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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Regine
I don’t normally like Southern Style green beans but this recipe made me love it! Definitely making it again and again. Thank you for this recipe.
Beth Pierce
That is awesome Regine! So glad that you liked them! We love them too!
Althea
I have never had green beans this way before…usually I just warm up a can of green beans in a pot. But this recipe is at the top of the chart!!!! I have already made these 3 times and we just love, love, love them. Super easy and very tasty. As a matter of fact, I just finished making a pot of them this evening.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Althea! We love them too! They are my favorite way to eat green beans!
Nichole
I made this for dinner yesterday and it turned out delicious and I will definitely be making this again in the near future. I just added a couple of teaspoons of chicken bullion with my chicken broth and it was great. My boyfriend inhaled them and kept telling me how good they were.. Thank you for this recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome Nichole! I am so glad that you liked them! My husband and son just love these green beans.
Josey
Perfection! I’m going to add diced potatoes next time just to see. Wish me luck!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Josey! It will be delicious!
Viena Pagan
Great taste!
Viena Pagan
My sister and I both have high cholesterol and blood pressure issues however I find that I just do some adjusting to recipes like this one to make it more nutritious. It still remains delicious. I use only 2 slices of lower sodium bacon. Fry it alone. Dump the grease. Than I add it to the recipe. I also use low sodium chicken broth and unsalted butter . I add more minded garlic to enhance the taste
Beth Pierce
Great ideas! Thanks for all the great tips. Yes I use low sodium chicken broth and unsalted butter as well,
Christine @ myblissfulmess
So easy and so yummy! This is my new favorite way to eat green beans. This side dish will go great with any main entrée. I used ½ tsp Cajun seasoning and it was not spicy at all, which is perfect for me. It was flavorful and delicious! You could certainly do without the Cajun seasoning if you prefer and it would still be amazing! Just a little prep, and let it cook. It’s that easy! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Bob Estrada
These have been a hit for the last two years. I’ve cooked 4lb of green beans at a time and need 3-32 oz of chicken stock.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Bob! Cooking mine right now. I am running a little late this year.
MommySofia
Can I use canned green bean instead of fresh? I made this once before they came out just right. But my boyfriend got this super big can of green beans and I want to use it.
Beth Pierce
They are not going to as good but you probably need to use up that can. I would simply just do step one and cook the bacon, onion garlic. Then add the drained green beans and a couple pinches of cayenne!
Carina
We love green beans, always nice to find other ways to present them.
Jacqueline Meldrum
I don’t cook green beans enough. You’ve now left me in the mood for green beans.
Danielle Wolter
Cooking green beans with bacon is one of my favorite ways to have them. Such a delicious recipe!
Tisha
I love southern style green beans made like this! So good and flavorful!
Veena Azmanov
Definitely a unique style recipe. Green Beans sounds healthy. Perfect for an awesome Dinner option.
Yvonne
My mother always made these wonderful beans with a chunk of streak-o-lean or fatback. She let the water boil out and let the beans fry in the grease a few minutes. We didn’t know what garlic was but onions and black pepper went in everything. I have a pot cooking right now with just bacon and onions and a dash of Ms Dash. Can’t wait!
Beth Pierce
Sounds delicious Yvonne! Enjoy! I bet it smells fabulous too!
Brian Croswhite
We’ve been making these beans “Southern style” for years, following as closely as memory is possible the great green beans from the Social Grill in Birmingham long ago. Your recipe is right on! We add a couple of large-dice new potatoes along with the onions, bacon and red pepper flakes right from the start. So glad to see this recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Brian! So glad that you enjoyed the green beans! They are very delicious!!