By: Becky Hardin
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This Green Beans and Bacon Recipe is filled with bacon, garlic, onions, brown sugar, and a splash of bourbon! Cooking green beans on the stovetop is a quick and easy way to make veggies for your meal, and they turn out perfectly in just 20 minutes. It’s the easiest green bean side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another holiday!
Table of Contents
What’s in this Bourbon Bacon Green Beans recipe?
This green beans recipe with bacon is my favorite for Thanksgiving! It’s so quick and easy to make in a skillet on the stovetop, and it’s just delicious.
- Green Beans: For the best flavor and a nice crisp bite, use fresh green beans for this recipe. Clean and trim the ends before cooking.
- Bacon: Chunky pieces of bacon add texture and delicious flavor.
- Onion: Use sweet yellow onion, diced.
- Garlic: Minced garlic adds savory, aromatic flavor. I used 1 clove, but you can add as much as you like.
- Bourbon: A few tablespoons of bourbon adds a splash of rich flavor, with a hint of sweet vanilla.
- Brown Sugar: This adds a deep, sweet flavor to the green beans. I recommend using dark brown sugar!
- Water: This helps to steam the green beans as they cook in the skillet.
- Spices: Use a little bit of salt and pepper to taste, and some red pepper flakes to add a little heat.
Pro Tip: Be sure to keep the bacon grease in the skillet after it finishes cooking because you’ll want to use it to cook the green beans, onion, and garlic!
Variations on Green Beans with Bacon
Cooking these bacon green beans in a skillet is so simple, and you can make a few quick swaps to make it work for you.
Add pre-cooked bacon crumbles at the end, instead of cooking your bacon at the start. You can use olive oil or butter instead of bacon grease. And chicken broth can be used instead of water to help steam the beans. You can also add caramelized onions for even more flavor–just sauté longer, or make them ahead of time.
If you’re looking for more add-in ideas, try adding feta crumbles or chopped and toasted nuts to serve.
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Should you cook bacon before adding to green beans?
Yes. Start by cooking the bacon, then set it aside. Cook the green beans in the same skillet, and add the bacon back in at the end.
How long does it take to cook green beans in a skillet?
This skillet green beans recipe will take 20 minutes start to finish. The beans should take a total of about 15 minutes to cook. Add a few extra minutes if you want softer green beans.
Can I skip the bourbon?
The bourbon adds a rich, deep sweetness with hints of vanilla and caramel that really complements the green beans and bacon. You can use whiskey instead, or skip it entirely, but I highly recommend using it.
How do you trim green beans?
When cooking fresh green beans, you’ll want to start by washing and trimming them. Use a paring knife or Chef’s knife to cut off the stems/tough ends. To make it quick, grab a bundle of beans, line up the stems, and chop.
Should I cover green beans while they cook on the stovetop?
You’ll only need to cover the skillet of green beans for about 2 minutes of cook time, right after adding the water–this will help them steam and soften a little bit. Other than that, cook them uncovered.
Can I make this recipe with frozen green beans?
Yes! I love using fresh green beans, but you can start with frozen. Thaw them ahead of time if you want it to cook fast. If cooking from frozen, you’ll just need to cook them longer.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover green beans and bacon in an airtight container, and keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stove until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze skillet green beans in an airtight, freezer-safe container or resealable bag. They will taste best if eaten within 4 months. Thaw them overnight in the freezer before reheating, or reheat directly from frozen (though they will take longer to warm through).
Serving Suggestions (Green Beans for Thanksgiving!)
This green beans recipe is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and holidays! The mix of brown sugar, bacon, and bourbon create a cozy flavor that complements main dishes like honey baked ham, Thanksgiving turkey, beef tenderloin, and stuffed pork loin.
5-Star Review
“I just found this recipe tonight and made these beans – a HUGE hit! They were marvelous and so simple to make. I plan to make them for Thanksgiving this year. I used bacon bits as was too lazy to fry up bacon and it worked just fine. The crushed red pepper cut down the sweetness nicely and was a great melding.” – Dinny
Recipe
Green Beans Recipe with Bacon
4.64 from 91 votes
Author: Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total: 20 minutes minutes
Serves4
Print Rate
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Skillet Green Beans are an easy way to make some veggies for your meal. These bourbon green beans with bacon add some spice, flair, and beauty to any holiday table. It's the ultimate Thanksgiving side dish that's so full of flavor, you'll be blown away!
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Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon diced and cooked until crispy
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pound green beans cleaned and ends trimmed
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Instructions
Cut bacon into ½” pieces, then place in 12-inch skillet and cook until crisp, but not burned. Remove from bacon grease (save grease) and set aside bacon to use as garnish.
4 strips bacon
Add onion to bacon grease and sauté until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook just until garlic blooms (softens and releases it’s oil) approximately 15-30 seconds.
1 medium sweet yellow onion, 1 clove garlic
Add green beans, black pepper, salt and red pepper flakes then cook until the beans begin to show brown spots, 6-8 minutes over medium heat.
1 pound green beans, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
Add water, cover, and cook 2 minutes. Beans should still be bright green and crisp.
¼ cup water
Add bourbon and brown sugar and cook 4-5 minutes, uncovered, until beans are barely crisp. Stir often.
3 tablespoons bourbon, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Taste the beans and add salt, if needed.
Sprinkle beans with crisped bacon and serve.
ENJOY!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 199kcal (10%) Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) Protein: 5g (10%) Fat: 9g (14%) Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) Cholesterol: 14mg (5%) Sodium: 738mg (32%) Potassium: 334mg (10%) Fiber: 3g (13%) Sugar: 13g (14%) Vitamin A: 785IU (16%) Vitamin C: 16.1mg (20%) Calcium: 56mg (6%) Iron: 1.4mg (8%)
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