friends and family! You can even assemble ahead and bake later.
And if green beans are a must on your holiday table, you won’t want to miss my Green Bean Casserole with Fresh Green Beans recipe, or try Lemon Green Beans for zesty flavors.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Simple, fun, elegant. There’s something extra special about wrapping your veggies in bacon.
- The brown sugar balsamic glaze! I was actually surprised at how well the garlicky, sweet and tangy glaze paired with the bacon.
- A handful of ingredients. This recipe is really simple. Only 6 basic ingredients!
Ingredient Notes
Below, I included a few ingredient notes from our rounds of recipe testing that I hope you find helpful to make my bacon wrapped green bean bundles.
- French green beans: When buying, make sure they’re all even length for even cooking, and trim the ends. I like to use French green beans since they have pretty pointy ends that you don’t need to trim.
- Salt: For blanching the beans. It adds flavor when you salt the water. Otherwise, they will taste bland.
- Ice and water: For the ice bath. Once the beans are cooked, the ice cold shock stops the cooking process and keeps the beans looking bright green.
- Bacon: For each bundle, use only half of a bacon strip, otherwise it will get too thick and won’t cook properly. I use applewood smoked bacon because I love the flavor, but any will do. Or you can also use turkey bacon.
- For the brown sugar balsamic glaze: Unsalted butter, minced garlic, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, water, salt and pepper.
Full quantities in the recipe card down below.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Not only is assembling these bacon green bean bundles easy, it’s also really fun. Let’s make them!
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the beans for only 4-5 minutes until just crisp-tender, preferably on the crunchier side, since they will continue cooking in the oven.
Step 2: Immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking and preserve the bright green color.
Step 3: Pat dry the beans thoroughly. Otherwise, they can get soggy.
Step 4: To make the sauce, in a skillet, melt butter and sauté the garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then, stir in brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and water and let that simmer for 2 minutes, until thickened to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5: Cut the strips of bacon in half. For each bundle, wrap about 6-7 beans with a half strip of bacon. Place them seam side down on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Step 6: Brush with half of the prepared glaze. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, brushing them with the remaining glaze halfway through. Once the bacon is cooked and caramelized, your green bean bundles are ready to serve.
Tips for Success
- I use French green beans because they are thinner with pretty, pointy ends, and tend to be more tender.
- Buy beans that are about the same length. Otherwise, trim them to equal length. They’ll cook evenly and look nicer in the bundle.
- Do not over-blanch the green beans since they will finish cooking in the oven. Otherwise, they’ll end up overcooked and possibly mushy.
- Make sure to thoroughly pat them dry so they don’t get soggy in the oven.
- Use only half of a slice of regular bacon per bundle. That way they’ll crisp up nicely and be cooked by the time the beans are done.
- For the brown sugar balsamic glaze, adjust the level of thickness by adding a splash or more of water as needed.
Recipe FAQs
Not for this recipe. Green bean bundles should be sturdy. Canned or frozen will get soggy and won’t allow the bacon to get crispy.
No, it’ll cook up nicely once it’s in the oven. This is why I recommend using half a strip and avoiding thick cut bacon.
Wrap them pretty tightly, and place the seam side down on the sheet pan. Once they are in the oven, the bacon will cook and keep the beans wrapped.
Yes! You can wrap them ahead, and wait until ready to bake to glaze them.
Make Ahead Instructions
Blanch the beans, wrap them in bacon, and store them airtight overnight in the fridge. You can transfer them to an airtight container or simply cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap.
You can also make the glaze and store it separately in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
Once you are ready to bake, brush your bacon wrapped green bean bundles with the glaze and bake as directed. It’s that simple!
Pairing and Serving Ideas
For an unforgettable holiday feast, complete your meal with the other sides:
Favorite Thanksgiving main dish pairings: Dry Brine Turkey, Brown Sugar Glazed Ham, Turkey Roulade with Stuffing.
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Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Equipment
- Large sheet pan or use two
Ingredients
- 2 pounds French green beans - if using regular green beans, trim the ends
- Salt - for blanching the beans
- 10 slices bacon
- Ice cubes - for the ice bath
Brown sugar balsamic glaze
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar - semi-packed
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar - plus more to taste
- ¼ cup water - to thin out the glaze, plus more as needed
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan (or use two sheet pans) with parchment paper and set aside.
- Blanch green beans: In a large pot, bring water to a boil, enough to fully submerge the beans, and season with salt. Add the beans and blanch them for about 4-5 minutes until just crisp tender, they will finish cooking in the oven. Don't overcook. Tip: Adding salt to the water (about 1/2 tablespoon or to taste) will make sure the beans are seasoned and not bland.
- Transfer to ice water bath: Once the beans are done, immediately transfer to an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. This will preserve the color and crisp texture of the green beans.
- Make the glaze: In a skillet, melt butter and saute the garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and water. Bring to a low simmer for about 2 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Assemble: Cut the bacon strips in half. For each bundle, wrap about 6-7 green beans with half of a strip of bacon until secured. Arrange them wrapped side down on the lined sheet pan. Brush with half of the prepared glaze, reserving the rest for later.
- Bake: Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, brushing them again with the remaining glaze halfway through. They are ready when the bacon is fully cooked through and caramelized. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- I use French green beans because they are slimmer and more tender. Plus they have pretty pointy ends.
- If using regular beans, make sure they are about the same length and trim the ends.
- Blanch briefly: Cook the green beans for just 4-5 minutes. They should stay crisp-tender since they finish cooking in the oven. Otherwise they can turn mushy.
- An ice bath is essential: Shocking the beans in ice water stops the cooking and keeps them bright green. They need to look pretty!
- Make sure to fully pat dry the beans after they are out of the ice bath.
- Use half-strips of bacon per bundle. A full slice is too thick and won’t cook properly. Don’t use thick-cut bacon.
- Make ahead. Blanch, dry, and wrap the beans in bacon up to 24 hours in advance. Store tightly covered on a baking sheet or in an airtight container. When ready to bake: Brush the bundles with the glaze and bake as instructed.
Patty says
The best part about these little bundles is the balsamic glaze!
Tania says
Thank you! The glaze is also my favorite part!