Fresh, tender green beans with crispy bacon cooked in an amazing buttery garlic sauce that makes this side dish anything but boring! This Green Beans with Bacon recipe could easily steal the show on any dinner table.

❤️ Why You’ll Love this Green Beans with Bacon Recipe

• Fresh tender green beans flavored with bacon
• Uses all healthy and easy to find ingredients
• Takes less than 20 minutes to make
• Family friendly

I think we can agree that green beans are one vegetable that almost everyone loves, even the kiddos! They’re easy to prepare, they taste absolutely delicious and they’re a great low carb option.

But just when you think you’ve had the very best green bean recipe along comes THIS recipe! This simple, yet decadent garlic butter sauce perfectly coats each of the green beans and gets just the right amount heat from a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Wait! Did I mention the bacon?!!! Oh yeah…a generous amount of salty bites of bacon are throughout this dish, that truly makes this simple side a masterpiece!

The best thing about these green beans is they will literally go with just about any main course you want to serve them with. From grilled steak to smothered pork chops, this is the most versatile veggie you can prepare. And the great news is, they can be ready in under 30 minutes!

🛒 What’s in Green Beans with Bacon

• Fresh green beans
• Uncured bacon
• Yellow onion
• Chicken broth
• Garlic
• Butter
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Large skillet
• Chef’s knife
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons

🔪 How to Make Green Beans with Bacon

Wash, trim and cut your green beans in half, then set aside.

Heat a large skillet to medium and add in the bacon.

Fry until crisp.

Then remove the bacon and set aside. Drain half the grease or save it in your bacon grease keeper for another recipe.

Tip: If you strain out any of the solids, you can even keep your bacon grease at room temperature in an airtight container.

Add in the butter, onion, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Sauté for 2 minutes, then add in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

Add the chicken broth to the skillet, then the green beans, cover and allow them to steam for 8-10 minutes or until they are cooked through and tender.

Tip: While you can boil them first, then toss them in the skillet, your green beans will be more flavorful cooked in the bacon grease, butter and chicken broth.

Add the bacon back in, toss once more and serve.

Tip: I don’t recommend adding the bacon back in until you are ready to serve it. This will allow the bacon to stay crisp, otherwise it will get soggy.

Do You Have to Cook Bacon Before Putting it in Beans?

Technically, the answer is no, but it is preferred. You will need to cook the green beans long enough for the bacon to be done, which can take longer resulting in soggy overcooked green beans. Plus, who doesn’t prefer crispy bacon over soft bacon?

If you’re looking for a time saver, you can add leftover bacon from the day before and crisp it up in the microwave before adding to these green beans.

Tip: Make sure you always store your leftover bacon in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days this way.

Are Green Beans OK for Keto?

They certainly are! Take a look at why green beans are perfectly suitable for low carb diets:

• Even though green beans are a member of the legume family, they have significantly less carbs than most legumes like butter beans and lima beans.

• For an 8-ounce serving, there are 9 total grams of carbohydrates. But because they have a hefty 3 grams of fiber, it curbs down the net carbs to just 6 grams.

• They make the perfect vessel for adding healthy fat to your meals. In the case of this recipe, you use bacon grease, but you can sauté them in olive oil, or add them to a hearty casserole with cream cheese or other creamy sauces.

• Green beans are so healthy! They’re a rich source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, folate, and calcium.

What Can I Add to Green Beans for Flavor?

Of course, bacon is always a top pick for giving flavor to veggies, but you can use smoked ham or sausage. You can also cook them with a ham hock like in my Southern Green Beans or even leftover smoked turkey.

You can skip adding meat to green beans all together and just add your favorite herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, garlic and red pepper flakes.

You can throw in sautéed sliced bell peppers, to give the green beans extra flavor as well.

Can I Use Frozen Green Beans Instead?

Fresh is always the best choice, but if frozen is your only option, they will work just fine in this recipe. Be sure to thaw them out and remove as much water from them as you can.

Can I Cook These Green Beans with Bacon in the Oven?

Sure! First, you’ll want to cook your bacon and chop it up. Then make a pan sauce with the butter, onion, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. You can skip the chicken broth if you’re pan-roasting the green beans in the oven.

Next, place them in a single layer with the bacon on a sheet pan and pour the sauce over the top. Roast them in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.

More Keto Green Beans Recipes

• Slow Cooker Green Beans
• Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
• Green Beans Almondine
• Air Fryer Green Beans