Garlic and Bacon Green Beans sautéed in olive oil and butter in a large skillet on the stovetop - an easy and delicious way to prepare the green beans for the holiday menu. The beans are crispy and crunchy. A perfect recipe for the Fall and the Winter.
I love garlic with just about anything, and the green beans are no exception! Sauteed garlic tastes GREAT with green beans and bacon!
This is a great side dish for many types of grilled meats, and it's especially good for the holiday menu on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve.
Thanksgiving Main Courses to serve with this side dish:
- Roast Duck - an ultimate Thanksgiving main course! This Roast Whole Duck has tender and juicy meat, crispy skin, and it’s glazed with the honey-balsamic glaze to give the duck a beautiful roasted look.
- Roasted Cornish Hen - roasted paprika Cornish hen with root vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes) and onions.
- Roasted Turkey Breast (Boneless) with Garlic Herb Butter – this is a rolled turkey breast recipe and is a great alternative when you don’t feel like cooking the entire turkey.
Other green Thanksgiving side dishes:
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries - colorful Thanksgiving salad with lots of veggies and nuts!
- Creamy and Crunchy Salad with Peas, Bacon, and Pecans - easy and beautiful side dish for Thanksgiving!
- Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples, and Gorgonzola cheese - Brussels sprouts smothered in heavy cream and mustard with bacon, apples, Gorgonzola cheese and nutmeg. Cooked on stove top.
How to make green beans with bacon:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 1 pound of fresh green beans and ½ teaspoon of salt. The water should be just above the beans.
- Boil on medium heat for 5 minutes. Drain the beans.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet on medium heat.
- Add 6 cloves of minced garlic and saute, constantly stirring, for about 30 seconds.
- Add chopped cooked bacon (drained of fat) and green beans (cooked and drained).
- Saute on medium heat for about 1 minute to combine all ingredients.
- Remove from heat. Season with more salt, if needed.
Ideas for Thanksgiving Salads
- Winter Fruit Salad with Maple Lime Dressing - the ingredient list includes red apples, pears, clementine oranges (or mandarin oranges), kiwi fruit, dried cranberries, and pomegranate seeds.
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate - perfect healthy Thanksgiving salad with Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing.
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Pecans - this holiday salad is all about crisp, shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with slightly sweet honey mustard vinaigrette, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans.
- Warm Quinoa and Brussels Sprout Salad in Honey Mustard Vinaigrette - this salad is loaded with pecans and cranberries. It is a nutrient-packed salad that is high in fiber and antioxidant properties. A perfect addition to a healthy menu!
Garlic and Bacon Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound green beans , fresh, rinsed, ends trimmed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 6 garlic cloves , minced
- 6 bacon strips , cooked, drained of fat, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add green beans (water should be just above the beans), and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, drain the beans.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook it, constantly stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add chopped cooked bacon (drained of fat) and green beans. Saute on medium heat for about 1 minute to combine all ingredients. Remove from heat. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
MAYLA KENT
WOW! Made this tonight. I had fresh green beans and bacon left from Christmas and was looking for a new way to cook green beans as I am not a fan. It was fabulous both my husband and I loved it. Follow recipe exactly.
Julia
Mayla, I am very happy the recipe was enjoyed! Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment and the 5-star review! 🙂
Megan
I make this every year, and everyone always goes for seconds! Great recipe!
Julia
So glad you've made this recipe and enjoyed it! 🙂
Missy
I made it for a Friendsgiving this year - it was easy and no-fuss recipe and everyone loved it!
Julia
Glad you've enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing such a positive comment!
gwenda collinsworth
Another Thanksgiving to try find. Great this holiday needs to be a special different occasion, since my dad just passed and we are introducing my two new gr8 granddaughters to the family. This will be wonderful ! Thanx Gwenda
Julia
Enjoy! This is a great side dish for Thanksgiving, for sure!
Kayla
Flavors were not mixed very good because everything is cooked separately
Julia
Yes, in this recipe the green beans are more crunchy and not as infused with bacon flavor as in more traditional green beans recipes.
Crystal
Awesome! Added fresh red bell pepper in with garlic! Will be doing this again...many times! Thanks!
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Mark Stenroos
Looks good. Do you chop the bacon before frying?
Andi
Where is your Pin button for the individual recipe? I have looked for it on a few of your posts and can't find one.
Julia
Hi Andi, I will be adding the pinning functionality soon.
Carol
This was a wonderful part of our Thanksgiving meal! No need to wait of a special day, I’ll make it more often from now on. Thank you, Julia!
Julia
Carol, you are very welcome! So glad you liked this recipe!
Martha Pando
This recipe is a hit! Highly recommend! Have made this several times and everyone enjoys. This yr I am making for my husband and toddler for the holidays !
Julia
Martha, I am so glad you've been enjoying this recipe! Thank you for such a positive comment! 🙂
Tammy Siegrist
Could you use frozen green beans for this recipe?
Lindsey
I’ve made this many times and would think frozen would work, I wouldn’t boil them though. Once your bacon is done and you’ve sautéed the garlic a bit, just throw the frozen beans in to the pan and warm them through. They’d likely get soggy if you boiled.
Julia
Thanks, Lindsey, for such helpful feedback!
Paige
Wondering how to transport these to my mom’s for Thanksgiving. Do you think they’d be okay if I cooked ahead of time and put in the crockpot on warm until ready to eat?
Julia
Yes, these would be really easy to make ahead and reheat. You could even refrigerate them and then reheat them in the skillet on the stovetop.
Paige
Thank you! I appreciate your feedback and the recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
Julia
You are very welcome! Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Ann
Looks delicious! Do you need to do the boiling step if you use the microwave-ready packaged green beans?
Rosie
Can you use canned beans? It’s hard to find fresh in the winter.
Julia
I believed canned beans are usually already cooked? That will definitely result in a different texture than using fresh green beans. I would recommend using fresh green beans for the best flavor.
Tammy
Could you use frozen green beans?
Julia
Hi Tammy! If those are FRESH frozen green beans (uncooked, frozen as-is, without any liquid) - yes, you could use them.
Susan
Very easy prep and short ingredient list. These green beans are the best, retain their bright green color, and a “snap” to prepare. I’ll def make these again and again. Loved them and didn’t modify the recipe at all. Thank You!
Laura
Delicious! Everyone in my family loved it, including 3 children. Next week and in the future I will double the batch!