Southern Green Beans Recipe

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Melt-in-your-mouth tender green beans simmered for hours and served drizzled in butter and topped with crispy crumbled bacon...yes these Southern Green Beans are the perfect addition to any dinner.

Ok, so we're big fans of these Spicy Braised Green Beans and these tongue numbing Sichuan Green Beans, but there is something about good old green beans simmered in broth and served with butter and bacon that just gets your heart all warm and fuzzy.

Related: We also LOVE making these sous vide green beans (Italian style!)

Because bacon=love. A a touch of spicy Cajun seasoning and onions just puts these bacony Southern Green Beans over the top. They're the ultimate in comfort food sides.

I mean, we thought this Instant Pot Creamed Corn was the ultimate side dish, but these green beans are giving creamed corn a run for it's money! And served up with these Pan Fried Pork Chops, Blackened Catfish, sous vide fried chicken, Southern stewed chicken, or Crawfish Pie, you've got yourself the perfect Southern meal!

Don't forget to check out the southern green beans web story!

Ingredients

Fresh green beans are recommend here, but you can also use frozen in a pinch. However, I do highly recommend the fresh for the best results.

I like to use a peppered bacon for this, but any bacon will do.

Cajun seasoning is used to give the green beans a little bit of that Southern Cajun flair. Just note you may need to adjust the salt content depending on the brand you use.  Tony Chacheres Creole Seasoning is popular, but contains a lot of salt. My homemade Cajun seasoning contains some salt, but not as much.

The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step By Step Instructions

Trim the ends off the green beans. You can also cut them in half if you prefer a shorter (easier to eat) bean.

Cook the bacon, drain and crumble it. Set it aside for use at the end.

Using the same pot still containing the bacon grease, add the onions and saute over medium heat until they soften, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the green beans and chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 90 minutes.

Stir in the butter, Cajun seasoning and bacon at the end and add additional salt if needed.

Your Southern meal wouldn't be complete without some of this Southern Peach Cobbler or this classic Buttermilk Pie. 

And this air fryer cornbread goes great with these green beans!

Variations

• Use pieces of ham instead of the bacon. Cook the ham with the green beans.
• Simmer the green bean with a ham hock instead of using bacon.
• Use smoked sausage in place of the bacon.
• Add chopped garlic in with the onions.
• Add a couple pinches of crushed red pepper for added spice.

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Expert Tips

1. Stir in the bacon after the green beans are done braising. Otherwise, you have soggy bacon which isn't very good.
2. Adjust the salt to taste. If you're using Cajun seasoning with salt, you likely will not need additional salt. Remember, the bacon stirred in at the end will also be salty.

Did you make this recipe? Rate it and leave a comment to let me know how you liked it!