Southern Style Green Beans with Onions and Bacon

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This Southern green beans recipe proves that comfort food doesn't have to take all day. Ready in less than 30 minutes, it's a one-skillet wonder that brings so much flavor to the table without a fuss.

And let's be real--bacon makes everything better so you already know these are going to be good. Whether you're cooking them up for a holiday feast or just need a quick veggie side for a weeknight dinner, these green beans fit the bill and will be requested again and again.

Wooden board topped with an oval pottery platter with Southern Green Beans with Onions and Bacon with a wooden handled serving fork, a glass of water, and a blue cloth on the side.

With tender green beans, sweet onions, and smoky bacon, this recipe hits every note of Southern comfort with minimal effort, and bonus: you'll only dirty one pan in the process. (Those are my favorite kinds of recipes!)

These green beans are my go-to for so many occasions: an easy Thanksgiving dinner addition to my holiday spatchcock turkey without shears and Southern air fryer stuffing, to serve alongside beef stroganoff noodles or Cajun crab cakes for a date night in, or to round out Sunday supper with my creamy sun dried tomato chicken pasta.

Try them yourself, and I think you'll agree that this is the perfect side dish for so many things. Ready to get started? Let's do it:

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Tasty Tip
Frequently asked questions
Related
Pairing
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Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
Food safety

Ingredients

Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this green bean recipe:

bacon
yellow onion
fresh green beans
chicken broth
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!

First, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan to paper towels, reserving the drippings in the skillet.

Sautéing diced onions in a cast-iron skillet with a slotted wooden spoon.

Then, add the onion to the drippings in the skillet and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Pouring a can of chicken broth into a cast iron skillet of green beans and onions.

Next, add the green beans and the broth to the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Crumbling bacon on top of a paper towel lined white plate.

Finally, bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and transfer to a serving platter. Crumble the bacon and sprinkle on top.

Hint: Go light on the salt at first--the bacon and broth can be salty enough. After cooking, then add more salt if needed.

Substitutions

Here are some ingredient substitution ideas in case you need them:

Bacon - I like thick-cut bacon, but use regular or center-cut if you'd like. Pancetta is another great option. Or, if you have leftover bacon grease, that'll work too!
Onion - For this recipe, I call for yellow onion but you can use white onions, sweet onion (Vidalias are my favorite), or red onions. Shallots work too!
Chicken broth - Vegetable broth or beef broth work in place of the chicken broth. Chicken stock works too!
Fresh green beans - If the fresh beans don't look great, you can use frozen green beans in a pinch. (Heck, this would even be good with a couple of cans of green beans.) I also love haricots verts (thin French green beans). Since they're smaller, they won't take as long to cook.

Variations

Want to change things up? Check out these recipe variations:

Spicy - Add a little crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to give these beans a spicy kick.
Garlic Green Beans - Sauté 2 minced cloves of garlic along with the onions to give these a garlicky kick.
Ultimate Southern-Style - Increase the broth to 2 cans and simmer small yellow or red potatoes in the broth until they're about half-way cooked through. Then add the green beans and cook until tender.

Equipment

Here's the equipment you'll need to make this delicious recipe:

dry measuring cups
large skillet with a lid
wooden spoon
metal tongs

Storage

To refrigerate: Transfer the beans to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the beans in a skillet and reheat gently on the stovetop. You can also zap them in the microwave.

To freeze: Let the green beans come to room temperature and place in a zip-top freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a skillet with a splash of broth.

Tasty Tip

To keep the bacon crispy, crumble and sprinkle it on top of the green beans right before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen green beans?

You can! And just add them directly to the skillet--there's no need to thaw them.

Do I have to use bacon?

You don't, and that's a good start to making these vegetarian. To go completely vegetarian (or vegan, in fact) use olive oil in place of the bacon drippings and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

How do I keep the beans bright green?

My trick for making green beans vibrantly green is to blanch them and then shock in ice water to stop the cooking. Honestly, this recipe is best the way it is written. The bacon flavor is infused into the beans. For the brightest green, I just recommend not overcooking the beans.

Can I make this ahead?

Yep! Just want to add the bacon until just before serving so it stays crispy.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely. This is a great side dish to double, especially if you're serving it for a holiday meal or dinner party when there's lots of people. You just may need a larger, deeper skillet or a Dutch oven so everything fits.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with these Southern-style green beans:

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