by HollyGreen Beans with bacon is one of our all time favorite side dishes!
Fresh green beans are sauteed with bacon and garlic until tender crisp. A squeeze of fresh lemon is added just before serving making these the perfect easy side!
For a main meal, we often eat a lean protein such as chicken or pork tenderloin and serve it with simple sides. I try to add a small portion of starch such as Garlic Butter Rice or Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes and then I add a fresh salad and veggies.
I tend to opt for veggies that are simple and don’t require a huge list of complex ingredients (and stick to about 10 minutes or so). These green beans with bacon fit the bill perfectly!
Bacon, green beans, garlic, a splash of lemon and seasoning to taste and you have yourself the most delicious side dish in just minutes; and everyone will rave about it!
Truth be told, the secret to this easy side is the bacon, if you put bacon in a dish it’s pretty obvious that everyone’s going to love it!
In this recipe the little bit of bacon grease left in the pan is used to replace butter or oil which adds lots of extra flavor (without lots of effort).
Garlic is a super aromatic and even just a little bit adds a lot to this recipe. Believe it or not, garlic actually contains a lot of natural sugars (like onions) so it can burn quickly so it is added to this recipe just for the last few minutes.
As amazing as fresh garlic is, I keep a jar of minced garlic on hand at all times. It is so easy to add garlic to any dish when you can simply scoop out whatever amount you need.
When cooking green beans, you want to ensure they’re cooked just until tender crisp so they don’t end up soggy.
You can use frozen green beans (or even canned green beans) in this recipe but I strongly suggest fresh for the very best flavor and texture.
This recipe can easily be modified for other veggies such as brussels sprouts, cauliflower or asparagus. If using other veggies, depending on the cook time, you may need to add a little chicken stock to help them cook along the way.
If you’d like to kick up the heat a bit, toss in a few chili flakes!
When you are deciding what side dish to accompany a delicious meal like Spinach Stuffed Pork Tenderloin look no further than this Bacon Green Beans recipe!
Super simple and loaded with flavor, it will become a go to side dish in your home for sure!
Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 Pounds Green Beans washed, ends trimmed
- 6 slices of raw bacon chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt and black pepper to taste
- lemon wedge optional
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Instructions
- Place chopped bacon into a frying pan and cook until crispy
- Remove bacon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel
- Discard all but 1 tablespooon (approx.. this doesn’t have to be exact) of bacon drippings
Turn heat to medium. Add Green Beans to pan and cook until they are lightly browned, stirring occasionally (about 8 minutes).
Add garlic, bacon and squeeze the lemon wedge over the beans. Toss and cook for 1 minute more.
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
This was delicious. The only change I made was to blanch and dry the green beans, which helped them get done faster on a hot skillet. Thank you!
Great tip Sarah!
Very good! I only had room in my pan for 1# of green beans because I chose the wrong pan, but it was so easy and delicious. Will definitely make again.
Thanks Deanna, glad you loved it!
I’m adding crushed pistachios and diced green onions.
Sounds delicious, thank you for sharing!
The beginning talks about garlic but it’s not listed in the ingredients. Are you supposed to put garlic in it?
I apologize for the confusion, I’ve updated my recipe system and this one was pulling an older version of the recipe. I’ve updated it.
This is also delicious done on the grill.
Oooohhh, that WOULD be yummy!! Great idea!
Gave it a try with lemon and mushrooms. AWESOME
Sounds delicious to me Karnett!
I had never tried this one with bacon. But, it sounds to me, I love green beans recipe. Can’t wait to prepared this one. Thanks, for sharing this recipe with us.
Enjoy! :)
Will canned green beans work for this recipe?
You can use canned or frozen green beans in this recipe but I strongly suggest fresh for the very best flavor and texture.
Is the lemon just for extra flavor…I am asking because I have a family member allergic to citrus fruits….
Yes, it’s for flavor and could definitely be skipped.
I also put in fresh mushrooms and garlic.. yummy ..
Do you cook the greenbeans first?
No, just in the frying pan. This keeps them tender crisp!
This recipe gets twice as awesome if you add some chopped sweet onion and some red and yellow sweet peppers to it.
That is our favorite way to enjoy green beans …. we add some crumbled Feta sprinkled over before serving …. puts us ‘over the top’ on the “enjoyment” meter.
Oh that sounds so delicious!! I’m going to try that next time I make it!