Southern Green Beans are slow-cooked string beans with onion, garlic, and crisp bacon. The end result is heavenly: scrumptious, tender, melt-in-your-mouth green beans.
These are not to be confused with northern-style green beans, which are cooked crisp and tender, sometimes with crispy bacon or just a bit of butter, garlic, salt, and pepper.
My family adores these Southern Green Beans! Boy, do I love some Southern cooking!! Southern cooking brings comfort, like fluffy slippers, to cold feet. Southern cooking is a cure-all for whatever ails you and may be the best regional cooking ever!!! These Southern Green Beans are no exception to that rule. I could quite literally eat these with every meal, perhaps even breakfast. If you have never tried these, you MUST give them a whirl.
As with most good Southern comfort food, all you need is a little time as it simmers for an hour or so. Now, isn’t that how the South rolls, like a fine-oiled machine?! These Southern Green Beans combine fresh green beans, smoked bacon, and onion into the most mouth-watering side dish imaginable. Prep is a breeze, and your family will be singing your praises.
How to cook fresh green beans Southern-style
Folks, it does not get much easier than this. First, It takes a little patience while they cook, but I am sure you have other chores to attend to. Then brown your bacon, and add your onions and garlic. Remove these and set them aside. Add your trimmed green beans, chicken broth, and seasoning using the same pot without removing the bacon fat. Simmer for at least one hour and drain the chicken broth. Add the bacon, onion, and garlic to the green beans and heat over low for a few minutes.
How to season Southern Green Beans.
Seasoning can be very personal with people, so here are some options for my whole spectrum of readers. For those of you who like a lot of flavor (myself included), add some Cajun seasoning. You can include anything from a one-half teaspoon to a full teaspoon. Readers with a more sensitive palate that want to tone it down can add a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes and about a half teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper and salt. For those who like it toned way down, just one-half teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper and salt should be enough seasoning. Any combination of the above is also good, as most people know their seasoning tolerance.
What to serve with Southern Green Beans
Oh heavens. The possibilities are indeed endless.
- Fried chicken and mashed potatoes
- Oven-baked beef brisket and mac n cheese
- Honey ham and baked beans
- Smoked sausage and cheesy grits
- Barbecued ribs and corn on the cob
- Fried catfish and okra
- Pork tenderloin and macaroni salad
These amazing Southern Green Beans are easy, dependable, and delicious. What are you waiting for? They are a must-try. Put the ingredients on your shopping list today!
More Southern Recipe
Easy Southern Green Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lbs fresh green beans trimmed
- 2 1/2 – 3-1/2 cups chicken broth
- Optional 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning please see notes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until almost completely browned. Add the onion and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Turn heat to low and add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Remove the bacon/onion mixture to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Reserve the bacon grease. Do not wash the saucepan.
- Add the green beans and enough chicken broth to cover the green beans. Add the Cajun seasoning.
- Bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain chicken broth, return bacon/onion mixture, and heat for 1-2 minutes. Add butter, stir, and serve. If needed, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Readers with a more sensitive palate that want to tone it down can add a couple of pinches of crushed red pepper and about a half teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper and salt. For those of you who really like it toned way down, just one-half teaspoon each of fresh cracked pepper and salt should be enough seasoning. Any combination of the above is good as well, as most people know their seasoning tolerance.
- Try adding a ham hock or smoked sausage to the simmering beans. Or chunks of red potatoes or new potatoes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
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Carrie
This recipe is amazing I am always looking for new things to cook I have make this recipe for at least a year now and my whole family loves it and everyone that I have made it for loves it even picky kids love them. Great job and thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Carrie! I am so glad that the whole family love it! You made my day with such nice complements!
J.l. Mosley
Have you ever fried the green beans in the bacon fat for a few minutes before adding onion, water, salt & pepper? You don’t need anything else . ? potatoes can be added close to end of 1-2 hours of slow cooking. Now that’s Missouri style. Oh, add the cut up bacon at the end.
Andrea
I’m glad I read your review that mentioned the potatoes. My grandmother always added potatoes and I completely forgot until you mentioned it. I always loved her cooking so I definitely will be adding potatoes when I make this recipe.
Debi
Can I use beef broth instead of chicken?
Beth Pierce
I have never tried. My gut instinct tells me no but if you have already tried please let me know how they turn out.
Eddie
Hello if you drain off all liquid how do you reheat them or can you keep in juices in pot
Beth Pierce
You don’t have to have the liquid in there to reheat on a low temp. You can also throw in 1-2 tablespoons of butter.
Eddie
Thank you
C
Thank you for a delicious way to cook green beans! I ate the leftover green beans for dinner the next night. That’s all, those green beans. They are so good I didn’t crave anything else. I’m going to have green beans a lot more often!
Beth Pierce
Awesome! So glad that you liked them. We love them too! They are one of our favorites!
Dani
Do you dice the bacon before or after cooking? Excited to try this out!
Beth Pierce
Before but you honestly could do it either way. I am making this tonight for my family! They love them so much!
Sarah
These were fantastic, thank you!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure Sarah! So glad that you liked them!!
Amanda
Can you do this recipe with frozen green beans?
Beth Pierce
I suppose in a pinch you could however you are going to have to judge the cooking time based on when the beans are soft and tender. I have never done it with frozen beans so I can not advise on the timing.
Marie
Now I understand! I’m a Southern California native born to 2 Southern California natives. My mom always made green beans like this. As my sister and I got older we wondered why on earth mom always overcooked the green beans! My mother’s daddy was pure Texan, and he taught my grandmother to cook. Our beans weren’t overcooked, they were Southern Cooked! Thank you for solving our mystery!!
Beth Pierce
Sure no problem. The nation is definitely divided on how to cook green beans! LOL! I love my beans like this!!
Brandi
I can’t wait to try this out for Thanksgiving!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much!
rebecca
I have to thank you for this recipe. I have to tell you, I was very concerned about the simmering time and I had to delete the onion. But this was the first time in 40 years that I was excited to put green beans on the table.
Beth Pierce
Okay cool. If you are super concerned, than test them after a little while. This recipe is for super tender green beans. My husband adores them. I sure hope you love them as much as we do!
Martha
Can you do this in the crock pot ?
Beth Pierce
Yes I am sure that you can if you brown your bacon separately in a skillet.
Phyllis
Seems like a long time to cook the beans??
Beth Pierce
Some people love them and some people don’t. Most northerners hate their beans this way and most southerners love them. We live in the Midwest and we love them.
Steve
Can you tell me how many servings this is for?
Beth Pierce
4-6 depending on how many other things are being served with the meal
Timothy Winkler
Great stuff, been making this with the odd potato, carrot or corn on the cob mixed in for about a year now. Always a big hit. Thank you for posting it!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much! You are most welcome. My pleasure! Great ideas about your add ins!
DeeDee
This is the best recipe I’ve tried for true Southern Green Beans. Made exactly as instructed. I give it 5 star. Will definitely be in my rotation. Thank you.
Beth Pierce
Thank you so much! So glad that you loved them! Makes my day!
Mary Lopez
Do you cook every thing in the bacon grease then after drain it?
Beth Pierce
No I do not drain it unless their is an excessive amount of grease. A little bacon grease in the chicken broth while they are simmering will help flavor them.
Kathy
IIs the nutritional information for this recipe available?
Beth Pierce
No I am sorry. However there are places on the internet where you can plug in the ingredients and get the nutritional stats.
Debbie
How many does this feed and can this be cooked in a crockpot?
Beth Pierce
It serves 8. You can but hold off cooking the bacon and onions until the green beans are tender in the crock pot. This will take about 6-8 hours on low. Once the green beans are tender you can drain the chicken broth and add the bacon, onion and butter.
Leigh Ford
whoopsie. I boiled the bacon and onion with the beans….
Beth Pierce
How did it turn out? Accidents happen while cooking!
Cindy H
Excellent Southern green bean recipe… Cajun seasoning gives it a great mild kick. This will be go to!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Cindy! So glad that you enjoy them!