Sautéed green beans with bacon take fresh cooked green beans and tossed them with crispy bacon and Parmesan cheese for a buttery, smoky and delicious side dish.
From the recipe of Tara Ippolito
Sautéed green beans with bacon is proof that simple ingredients can make serious magic. The green beans stay bright, the bacon is crispy and the Parmesan cheese brings it all together. It’s fast, easy, and it seriously tastes like something you’d get at a steakhouse. And the best part is that you made it in one skillet right at home.
I’ve made green beans so many ways and this one is always the winner. The bacon gets super crispy, the beans stay tender-crisp and flavorful, and everything gets coated in that buttery, garlicky goodness. It’s quick, it tastes restaurant-quality, and once you try this it will be your go to green bean recipe forever.
Ingredients
Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious side dish. You can find the ingredients along with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Water- For blanching the green beans. This will give them a beautiful, bright color green.
- Fresh Green Beans- Washed with the ends trimmed and cut into 2” pieces.
- Butter- Adds lots of rich flavor to the dish.
- Garlic- Jarred, fresh or garlic paste could all be used here.
- Bacon- Adds lots of Smokey flavor, saltiness and the perfect amount of crunch to the dish.
- Parmesan Cheese- Goes together perfectly with the green beans and bacon bringing a nutty richness while binding it all together.
- Seasoning- Salt enhances every ingredient of this dish, Black Pepper balances out the richness and the garlic powder makes sure that each bite is loaded with just the right amount of garlicky flavor.
How To Make It
Here are the instructions on how to make this delicious side dish along with some tips and notes. You can find the full ingredients list with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.
First, add the bacon to a large cast iron skillet and cook it over medium high heat until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and grease from the pan leaving behind 1 tbs in the pan. Turn the heat off.
PRO TIP: Dicing bacon with a regular knife can be a real pain in the butt. Using a good pair of kitchen shears makes the process so much easier.
NOTE: If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, any large skillet will be ok to use here.
Now, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Let them cook in the water for about 3 minutes. Strain them from the water and immediately place them into an ice bath to halt the cooking process.
PRO TIP: Have the ice bath ready to go before the green beans are done to prevent them from over cooking.
NOTE: The ice bath will keep the green beans crisp and bright in color.
Next, add butter to the skillet and warm that and the bacon grease over medium heat. Add the fresh garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the crispy bacon and green beans into the skillet.
Then, season the green beans with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss everything together. Let the green beans and bacon warm up in the pan for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. The Parmesan cheese should be slightly melted.
Finally, serve warm and enjoy!
What To Serve This With
This dish would be the perfect recipe to serve along side a Holiday Ham or turkey. You don’t need to wait for the holidays, though. Serve it with some Crockpot French Onion Meatloaf or Baked Caesar Chicken and it will be delicious.
Can I Use Canned Green Beans?
Yes, you can use canned green beans in this recipe but I don't really recommend it. They wont be as crisp as this recipe calls for them to be. But if you'd like to use them, just drain and rinse them well, then add them at the end so they warm through without getting mushy.
Can I Omit The Bacon?
Yes, you definitely can omit the bacon if you'd like to. Just add about 1 Tbs more of butter to make up for the lost bacon fat.
Storage
Let the green beans cool completely and place them into an air tight container. They will last in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Featured Products
Shop all of the products featured in this recipe tutorial on my Amazon Store. Here are just a few that I love:
- Storage Containers- These are my favorite from Rubbermaid! They’re BPA Free and come with air tight lids. They're freezer safe, too.
- Cast Iron Skillet- Lodge, pre seasoned 10” skillet.
- Kitchen Shears- All purpose, stainless steel kitchen sheers. These have so many incredible uses and are perfect for cutting the bacon in this recipe. They're dishwasher safe, too.
Sautéed Green Beans With Bacon Recipe
Equipment
- 10' Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Fresh Green Beans- cleaned, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces
- ½ Pound Bacon, diced
- 1 Tbs Butter
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 Tbs Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large cast iron skillet and cook it over medium high heat until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and grease from the pan leaving behind 1 tbs in the pan. Turn the heat off.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the green beans. Let them cook in the water for about 3 minutes. Strain them from the water and immediately place them into an ice bath to halt the cooking process.
- Add the butter to the skillet and warm that and the bacon grease together over medium heat. Add the fresh garlic and sauté for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the crispy bacon and green beans into the skillet.
- Season the green beans with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss everything together. Let the green beans and bacon warm up in the pan for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. The Parmesan cheese should be slightly melted. Serve warm and enjoy!
Other Easy Side Dish Recipes
If you like super easy to make vegetable side dishes like this one, you have to try Honey Roasted Carrots, Creamy Brussels Sprouts With Bacon and Roasted Asparagus With Parmesan And Tomatoes.
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