Green Beans with Bacon and Onion
Transform humble vegetables into the talk of the table with this Old Fashioned Green Beans with Bacon and Onion recipe! Tender-crisp beans are cooked with crispy bacons, garlic, and sweet onions for a simple but flavorful side dish everyone will love.
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet or Pan with lid preferred
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
- 1 Spatula or Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans washed and trimmed
- 4 oz bacon uncooked, diced
- 1 ea small onion or ½ large onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Dice bacon, garlic and onion, and if needed, trim green beans.
- Add bacon to a large skillet with the lid off, and cook on medium to medium-high heat, stirring frequently. After 3-4 minutes some of the bacon fat should render into grease.
- Set the heat to medium and add the onions to the cooking bacon. Stir frequently, cooking until the onions are just translucent, about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup water.
- Add minced garlic and trimmed green beans and cover the skillet with the lid for 2-3 minutes. Stir, and deglaze again if needed. Recover and cook another 2-3 minutes, then cook uncovered about 5 minutes, until green beans reach desired crispness.
Notes
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Keep leftover green beans with onion and bacon covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Though you can freeze cooked green beans, I do not recommend it as they can become mushy once defrosted.
- Reheating: Warm the beans with a splash of water or broth in a skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. You can also heat them on gentle heat in the microwave.
- Render the bacon fat. Or, brown it in the skillet until the fat has released from the meat. The bacon will cook longer until it is cooked through, but the onions need the bacon’s fat to cook properly.
- Use a lidded skillet. Trapping the moisture as the beans cook helps them to steam, reaching an even crispness. You can make the green bean and bacon recipe without a lid, if needed – just add a few tablespoons of water to the pan as needed, as the water will evaporate more quickly.
- Deglaze the pan. Deglazing is the process of adding moisture to a pan after searing or sautéing to release any stuck browned bits from the bottom. The browned bits contain lots of savory flavor, so stir as you deglaze, scraping the bottom as the water simmers.
- Cook to the desired degree of doneness. After removing the steaming lid, cook the beans until they have reached your preferred level of crispness. Al dente beans may need as little as 2-3 minutes of uncovered cooking time; more tender beans may take up to 5-6 minutes.
- Season to taste. Depending on the brand that you use, the salty bacon seasons the bacon green beans recipe, but you can add salt and pepper to taste before serving if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 12gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 483mgPotassium: 387mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 793IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. It is recommended to use your preferred calculator with the actual ingredients you use for optimal accuracy.
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