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Bacon with Green Beans is a quick and easy side dish perfect with any meal! They only take 15 minutes to make from start to finish, are Keto friendly and come together with just 5 simple ingredients (and that’s if you’re counting salt & pepper!)

Green beans. A veggie that often got overlooked in our household growing up. I’m not sure why as I’ve personally never had anything against ’em. They’re super simple to make, don’t take too long to cook at all and can be seasoned so many different ways! But the best part about them is that you reeeally don’t need to get fancy in any way, shape or form. All you need to do is add some bacon and garlic and even the pickiest of eaters (even the ones who claim to hate all things green) will swoon over these babies. After all, can you think of ANYTHING that bacon doesn’t make better?!

bowl of bacon, green beans and garlic next to serving spoons

Whether you’re looking for that perfect Holiday side dish or just a quick and easy somethin’ somethin’ to accompany your favourite weeknight meal, this recipe for Bacon Green Beans has seriously got you covered. I mean, I ain’t ever gonna argue with a tasty side dish that comes together in just a mere 15 minutes.

If you’ve never cooked with bacon grease before then I’m here to tell you that today is a verrry special day! And hopefully, after witnessing first hand how it can elevate something as simple as green beans, you’ll start to view it as the liquid gold it really is. Bacon grease not only replaces the need for any cooking oil or added fat (cause that’s exactly what it is) but it adds a tremendous amount of flavour to anything from scrambled eggs to, you guessed it, green beans!

Bacon with Green Beans is the simple side dish you didn’t know you needed it. So, don’t be like my family growing up and overlook its deliciousness.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS SIMPLE BACON WITH GREEN BEANS SIDE DISH

ingredients for bacon with green beans - green beans, bacon, salt, pepper, garlic — *Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.*

Can I go as far as to say that this recipe for Green Beans with Bacon only requires 3 simple ingredients instead of 5?! I mean, do we still count salt and pepper as their own individual ingredient?! Either way, it doesn’t get much simpler than this. Let’s get into the ingredients in a little bit more detail down below:

Green Beans: Green beans are fresh, vibrant, healthy and delicious! They contain many essential vitamins and minerals such as Iron, Vitamin K and Calcium. Since we sautée the green beans in a skillet, they retain the perfect crunch and the slight char gives them a delicious flavour. Fresh green beans (instead of frozen or canned) work best in this recipe.
Bacon: Adds the perfect saltiness and pop of flavour to this quick and easy side dish recipe. You’ll notice that there is no oil or cooking fat required for this recipe. That’s because the fat released from the bacon (aka bacon grease) is not only perfect for frying and sautéeing but it adds a tremendous amount of flavour.
Garlic: Adds flavour and freshness to this Bacon with Green Beans side dish. Fresh minced garlic is best in this recipe. However, if all you have on hand is garlic powder, use 1/4 of a teaspoon instead of the 2 fresh cloves.
Salt/Pepper: As always, for extra flavour. PRO TIP: Go easy adding extra salt as the bacon is already salty.

green beans and bacon in a bowl, two spoons in the background

HOW TO MAKE BACON WITH GREEN BEANS (KEY TIPS)

bowl of bacon with green beans and garlic

Wash and trim your green beans. To save time and for convenience, you can always buy pre-trimmed and pre-washed green beans. They’re normally sold in bags in the produce section of any grocery store.
Bacon grease is your friend here, people and that’s what we use as our cooking fat. However, when it solidifies, it’s not pleasant to look at or eat. For this reason, ensure you leave some of it behind in the pan when transferring your green beans to a serving dish. EXTRA TIP: Use a slotted spoon to both transfer the garlic and bacon mixture to a paper towel lined plate and to transfer the green beans from the pan to its final dish to avoid scooping up too much of the bacon grease.
Minced garlic can burn easily (especially when added to an already hot pan). Keep an eye and stir frequently after adding the minced garlic to the pan with the crispy bacon to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Make sure to stir the green beans in the pan every so often to ensure that nothing burns and that the green beans cook evenly on all sides.
Go easy on adding additional salt to the dish as bacon is already salty. Taste first then add additional seasoning if necessary.

hands holding a bowl of bacon and green beans

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SHOULD YOU COOK BACON BEFORE ADDING TO BEANS?

Yes. The bacon should be nice and crispy when you add it to the skillet with the green beans so all you have to do is toss it altogether in the final minute of cooking. Besides, we need all that bacon grease in order to cook the beans and that only comes from cooking the bacon!

HOW LONG DOES BACON WITH GREEN BEANS LAST?

If stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge, this bacon and green beans will last up to 3 days. Simply reheat in a skillet on low heat until warmed through when ready to eat again. Alternatively, you can use a microwave.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BACON AND GREEN BEANS?

This quick and easy side dish goes well with so many things! It’s the perfect holiday side dish next to some classic mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes. It’s also great alongside anything from burgers and chicken to pork or fish.

BACON WITH GREEN BEANS

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Bacon with Green Beans is a quick and easy side dish perfect with any meal! They only take 15 minutes to make from start to finish, are Keto friendly and come together with just 5 simple ingredients.

Ingredients

1 pound Green Beans, washed and trimmed
1/2 pound Bacon (~8 strips)
2 cloves Garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Roughly chop the bacon then add it to a skillet over medium heat. Cook until mostly crispy, 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, an additional minute or two, stirring frequently. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon mixture to a paper towel lined plate.
Add the green beans to the skillet and stir to coat them in the bacon grease. Cook until soft and tender, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking and no burning, about 7 minutes.
Add the bacon mixture back to the pan and toss to coat. Cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently. Taste and season with pepper and salt, if necessary. Transfer to a dish, leaving behind most of the bacon grease in the pan. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 307Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 1030mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 21g

Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.