Description
A flavorful and easy crock pot recipe for tender green beans cooked with crispy bacon, sautéed onions, and garlic in a savory broth, perfect as a comforting side dish for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bacon: Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.
- Sauté onions and garlic: Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic to the bacon grease in the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened, then transfer this mixture to the crock pot.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add the trimmed green beans, vegetable broth, butter, brown sugar (if using), Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker along with the onion and garlic mixture. Stir gently to combine.
- Slow cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 ½ hours, allowing the green beans to become tender and absorb the flavors.
- Add bacon and continue cooking: Stir in the reserved crispy bacon, then cook for an additional 30 minutes on high to meld the flavors together.
- Serve: Once done, give the green beans a final stir and serve warm as a delicious side dish.
Notes
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave, on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the crock pot on high for 30 minutes.
- Freezing: Cool completely before freezing in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months.
- Trimming Green Beans: Pre-trimmed fresh green beans save time, but make sure ends and stems are removed.
- Canned Green Beans: Use four cans of drained green beans instead of fresh and omit broth. Cook for 1.5 hours since beans are already cooked.
- Meat Alternatives: Ham or sliced link sausage can also be used instead of bacon for variation.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
