Sautéed Green Beans with Bacon
This sautéed green beans recipe takes my favorite side dish and makes it even better, with crispy bacon, sweet onions, and garlic. Because it cooks on the stovetop, it's a great way to save oven space on holidays like Thanksgiving, too.
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Sautéed Green Beans Recipe
I like to make green beans for dinner, but especially using this method of partially boiling them before sautéing them. One day I thought, I bet sauteed green beans with bacon will taste even better. And sure enough, they do!
The crispy bacon, sweet onions, and garlic add a ton of flavor, but without needing a bunch of ingredients. It's an easy way to take a simple vegetable side dish and boost it up a little bit!
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Less cleanup. You can boil the green beans and cook the bacon, onions, and garlic in one pot. Fewer dishes to wash is always a win!
The bacon grease adds so much flavor. Cooking the onions in a little leftover bacon grease gives them a delicious, savory flavor that goes perfectly with the green beans.
Perfect for weeknights and holidays. This green beans side dish takes about 30 minutes to make, and you don't need any oven space. That's especially helpful when you're making Thanksgiving dinner!
Ingredients
I use fresh green beans because they hold their texture nicely. Just trim the ends before cooking. You can leave them whole or cut them into smaller pieces.
Regular-cut bacon works great for this recipe. Cut it into small pieces so it cooks evenly. You'll also use a little of the leftover grease to cook the onions. If you prefer thick-cut bacon, it will work, but it may take a bit longer to cook.
Thinly sliced onions and fresh garlic add lots of flavor. Either yellow or white onions work well here.
If you'd rather not use bacon grease, you can cook the onions in a little olive oil or avocado oil instead.
How to Make Sautéed Green Beans
See the recipe card for the complete instructions! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add your trimmed green beans. You won't be cooking them completely, just until they're barely fork tender. Then, drain the water and set the beans aside.
- While the green beans are boiling, slice your onion, mince the garlic, and cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Once the green beans are drained, fry the bacon in that same pot, over medium heat, until it starts to turn golden.
You want the green beans just fork tender when you drain them. They'll get warmed up again with the bacon and onions, so cooking them too long at the beginning can leave you with mushy green beans.
- Once it's golden and cooked through, put the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. Carefully drain off most of the bacon grease from the pan, leaving just a tiny bit to cook the onions in.
- Add the onions and a pinch or two of salt to the pan. Stir them occasionally as they cook, until they're golden brown and caramelized. The salt helps draw out moisture as they cook.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook it just until you can smell it. Garlic can burn quickly, so keep an eye on it!
- Put the green beans and bacon in with the onions and garlic. Give everything a good stir, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve while warm!
Madison's Tips for Success:
I've tested this recipe and have successfully made it many times. Use these tips to ensure that it turns out perfectly for you, too!
- Save just a little bacon grease. You don't need much to get that delicious bacon flavor. Leave enough to coat the bottom of the pot, and drain off the rest so your green beans don't end up greasy.
- Don't cook the onions too quickly. Give them the full 5 to 7 minutes to soften over medium heat. You want them tender and slightly sweet before adding the garlic.
- Taste before adding more salt. Bacon already adds some saltiness, so give everything a taste before adding extra seasoning. You can always add more, but you can't take it away!
Storing and Reheating
To store: Let the bacon green beans and onions cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. The bacon may lose a little of its crispiness, but the leftovers will still be delicious!
To reheat: Warm the leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until they are warm all the way through. Add a small splash of water if they seem dry. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
I don't recommend freezing this side dish. The green beans can become mushy after thawing, and the bacon won't stay crispy.
Sauteed Green Beans Recipe FAQs
If you love crispy bacon, save a little to sprinkle over the dish right before serving instead of mixing it all in. This is especially helpful if the green beans will sit for a few minutes before everyone digs in!
Yes! Turkey bacon is a great option if you prefer it. Since it doesn't release as much grease as regular bacon, you may need to add a little olive oil or avocado oil to cook the onions in.
Yes! You can parboil the green beans a day ahead, then drain and refrigerate them in an airtight container. When you're ready to serve, cook the bacon, onions, and garlic, then toss everything together until warmed through.
Serving Ideas
This bacon green beans dish tastes great with just about anything! I like to serve them with grilled pork chops and teriyaki glazed salmon for dinner. They're a tasty side dish with roasted chicken, turkey, or ham on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, too.
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Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans
- 1 cup thinly sliced onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 strips bacon cut into 1 inch pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 pound green beans, cooking them until they're barely fork tender, then drain the water and set the beans aside.
- Meanwhile, prep 1 cup thinly sliced onion and mince 2 cloves garlic. Cut 4 strips bacon into 1-inch pieces and fry it (use the same pot you used for the green beans) over medium heat until it's golden and crispy. Move the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Pour off most of the bacon grease, but leave just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. (You can save the rest in a jar to use later, or toss it.) Add your onions to that little bit of grease and sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt. This helps them soften and caramelize faster.
- Let the onions cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, until they're nice and soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Then toss everything back in with the green beans and bacon, and stir it all together.
- Season with salt and pepper, and serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
Other Side Dish Recipes
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