Tender, smoky, melt-in-your-mouth green beans like Grandma made on Sundays.
Southern green beans are not just a side dish — they’re a memory. They cook down until soft, full of flavor, and wrapped in that smoky, buttery broth that tastes like family gatherings, church potlucks, and long summer afternoons. This is how the Southern mamas and grandmas make them: slow-simmered with onions, garlic, and bacon until every bite tastes like home.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed (or 2–3 cans of cut green beans)
- 6–8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Optional: 1 tablespoon butter for richness
- Optional: 1–2 small potatoes, diced (old Southern trick to soak up extra flavor)
Instructions
1. Cook the bacon
In a large pot, cook chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy.
Remove half the bacon to use later, leaving the rest (and all its drippings) in the pot.
2. Add onion & garlic
Sauté the diced onion in the bacon fat until soft and fragrant.
Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Add the green beans
Add fresh or canned green beans to the pot and toss them in the onion-bacon mixture.
4. Pour in the broth
Add chicken broth until the beans are nearly covered.
Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
5. Low and slow simmer
Cover and simmer on low for 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally.
They should become tender, buttery, and full of smoky flavor.
6. Finish
Stir in 1 tablespoon butter (optional).
Top with the reserved crispy bacon.
Serve With
- Fried chicken
- Cornbread
- Meatloaf
- Mashed potatoes
- Southern pot roast
Storage
- Refrigerate 4–5 days
- Freeze up to 2 months
ENJOY !!!
