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Southern style green beans are best known for their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich, smoky flavor. Because they’re cooked low and slow in a broth alongside aromatic onion and garlic, the green beans absorb a ton of flavor. The bacon adds another layer of smoky deliciousness to this versatile side dish, which is a great partner for ham, pork, chicken or turkey.
Despite having lived in Florida for thirty-plus years, we’ll always be Northerners at heart, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a great appreciation for Southern food. We started making this recipe about 15 years ago, and in addition to serving it during the holidays, we think it goes great with main dishes like pan-seared pork chops and roasted chicken thighs.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
GREEN BEANS: Fresh green beans are the best choice for making Southern style green beans, but you can use frozen if you need to. You don’t even have to thaw them first. Just reduce your overall cook time by about 10 minutes to be sure they don’t become too soft or mushy.
CHICKEN BROTH: Because the green beans cook low and slow in the broth, it imparts a lot of flavor. We recommend a low-sodium variety so you can control the saltiness. You can substitute a vegetable broth if you prefer, but you’ll need to adjust the seasonings accordingly because the chicken broth is naturally richer and more savory.
BACON: Thick-cut bacon is our favorite choice for this dish, but if you want to use regular cut bacon, you can. It won’t render quite as much fat as thick-cut bacon, so you may need to add a splash of olive oil to sauté the aromatics. Applewood smoked bacon would also be a tasty addition to this dish.
Overview
How to Make Southern Style Green Beans
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
COOK THE BACON: Fry the bacon in a large pan and drain on paper towels, saving about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan.
SAUTÉ THE AROMATICS: Sauté the onion in the bacon fat until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
ADD THE GREEN BEANS: Add the green beans and 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the pan, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring a few times. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
FINISH WITH BACON: Return the bacon to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and partially cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, until the green beans are quite tender but not mushy.
What to Serve with Southern Style Green Beans
This versatile side dish is a classic choice for Thanksgiving dinner alongside a roasted turkey and traditional sides like mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and cornbread (or cornbread stuffing). These delicious green beans are also great with roasted chicken, ham, or pork chops.
More Delicious Green Bean Side Dishes
If you’re looking to expand your collection of green bean side dishes, we’ve got several flavorful options worth exploring. Try our Green Beans with Toasted Walnuts and Shallots for a crunchy, nutty twist, or go with Garlic Braised Green Beans for something simple and savory. For added texture, check out Green Beans and Mushrooms With Crispy Crumb Topping, or bring in some acidity with our Green Beans and Tomatoes Oreganata.
Southern Style Green Beans
Ingredients
- 2 lbs green beans, ends trimmed
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 to 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Fry the bacon in a large skillet until cooked through. Drain on a paper towels and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
- Add the onion to the pan and sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- Add the green beans and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then return the bacon to the pan.
- Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan (set the lid askew) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes.
Notes
Tips for Buying and Storing Fresh Green Beans
SHOPPING: Look for beans that are a vibrant green without yellow or brown spots. Check for crispness – fresh green beans should snap when you break them. Avoid green beans where you can see the seeds bulging because they are usually stringy or tougher to eat. STORING: Green beans can stay fresh in your refrigerator for up to a week if you store them unwashed in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. PREPPING: We like to use kitchen shears to snip the ends off fresh green beans. Try to trim them to a uniform length for even cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these less Southern (and more Italian) by adding extra garlic, plus dried oregano and a little crushed red pepper, and I replaced the bacon with pancetta. Family liked it a lot! I’ll definitely try it with the bacon next time, though.
Hi Jen,
That’s a nice variation. I love pancetta too and use it when I make Italian green beans. Thanks for commenting and sharing your tips.