Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon
Crockpot green beans with bacon are soft, smoky and full of flavor, the kind of side that disappears first at a holiday dinner. Bacon, onion and a little brown sugar cook right into the beans over a few hours.
8
servings15
minutes5
hoursGreen beans simmer with crisp bacon, sweet onion and garlic in a lightly sweet, savory broth. The beans turn silky and soak up all the smoky flavor.
Ingredients
2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped in half
8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until browned but not fully crisp. Move it to a paper towel and keep 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
- Cook the onion in the drippings for 3 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Put the green beans in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the bacon, onion mixture, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika and red pepper flakes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and vinegar and stir everything together.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
- Stir once halfway through if possible.
- The beans are ready when they are soft and have taken on a dull olive color, with no crunch left.
- Stir in the butter until it melts.
- Taste for salt, sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
- Frozen green beans work if you add 30 minutes. Canned beans only need 2 hours to heat through. Leftovers keep 4 days, and the flavor deepens overnight.
Why slow-cooked green beans with bacon taste so good
This is the Southern style of green beans, cooked until soft and silky rather than crisp. The long, gentle simmer lets the beans absorb the bacon, onion and broth, so each bite carries the smoky flavor all the way through.
Cooking them in a slow cooker also gives you a make-ahead side that needs no stove space. The beans hold on warm for hours, which helps when the burners are all in use at a holiday meal. The recipe is also forgiving. Beans that are a bit older or less crisp still cook up tender, so it is a smart way to use up a large bag of beans from the store.
Ingredient notes for tender, smoky green beans
Fresh green beans: Choose firm, bright green beans without spots. Trim the ends and snap them in halves so they cook evenly.
Thick-cut bacon: It stays meaty during a long cook and lends real smoke. Pre-cooking it a little gives you flavorful drippings for the onion.
Sweet onion: It softens and sweetens as it cooks. Yellow onion works if you have no sweet onion.
Brown sugar and vinegar: A small amount of each balances the salt and smoke. You will not taste either on its own.
Chicken broth: Just one cup is needed. The beans release their own water, so extra broth only dilutes the flavor. Garlic and spices: Fresh garlic, smoked paprika and a pinch of red pepper flakes add depth and a little heat, and the paprika echoes the bacon smoke. Butter: A spoonful stirred in at the end gives a glossy, rich finish.
Tips for green beans that are not bland
Partly cook the bacon: Raw bacon in the slow cooker turns rubbery and releases too much fat. A quick sear in a skillet gives it color and flavor first.
Season boldly: Green beans soak up salt over a long cook. Taste at the end and adjust, since the broth and bacon already add salt.
Do not add too much liquid: The most common mistake is flooding the pot. The beans end up swimming in a pale broth. Keep the liquid at about one cup. Add the vinegar: A splash of cider vinegar sounds odd in a side dish, yet it lifts the flavor and keeps the sweetness from tasting heavy.
Swaps and variations
Add baby red potatoes, quartered, for a one-pot side that stands in for a starch. Use turkey bacon for a lighter version, or smoked ham hock for a deeper Southern flavor. For a vegetarian dish, skip the bacon and use olive oil with a few drops of liquid smoke. A spoonful of Dijon mustard adds tang.
Do not add cheese or cream at the start, because it breaks over several hours. Stir in a handful of grated Parmesan at the end if you want it. For a lighter plate, use half the bacon and add a diced red bell pepper for color. Slivered almonds on top add crunch if you like contrast.
What to serve with it
These green beans suit roast turkey, baked ham, fried chicken and meatloaf. Cornbread and mashed potatoes make it a classic Southern spread. Keep the cooker on warm so the side stays hot while everything else comes to the table. If you also have a roast in the oven, the beans can wait on the warm setting for up to two hours without losing their texture.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The beans taste even better the next day.
Freeze for up to 2 months, though the texture gets a little softer. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave until steaming.
Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 5 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by fresh green beans, slices thick-cut bacon, sweet onion, garlic
Tips for Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon
Frozen green beans work if you add 30 minutes. Canned beans only need 2 hours to heat through. Leftovers keep 4 days, and the flavor deepens overnight.
Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon FAQ
How long does Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon take?
Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon takes 5 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Green Beans with Bacon?
13 ingredients, led by fresh green beans, slices thick-cut bacon, sweet onion, garlic. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
