Sautéed Green Beans With Bacon {VIDEO}

Sautéed Green Beans are full of flavor. Made with crispy bacon, minced garlic, and fresh green beans they are ready in 15 minutes, making it the perfect side dish for any weeknight dinner or a holiday meal.

If you are looking for more vegetable side dishes for your meal plans be sure to check out some of our other favorites like Roasted Cauliflower, Maple Braised Butternut Squash, Roasted Parmesan Asparagus, and  Chili Lime Corn on the Cob.

Sauteed Green Beans With Bacon

Oh, green beans, the often forgotten and underrated vegetable I love so much. Most of the year, green beans get left in the dust for more attractive vegetables like broccoli, or asparagus. They get their one moment to shine, and that’s usually in the form of green bean casserole at Thanksgiving, and while I LOVE that dish as much as the next person, it doesn’t do green beans justice.

Well, it’s time to give green beans their moment this season with these amazing sauteed green beans with bacon! Even if you think you don’t like green beans, you have to try this recipe. The crispy bacon, crunchy texture, and top-notch seasoning creates a green beans like you’ve never had before.

Ingredients Needed To Make A Sauteed Green Bean Recipe

I just love how basic this recipe is, and that the ingredient list is made up almost completely of staples I always have in the house. It’s so easy to throw together on a whim for weeknight dinner, or even an impromptu weekend party.

• Fresh green beans
• Thick-cut raw bacon
• Diced onions
• Lemon juice
• Minced garlic
• Red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste

How To Prepare Green Beans

Since you really need to use fresh green beans for this recipe, you’ll need to do a little bit of prep work before you can start working them into the recipe. Don’t worry though, it’s super simple!

Most green beans you will buy at the grocery store are stringless, so the only prep for those is to wash them, and then cut off the tip.

If you want to make things even more simple, you can buy bags of prepared green beans and save yourself a little extra time.

How To Cook Green Beans With Bacon

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

Once the green beans are prepped and ready, It’s time to get started on the fun part, putting together the recipe! It’s so easy, you’ll have no trouble at all.

Start by getting out a large skillet, and cook a few pieces of thick-sliced bacon (chopped) until almost crispy, then add chopped onions (I usually use frozen chopped onion to keep it easy) to the bacon and continue cooking until bacon is crisp and onions are translucent. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and onions from the skillet and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add green beans to the bacon drippings in the skillet. Sautee green beans until they are lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
For the last steps, you’ll add the garlic, red pepper flakes, bacon, and lemon juice over the beans and toss to cook. Finally, season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

What To Serve With This Sauteed Green Bean Recipe

Since this side dish recipe is so classic and simple it will go with just about anything you want. I like to keep things pretty simple for weeknight dinners, I love to pair this with Pork Tenderloin, a Simple Italian Salad, and a Dutch Oven Bread.

If you want to make this into a fantastic Thanksgiving Feast, I suggest pairing it with some Homemade Fresh Cranberry Sauce, and my favorite Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Pecan Crunch.

Tips For Making The Best Sauteed Green Beans

• Yes, you need to use fresh green beans. This recipe is not one with room for substitutions when it comes to the green beans. If you really want that crispy sauteed texture at the end, you’ll have to use fresh, not frozen or canned.
• No, you don’t have to use bacon or bacon grease. If you want to leave out the bacon, then then you can sautee your green beans in 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead of the bacon grease.
• Don’t just throw away leftovers. Leftover beans will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do note that they will lose their bright green color as they sit in the refrigerator as well as when they are re-heated.
• Add a little fat. As long as you aren’t going the vegetarian route, don’t be afraid to use a little bit of fat from the bacon grease. That along with a perfect amount of seasoning will take this green bean recipe to a whole new level.

More Side Dishes For Any Occasion!

Baked Parmesan Risotto Recipe – Creamy, cheesy, and no constant stirring—this easy oven risotto works any night of the week.

Pull-Apart Garlic Bread with Blue Cheese and Rosemary – Buttery, cheesy, and packed with flavor—this pull-apart loaf is party-ready in no time.

Pecan Pie Glazed Carrots – Sweet glazed carrots with toasted pecans—perfect for holiday dinners with a festive twist.

Acorn Squash Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes meet nutty squash for a flavorful, crowd-pleasing side.

Slow Cooker Stuffing With artichokes and Toasted Pecans – This hearty slow cooker stuffing frees up oven space and brings bold flavor to the table.

Tools used to make Sauteed Green Beans With Bacon

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Iron Handle Skillet

A good enameled cast iron skillet is the best when you want that amazing cast iron cooking flavor without all of the hassle and careful clean up of a regular cast iron pan.

Hue White Low Bowl

This simple yet elegant bowl is perfect for serving green beans or any other side dish you might be serving up on your dinner table. It’s definitely one of my most used bowls!

3 Piece Wooden Spoon Set

I love using wooden spoons and tuners soI don’t risk the plastic ones melting into the pan if I accidentally leave it laying on the skillet. This is my favorite set I use pretty much every day.