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
- Southern hoppin’ John
- 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
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
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
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!!
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!