Southern-Style Green Beans are super tender and loaded with amazing flavor. This recipe hits all the right notes. Fresh string beans slowly simmered in savory chicken broth (or vegetable broth) with herbs and a little bacon grease. The perfect side dish for your holiday ham, roast turkey, or any Sunday dinner!
🫛 The Ingredients
The simple, fresh ingredients, including fresh green beans, garlic, bacon, and savory seasonings, create a delicious side dish that perfectly complements any meal. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🌿 Substitutions and Variations
- Beans – We highly recommend using fresh green beans. Cut them to whatever length you desire, and snip the ends. Canned can be substituted, in a pinch. You’ll still have a nice flavor, just not as fresh. Simmering the fresh beans for at least an hour will give you very tender beans. If you prefer them not as tender, reduce the simmering time to 30 to 45 minutes.
- Bacon – It adds a depth of taste and texture that is Southern. Prosciutto or pancetta are wonderful substitutions. For a vegetarian (and vegan) dish, omit the bacon and use vegetable broth.
- Flavor enhancers – The fresh herbs are not overpowering, but deepen the flavor profile. Dried herbs can be used in place of fresh. Go with 1 teaspoon of dried. Thyme, oregano, or marjoram are all delicious options.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Expert Tip
Your bacon will render grease, which is loaded with wonderful bacon flavor. However, you don’t want too much grease in your beans. You’ll want about 2 tablespoons, which means you’ll likely need to spoon out some of the grease. Save it for future cooking!
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Southern-Style Green Beans
- Step 1: Cook the chopped bacon in a large pot until crisp.
- Step 2: Sauté the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Step 3: Add the green beans, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and the broth.
- Step 4: Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Step 5: Remove the herbs and stir in the butter.
- Step 6: Serve at once, topped with extra bacon.
🍽️ How To Serve
- As mentioned, these beans can be prepared in advance and then reheated.
- If serving at the table, we reheat the beans in a large pot and then transfer them to a serving vessel. It’s easier to pass this way.
- We recommend waiting to stir in the butter and the cooked bacon until just before serving. The butter makes the beans very silky, and the bacon will stay crisp.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh green beans, such as haricots verts or snap beans, are ideal for Southern-style green beans, as they provide a tender texture and vibrant flavor.
Yes, you can prepare Southern-style green beans in advance; simply cook them, let them cool, and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days before reheating.
These are always a hit for any holiday feast. They also pair wonderfully with Southern fried chicken, Texas-style barbecue, homemade meatloaf, or any hearty main course.
🥦 Other Classic Southern Side Dish Recipes
Ready to make the best green beans this side of Atlanta? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of them, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Southern-Style Green Beans
Video
Equipment
- 1 Large pot with lid the size you would boil pasta in
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon thick-cut, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium onion chopped, about 1 cup
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper more for extra heat
- 1½ lbs green beans fresh, trimmed and halved
- 2½ cups chicken broth plus extra, as needed
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 sprigs thyme fresh
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large pot (or Dutch oven) over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels. Spoon out enough of the rendered bacon grease to leave about 2 tablespoons.4 slices bacon
- Add the onions to the pot and sauté in the bacon grease until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, sauté for another 30 seconds.1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Add the green beans, broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer the beans until they are very tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.1½ lbs green beans, 2½ cups chicken broth, 2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 3 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf
- Use tongs to remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the pot. Stir in the butter and cooked bacon. Serve at once.2 tablespoon butter
Tony Osude says
Going to try this today when the family come over! Looks delicious..
Kris Longwell says
Awesome! Let us know how it turned out!!
Wesley says
I never want green beans again that are not Southern-style! The bacon adds just the right amount of saltiness to this amazing side-dish!