These seasoned green beans with bacon are such a flavourful and easy side dish. Prepared on the stovetop with tasty spices and pan-fried bacon, this quick green beans dish is sure to become one of your new family favourites! {Gluten-free, low carb and keto-friendly}
Seasoned Green Beans – So Quick & Easy!
Seasoned green beans are an easy side that everyone needs in their life! In our version of green beans and bacon, we start by pan-frying small bits of crispy bacon. Next, fresh green beans are seasoned with flavourful spices and cooked in the same pan as the bacon for extra yummy flavour.
The best part is, this quick and easy side dish is a breeze to prepare and comes together in just under 20 minutes.
The secret to green beans with a nice crisp texture and vibrant green colour is cooking them to perfection to avoid dull, mushy or tough beans. The string beans are first sautéed in the bacon fat to infuse them with extra flavour, and then steamed for a couple of minutes. No boiling, blanching, or ice baths required!
The crunchy bacon bits provide a tasty and crispy complement to the seasoned green beans. This recipe is easily adaptable as well. Add toasted almonds, or sliced red peppers to make it even more festive.
The perfect side dish for any holiday dinner table, potluck, or weeknight meal!
For more healthy green bean recipes, be sure to try out my Green Bean Almondine Recipe and Sauteed Green Beans with Red Peppers!
Why We Love This Green Beans and Bacon Recipe
- Flavourful: Pan-fried bacon provides fat and a salty, umami flavour to the sautéed green beans, while the seasoning mix further enhances the flavour…basically making them the best green beans ever!
- One pan recipe: In my opinion, the less mess while cooking the better! With this recipe, everything is cooked in the same pan, saving time and dishes.
- Quick: Many traditional southern style seasoned green bean recipes require the beans to cook on the stovetop for hours. With this simple recipe, you can have green beans and bacon on the table in around 20 minutes.
Ingredient Notes
- Bacon: Bacon provides a boost of flavour to these delicious green beans and a delightful crunch. Use reduced-sodium and leaner bacon for a healthier option.
- Green beans: Rich in fibre and vitamins A, C and K, green beans are the star of the show! Look for French green beans or long slender green beans at your grocery store or local farmer’s market. Fresh green beans that are free of spots and blemishes are best for this recipe.
- Seasoning spices: I find the combination of onion powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper to be the best seasonings for this green beans dish. You can also sub in minced fresh garlic cloves for the garlic powder if preferred.
How to Make Seasoned Green Beans – Step by Step Instructions
- First, cook the bacon pieces over medium high heat in a large skillet until crispy. Set aside on a plate until needed.
- Meanwhile, mix the spices together in a small bowl.
- Place beans in the same skillet used to cook the bacon. Sprinkle with some of the seasoning mixture. Saute green beans for about 5 minutes, carefully stirring occasionally.
- Add in 1/2 cup of water and saute for one minute more.
- Remove the green beans from heat, cover and let stand for 2-3 minutes or until crisp tender.
- Next, drain water from the pan, sprinkle on the rest of the seasoning mix and stir in the bacon. Season to taste with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Serve warm.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable green bean recipe!
Tips for Making the Best Green Beans
- I prefer using French green beans (the slender beans, also known as Haricot Verts) for this recipe over regular green beans, as I find they’re more tender, and less tough and stringy.
- Pick green beans that don’t have any spots, or wrinkles and avoid ones that are starting to get mushy.
- Prepare the beans by washing them and trimming the ends on a cutting board. You can do this in advance to save time.
- Don’t overcook the beans by boiling them or you’ll wind up with dull and mushy beans. Instead, sautee them first and then quickly steam them in the skillet for vibrant and perfectly tender-crisp green beans.
Recipe FAQs
To get perfectly cooked green beans, we use a two step cooking method. First, saute the green beans for 5 minutes, then add 1/2 cup water and cook for one minute more. Then, remove the pan from the heat, cover and let steam for 2-3 minutes. If you have thicker beans, they might require slightly more cooking time.
To save time, you can make green beans ahead of time and then blanch them to help preserve their bright green colour. When ready to serve, cook up the bacon, and then toss the green beans into the warm pan with the bacon bits and seasoning to reheat.
Green beans often become rubbery when they are undercooked. Set a timer when sauteeing and steaming your beans to ensure you don’t lose track of time. If they still feel rubbery when the time is up, steam them for another minute or so.
Storage Guidelines
Refrigerator: Store any leftover green beans in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Saute the seasoned green beans and bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes or until heated through.
What to Make with Green Beans
Seasoned green beans with bacon are very versatile and can be served with so many dishes! They go well with any type of roasted meat, fish, stuffed peppers, chicken breast, ribs or meatloaf.
Try them with any of the following:
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
- Christmas Beef Roast
- Air Fryer Boneless Turkey Breast
- Baked Pesto Salmon
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Grilled BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Mini Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
- Crockpot Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Recipe Variations
- Add nuts: Almonds and green beans are always a great combination. Toast slivered almonds over medium heat for about 5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove to a small dish. Toss in with the cooked green beans and bacon.
- For an extra pop of flavour: Add a splash of lemon juice at the end right before serving.
- Add extra fresh veggies: Add thinly sliced red pepper to the seasoned green beans and bacon in the final step.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle on some freshly grated parmesan cheese to make this dish extra fancy.
- To make vegetarian: Omit the bacon and saute the green beans in olive oil instead.
- To add spice: Add red pepper flakes to your seasoning mixture for a kick of spice.
More Tasty Side Dishes
- Christmas Wreath Salad
- Roasted Ranch Carrots
- Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
- Brussel Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
- Kale Beet Salad
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Seasoned Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 5 slices of bacon chopped into small pieces
- 1 pound fresh green beans washed and trimmed
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- While the bacon is cooking, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Add green beans to the same skillet where the bacon was cooked. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of the seasoning mix and sauté for 5 minutes or so, tossing the beans around occasionally.
- Add in the water, and sauté for another minute. Cover, remove from heat and allow pan to sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain water from the pan. Toss the beans with remaining seasoning mix and cooked bacon pieces. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- I prefer using French green beans (the slender beans, also known as Haricot Verts) for this recipe over regular green beans, as I find they’re more tender, and less tough and stringy.
- Pick green beans that don’t have any spots, or wrinkles and avoid ones that are starting to get mushy.
- Prepare the beans by washing them and trimming the ends. You can do this in advance to save time.
- Don’t overcook the beans by boiling them or you’ll wind up with dull and mushy beans. Instead, sautee them first and then quickly steam them in the skillet for vibrant and perfectly tender-crisp green beans.
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