Description
This Crock Pot Green Beans recipe combines tender green beans with crispy bacon, savory onions, and a hint of garlic, slow-cooked to perfection for a flavorful and comforting side dish. Ideal for gatherings or everyday meals, it offers a rich blend of smoky, sweet, and savory flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats & Aromatics
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Vegetables
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Liquids & Condiments
- 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: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until it’s crispy. Once done, remove the bacon pieces from the pan and set them aside, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic to the bacon grease in the skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant. Transfer this mixture into the crockpot.
- Add remaining ingredients: Into the crockpot, add the trimmed and cut green beans, vegetable broth, butter, brown sugar if using, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on high for 2 ½ hours in the crockpot to allow the flavors to meld and the green beans to become tender.
- Add bacon and continue cooking: Stir in the cooked bacon pieces, cover the crockpot again, and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high to heat the bacon through and blend the flavors.
- Serve: Once done, taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve these flavorful green beans warm as a comforting side dish.
Notes
- Storing: Store slow cooker green beans 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 crockpot on high for 30 minutes until warmed through.
- Freezing: Cool the dish completely before freezing in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to three months.
- Trimming the Green Beans: Remove stems and tough ends, or use pre-trimmed fresh green beans for convenience.
- Canned Green Beans: Substitute fresh green beans with four cans of drained green beans; omit the broth and reduce cook time to 1.5 hours since canned beans are already cooked.
- Ham Variation: Try using ham or sliced link sausage instead of bacon for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 cup)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
