Today, I’m sharing a very easy and delicious side dish: Green Beans with Bacon!
They are perfect for any occasion, but especially for the holidays. It’s a classic! There are so many ways to make it, but sautéd green beans with bacon are my absolute favorite.
Below I include my best tips on how to cook green beans perfectly so that they stay crisp and bright green, while ensuring they are packed with flavor like no other.
Green beans with bacon is a classic side dish that is sure to please everyone at the table. It’s simple to make, quick to cook, and full of flavor. It’s perfect for a weeknight meal or a special occasion like Thanksgiving.
Even if you’re not a fan of green beans, you will love this green beans with bacon recipe!
It has it all: a lovely green color, a crisp and crunchy texture, and a TON of flavor from the bacon fat, garlic, and shallots.
It’s a simple and quick recipe, made with easy to find ingredients that you may already have at home.
Speaking of green beans…check out my Lemon Green Beans and Green Beans with Tahini! Other awesome vegetable sides to try: Roasted Brussels Sprout and Butternut Squash, Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts, and Cauliflower Gratin.
Why we LOVE this green beans with bacon side dish:
- Quick and easy: Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy nights.
- Packed with flavor: We all enjoy perfectly crispy bacon bits, but when you cook green beans in bacon fat, it takes it to the next level.
- Great color and texture: The ice bath technique ensures the beans remain vibrant green and perfectly crisp tender and crunchy.
- Great side dish for everyday dinners and for the holidays. It’s a very popular Thanksgiving recipe as well!
Jump to:
It’s all About the Bacon
Bacon is THE SECRET here! Cooking the beans in the rendered bacon fat adds a rich flavor that transforms this side dish into something special. The smokiness gives it a delicious flavor that goes well with the fresh taste of beans. So, no matter what, don’t discard that bacon fat!
The Trick to Crunchy Green Beans: An Ice Bath!
The key to maintaining the vibrant green color is a simple ice bath. By plunging the freshly cooked beans into icy water, you stop the cooking process immediately, preserving both the color and texture.
This process is called blanching. To do it, first cook the beans in boiling salted water for 4 to 6 minutes or until they are crisp tender and bright green. Then, using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to the ice bath.
If you don’t have ice handy, run the cooked green beans under very cold water as soon as they are done. You may even undercook them by 1 minute or so.
Ingredient Notes
Only a few basic ingredients are needed to make this green beans with bacon side dish. As always, the quantities can be found in the recipe card down below, but here are a few helpful notes to start:
- Green beans: Washed and ends trimmed. You can use regular green beans, or French green beans.
- Bacon: The bacon is used in two ways in this dish. First, the crispy bacon is added to the green beans. Second, the bacon fat is used to cook the green beans, which is the key to the dish’s flavor.
- Garlic and shallots: These are our main aromatics for an extra punch of flavor.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes: Optional, if you prefer a touch of heat.
- Ice cubes and water for the ice bath: Essential for keeping the beans bright green.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Green beans with bacon is a highly requested side dish in our household, and it’s really easy to make! Here’s a quick tutorial.
Step 1 | Cook the green beans
To begin, wash and trim the green beans. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is boiling, prepare an ice bath by combining water and ice in a large bowl.
Cook the green beans in the boiling water for about 5 minutes until crisp and bright green.
Step 2 | Transfer to an Ice Bath
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, quickly transfer the green beans (leave the boiling water behind) to the prepared ice bath. Once it’s completely ice cold, drain the water and transfer the beans to a plate and pat dry with paper towel.
Step 3 | Cook bacon
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy and chop into small pieces. Leave about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet.
Step 4 | Sauté aromatics and green beans
Sauté garlic and shallots, then add the beans, cooking them in the bacon fat to infuse flavor.
Step 5 | Add bacon
Stir in the chopped bacon..and done! Easy peasy. You’ll love how easy and delicious green beans with bacon are!
Prep Ahead Tips
I’d recommend making bacon green beans the same day you’re serving. While it does store well in the fridge, cooked green beans tend to lose their crispness and color overnight.
However, there are a few things you can do to prep ahead and save time later. These tips are especially helpful if you’re making it for Thanksgiving:
- Wash and trim the beans in advance. Pat dry and store in a resealable bag or container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- Precook the bacon and store the bacon fat.
- Mince and slice garlic and shallots in advance.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
If you’re looking for more green beans recipes, try my favorite Lemon Green Beans or Green Beans with Tahini.
In terms of everyday main dish pairing, I always make this side dish whenever I make Pork Chops with Apples or Spinach Stuffed Chicken.
Although this is a great everyday side dish, green beans with bacon are especially popular during Thanksgiving, and it pairs really well with a Juicy Slow Cooked Turkey Breast, Roast Beef Tenderloin, Brined Turkey Breast, and Turkey Roulade.
More side dish ideas for the holidays:
Recipe FAQs
It’s just water and ice in a large bowl, where you’ll add the cooked ingredients to “shock” them. This process immediately stops the cooking process and keeps vegetables crisp and bright in color.
If you don’t have ice handy, run the green beans through very cold water until completely cooled. You may also undercook by 1 minute to account for this.
Yes, you may also use turkey bacon instead.
You could but they may turn pale in color and not be crunchy. I’d recommend using fresh.
While I do not suggest preparing this dish in its entirety in advance, you can prepare several of the ingredients ahead of time.
This recipe was published in 2021 and updated in August 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- Pick green beans that have very fewer blemishes or brown spots. The fresher they are, the better.
- Don’t overcook the beans. Once the water boils, 4 to 6 minutes is all you need.
- Remember not to discard the bacon fat after you’re done cooking the bacon. You’ll need about 2 to 3 tablespoons to cook the beans.
- Don’t skip the ice bath; it’s key for the color and texture. If you don’t have access to ice, run it through cold water immediately after draining through a colander until cold.
- If you want even crunchier beans, undercook them by 1 minute or until desired level of doneness.
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Green Beans with Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds green beans, washed and ends trimmed
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper - to taste
- Red pepper flakes - optional, to taste
Ice bath
- Ice cubes
- Water
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring generously salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, set up the ice bath: In a large bowl, combine water and ice (enough water to fully submerge the green beans and enough ice to keep the water ice cold). Set aside.
- Cook green beans for 4 to 6 minutes in the boiling water or until they are crisp tender and bright green. Drain and transfer to the prepared ice bath. You could also transfer them straight from the pot using tongs. Let them get fully cold, about 5-8 minutes. Then, remove green beans from the ice bath and pat dry with paper towel.
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Then, transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and chop. Set aside. Leave about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet.
- Add garlic and shallots to the skillet with the bacon fat, and cook until fragrant and slightly golden brown for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Add the green beans and bacon to the skillet, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, tossing until coated and warm. Season with salt, pepper and red chili flakes to taste. Serve warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh green beans. Don’t use canned or frozen green beans – they will turn out soft, mushy, and pale.
- Pick green beans that have very fewer blemishes or brown spots. The fresher they are, the better.
- If you don’t have access to ice, run it through cold water immediately after draining through a colander until cold. You may also undercook by 1 minute to account for this.
- For crisp and bright green results, cook green beans for about 4 to 6 minutes. But really, it’s a matter of preference. Taste test the green beans every 2 minutes until they are cook to your liking.
- Green beans: French green beans (aka haricort verts).
- Bacon fat: If you prefer not to cook with bacon fat, use olive oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil.
- Shallots: Yellow onions.
Jessica says
Love this one! So delicious and easy to make!