These garlic green beans are a tasty vegetable side dish that goes well with a variety of main dish entrees! With 8 hearty servings, it's a wonderful holiday recipe because it's easy to prepare and great for serving a crowd! After all, who doesn't love buttery pan-fried garlic green beans with bacon?
Easy Garlic Green Beans With Bacon
My family loves green beans any way you make them, but this is one of my favorites! It's deliciously rich with sauteed garlic, butter, and a splash of broth while cooking.
Plus, I like to top the green beans (string beans) with plenty of crispy bacon. The bacon is completely optional, of course, but bacon and green beans really go together.
Jump to:
- Easy Garlic Green Beans With Bacon
- 🥘 Garlic Green Beans Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions
- ✔️ How To Prepare Fresh Green Beans (String Beans)
- 🔪 How To Make Garlic Green Beans
- 🍗 What To Serve With Garlic Green Beans
- 💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- 🥡 Storing & Reheating
- ❓ Recipe FAQs
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Reviews
🥘 Garlic Green Beans Ingredients, Notes, & Substitutions
My recipe for garlic green beans only calls for a few simple ingredients. The bacon adds time to the overall cooking, so for an ever quicker sauteed green beans recipe, the bacon can totally be left out.
- Bacon (optional) - 2 strips of bacon (I prefer thick-cut) cut into ½-inch pieces.
- Butter - 2 tablespoons of butter or a butter substitute. (You can use only bacon grease and omit the butter if desired).
- Garlic - ½ tablespoon of finely minced garlic (about 2 small cloves).
- Green Beans - 2 pounds of green beans that have been rinsed, drained, and trimmed.
- Broth - ¼ cup of broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable, depending on your main dish - use more as needed).
- Salt & Pepper - Salt & pepper to taste.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
✔️ How To Prepare Fresh Green Beans (String Beans)
Most of the time, when you buy fresh green beans at your local grocery store, they are the stringless variety. This makes them quick and easy to prepare! If they have any portion of the stem, cut the stem and tip of the green bean off using a knife or scissors.
If you have heirloom string beans, the tip can be 'snapped' back. Pulling it away will pull the 'string' (or vascular tissue) that runs down the length of the green beans on the seam of the pod.
Once your green beans are trimmed, rinse in cold water. If you're worried about pesticide residue, soak your green beans (or any produce) for 10-15 minutes, rinse, and then dry before storing or using.
Fresh green beans should be stored in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. They can be stored in this manner for up to 7 days. Make sure your green beans are crisp, not limp, before cooking.
🔪 How To Make Garlic Green Beans
This versatile side dish combines perfectly with beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and many potato or rice side dishes for a wonderful meal! You'll need a knife and cutting board, a frying pan, a spatula, and your measuring utensils to get started.
2 pounds of green beans make 8 generous servings, so this is a great holiday side dish!
- Cook the bacon (optional). Bring a large skillet or frying pan to medium-high heat and cook 2 strips (30 grams) of cut bacon until beginning to crisp, about 5-8 minutes. Drain the grease if desired (*see note).
- Saute garlic in butter. Reduce to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons (28.35 grams) of butter and ½ tablespoon (4.21 grams) of garlic. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Cover and cook. Add 2 pounds (908 grams) of green beans and ¼ cup (59.1 milliliters) of broth and cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the green beans have reached your preferred level of tenderness. Add optional salt and pepper to taste before serving. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
🍗 What To Serve With Garlic Green Beans
Serve your sauteed garlic green beans (with bacon or not) with proteins like baked chicken breasts, balsamic chicken thighs, baked pork chops, or pan-seared ribeyes for a super easy, delicious meal! Green beans also pair nicely with classic side dishes like cream cheese mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Strain the bacon grease out, if desired, before adding the remaining ingredients. Or, you can omit the butter and only use the bacon grease to cook the green beans.
- If you opt to skip the bacon, you can use coconut or olive oil to sauté the green beans.
- Cook uncovered for the last few minutes to evaporate any remaining liquid if needed.
- This recipe, as made, fits into a keto, low-carb, or gluten-free diet lifestyle. Omitting the butter makes this recipe dairy-free and paleo. For whole 30, use clarified butter or ghee, omit the bacon or use one of the whole 30-approved brands ( like Applegate Organics, Garrett Valley All Natural, Maverick Ranch Natural, Thrive Market, or Trader Joe's ).
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let the green beans cool, then transfer them to a Ziploc bag or airtight container and put them in the fridge. They should be eaten within 5-6 days.
Reheating Green Beans
These green beans are perfectly delicious when reheated in the microwave (with or without bacon). The total time will vary depending on how many green beans you are reheating.
You can also return the green beans to a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Definitely not! If you like your green bean recipes to turn out with the beans being crispy rather than slightly softened or tender, it is a cooking method that you could use to achieve your desired crispy garlic green beans. The directions for blanching fresh or frozen green beans are included below for your convenience.
Start with a large pot (large enough to hold your portion of green beans), and fill it with enough water to cover your beans. Add salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until bright green (about 2-3 minutes).
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Next, drain the green beans and transfer them immediately into the ice bath. Allow the blanched green beans to chill for about 5 minutes before cooking as directed above.
While fresh green beans will have the best texture and flavor, you can use frozen green beans in a pinch. Just make sure to thaw and drain them before cooking.
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📖 Recipe Card
Garlic Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 strips bacon (cut into ½ inch wide pieces)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ tablespoon garlic (finely minced)
- 2 lbs green beans (rinsed and drained)
- ¼ c broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable depending on your main dish - use more as needed)
- each, salt & pepper (to taste, optional)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Bring a large skillet or frying pan to medium-high heat and cook the cut bacon until beginning to crisp, about 5-8 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and garlic. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the green beans and broth, then cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the green beans are at your preferred level of tenderness.
- Add (optional) salt & pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
**If you opt to skip the bacon, you can use coconut or olive oil to sauté the green beans.
***Cook uncovered for the last few minutes to evaporate any remaining liquid, if needed.
Healthy Notes: Green beans are a wonderful, nutritious vegetable that are high in fiber and naturally low in carbohydrates. This recipe, as made, fits in to a keto, low carb or gluten free diet lifestyle. Omitting the butter makes this recipe dairy free and paleo. For whole 30, use clarified butter or ghee and omit the bacon or use one of the whole30 approved brands (like Applegate Organics, Garrett Valley All Natural, Maverick Ranch Natural, Thrive Market or Trader Joe's).
Leslie says
Can I use fresh green beans?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes indeed, the recipe is intended for using fresh green beans. Enjoy!
Geja Wolf says
Hallo, een vraag: wat voor spek kan ik gebruiken en wanneer moet ik bouillon erbij doen, dat staat volgens mij nergens.
Ik ben een beginnende kookster.
Hello, a question: what kind of bacon can I use and when should I add broth, I don't think it says anywhere.
I am a novice cook.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Elk spek dat je lekker vindt, stel ik voor met gerookt spek. Voeg de bouillon met de sperziebonen toe nadat het spek gaar is en de knoflook is gebakken. Genieten van!
Any bacon you like I suggest smokey flavored bacon. Add the broth with the green beans after the bacon is cooked and the garlic has been sauteed. Enjoy!
Mitch says
Going to make this tomorrow night...recipe doesn't say when to use the broth in the preparation process. I'm assuming you add it with the green beans, right?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes! Exactly, sorry about that. I'll add it here shortly in the recipe card 🙂 You can either sear the green beans for 2-3 minutes and add the broth, which is my preferred method. Or add the broth with the green beans. Thanks for catching that!