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Home » All Recipes » Smothered Green Beans

Smothered Green Beans

Published on February 22, 2021 by Bintu. 6 Comments

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GREEN BEANS WITH BACON AND ONIONS IN A BOWL
GREEN BEANS WITH BACON AND ONIONS IN A FRYING PAN

You can quickly whip up this comforting side of easy Smothered Green Beans for dinner tonight and any holiday meal in less than 25 minutes.

Suitable for gluten free, low carb and keto diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

smothered green beans in a skillet set on a cloth napkin

Fork tender green beans, in a creamy garlic sauce all complete with some crispy bacon…you can make this easy Smothered Green Beans recipe right now. And with only 6 everyday ingredients, you have every excuse to make this green bean casserole 43,562 times this year alone.

This is a creative yet really easy side dish that adds amazing flavor to any meal during holidays such as Easter Thanksgiving and Christmas, potlucks and dinners or anytime you want a simple one pot vegetable recipe.

Just like this easy Smothered Cabbage and garlic butter Instant Pot Red Potatoes the best part of this recipe is you only need a handful of pantry ingredients, one pot (aka minimal clean up) and 5 minutes of prep time to whip it up.

Table of contents

  • Why Make This Recipe
  • Ingredient Notes
  • How To Make Smothered Green Beans With Bacon
  • Recipe Tips
  • Delicious Variations
  • Budget Friendly Tips
  • Storage And Meal Prep
  • FAQs
  • Tools Needed
  • Weight Watchers Points
  • Get The Smothered Green Beans Recipe

Why Make This Recipe

  • Quick and easy – less than 25 minutes of cook time in one pot with everyday pantry ingredients. Easy cooking, easy cleanup. 
  • Leftovers – great for using leftover beans, bacon or other meats.
  • Budget-friendly – made with affordable ingredients you already own.
  • Serve all the ways – enjoy as-is for a simple meal, or serve as a side for various meats dishes, fish, or veggies.
  • Diets – Suitable for gluten free, low carb and keto and diets.
the smothered green beans with bacon in a ceramic serving dish

Ingredient Notes

  • Green Beans – I used fresh green beans for this.
  • Chicken stock – You can use beef or vegetable stock if you prefer. 
  • Seasoning – This gets some delicious flavor from garlic salt. You can use homemade or store-bought.
  • Bacon – Use your leftover bacon to make this or get store-bought bacon bits. The crisper the better.
  • Shallots – Shallots are used so that this cooks quickly, but alternatively you can use finely sliced white or red onion.
  • Optional – My favorite add-ins are cajun seasoning or creole seasoning or Italian Seasoning.
the ingredients needed for making smothered green beans with bacon

How To Make Smothered Green Beans With Bacon

  • Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet or large saucepan and sauté shallots for a couple of minutes until softened.
  • Add a fourth of the bacon and all the green beans and cook for a minute.
  • Mix in garlic salt and stock, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (beans with a little bite) to 22 minutes (soft beans).
  • Uncover, adjust seasoning and switch off the heat and top with the remaining bacon.
  • Serve as is for a low carb dish, or with rice or cornbread as a main dish.
image collage showing the steps for making smothered green beans

Recipe Tips

  • You can add some sugar to make it sweeter.
  • Tomato paste adds a delicious sharpness to this recipe.
  • Cook time will depend on how tender you want your green beans. The longer you cook them the tenderer they become. Start checking at 15 mins and go from there.

Delicious Variations

This smothered green bean recipe are delicious as is, but here are a few variations to try:

  • Change the meat – Use your leftover ham or smoked turkey instead.
  • Add heat – some red pepper flakes, chipotle or cayenne is an easy way to add heat.
  • Use different seasonings – Cajun seasoning, creole seasoning, Greek seasoning, oregano, thyme, dill, rosemary, etc.
top down view of the completed smothered green beans recipe

Budget Friendly Tips

  • Add extra veggies – Add in some potatoes to bulk it out as a main meal.
  • Feel free to double up the recipe for meal prep.

Storage And Meal Prep

  • Refrigerate – let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Don’t Freeze – Potatoes don’t free well, so I don’t recommend freezing this dish.
  • Make an extra batch or two that you can use with other meals throughout the week.
  • This recipe stores for 4 days, so you can eat it on the day you cook it plus 4 more days.
  • Separate leftovers in single eat-sized portions, place in airtight meal prep containers and let cool completely with the lids off before sealing and storing.
  • To vary it up through the week serve it up with different treats like leftover Rotisserie Chicken, cheesy Parmesan Chicken, fish, bulk out leftover soups and stews, etc.
green beans with bacon inside a glass food storage container

FAQs

Can I Use Canned Beans

You certainly can. You would have to adjust the cook time based on how you like your beans.

Why Add Most Of The Bacon At The End

Adding most of the bacon at the end means that you have a nice contrast between tender beans and crispy bacon. If you prefer you can add all the bacon in along with the beans.

Tools Needed

  • A handy skillet.
  • A sharp knife makes cutting so much easier.
  • A cutting board.
top down view of the cooked green beans with bacon inside a skillet

Weight Watchers Points

There are 3 Blue Plan SmartPoints in a serving of this.

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Did you make this recipe? Then I would love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a comment and star rating below. And I really appreciate you sharing this recipe with your family and friends. Enjoy every mouthful 😊🍲 – Bintu

Get The Smothered Green Beans Recipe

the finished green beans with bacon on a ceramic serving bowl

How To Make Smothered Green Beans

You only need 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to make side dish the whole family will love!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate Save RecipeSaved!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, southern
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 158kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy | Budget Delicious

Equipment

skillet
Skillet
Knife
measuring cups and spoons
Cups And Spoons

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 6 small shallots or one small onion peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 pound (454g) green beans trimmed and tailed
  • garlic salt to taste
  • 6 slices cooked bacon cut into pieces
  • 1 cup (236ml) chicken stock

Instructions

  • Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet or large saucepan and sauté shallots for a couple of minutes until softened.
  • Add the green beans and a fourth of the bacon and cook for a minute
  • Mix in the garlic salt (and any add-ins) and stock, cover and simmer for 15 minutes (green beans with a little bite) to 20-22 minutes (softer beans).
  • Uncover, adjust seasonings as needed, switch off the heat, and top with the remaining bacon.
  • Serve as is for a low carb dish, or with rice or cornbread as a main dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 790IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
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Comments

  1. Carrie Robinson

    March 01, 2021 at 5:20 pm

    5 stars
    Oh yum! Green beans & bacon are a match made in heaven. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Angela

    March 01, 2021 at 5:52 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe reminds me of my grandmother. Green beans and bacon really are a great combination.

    Reply
  3. Sara Welch

    March 01, 2021 at 6:02 pm

    5 stars
    Nothing quite like the combination of green beans and bacon! Such an easy and tasty side dish; easily, a favorite recipe in our home!

    Reply
  4. Dolly @ Little Home in the Making

    March 01, 2021 at 6:18 pm

    5 stars
    What a great way to dress up green beans to make them decadent and appealing! I love my green beans with just butter, but many of my family members need a little something something to get them down. I think this will be perfect!

    Reply
  5. Noelle Simpson

    March 01, 2021 at 7:16 pm

    Green beans are always my go-to side dish for dinner, loved this recipe! Delicious 🙂

    Reply
  6. JJ

    January 06, 2023 at 9:47 pm

    You say not to freeze because potatoes don’t freeze well. What potatoes? I don’t see any in the recipe?

    Reply

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