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green beans with bacon on a serving plate
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Green Beans With Bacon

Our green beans with bacon is a delicious, elegant side dish for company and holidays, yet easy enough for a weeknight meal!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword easy side dishes, green beans recipes, vegetable side dishes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 281kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic pressed or minced
  • 1 pound green beans trimmed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Wash, trim, and drain the green beans (1 pound). Lay the beans out in a single layer on clean dish towels then roll it up. Allow the beans to dry while you cook the onions.
    Step 1 how to make green beans with bacon, Wash and dry the green beans
  • In a large, high-sided skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, until it begins to release about 1 tablespoon or more of fat.
    Step 2 how to make green beans with bacon, Cook the bacon on the skillet.
  • Add the onion (1/2 cup) to the skillet with bacon (1/2 pound) and cook until the bacon is crisp. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer bacon and onion to a small bowl, leaving bacon fat in the skillet.
    Step 3 how to make green beans with bacon, Add the onions.
  • Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat, leaving in the skillet. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add dried beans. Sauté, using tongs to flip the beans, and season with salt (1/4 teaspoon) and pepper (1/4 teaspoon), until tender about 5-7 minutes.
    Step 5 how to make green beans with bacon, Saute the green beans.
  • Add the bacon and onion back to the skillet. Serve.
    Step 6 how to make green beans with bacon, Add the bacon back to the skillet.

Notes

  1. Dry the Beans! After washing the beans, it's imperative to dry them. Please don't skip this step. Use either a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
  2. Start With Snappy Beans! When choosing green beans, look for a snap in the beans, with no blemishes or discolorations.
  3. Tenderness: I like my green beans cooked al dente, so there is a little bite to the bean.  Of course, cook to doneness to your liking.
  4. Use Turkey Bacon! To reduce the fat in this recipe, use turkey bacon. You must add some butter or vegetable oil to saute the onions.
  5. Add Nuts: We like this dish with a sprinkle of slivered or sliced almonds. This recipe leans toward the French preparation of green beans almondine, which garnishes with crunchy almonds and a squeeze of lemon juice.
  6. Skip The Bacon: Well, that almost sounds like heresy! Wait a minute, I will suggest adding Parmesan cheese in its place!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 6mg