Best Southern Crockpot Green Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 5slices thick cut bacon
- 1 mediumyellow onion
diced
- 2 mediumcloves garlic
minced
- 2 cchicken broth
plus more if needed
- ½ tspgarlic salt
- ¼ tspground black pepper
- ¼ tsppaprika
- ¼ tspgranulated sugar
- ¼ tspcrushed red pepper flakes
- 1 ½ lbfresh green beans
washed with the ends trimmed
- 1 tbspbutter
Directions
- 1
Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch pieces, and cook them in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until they’re crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, but reserve the bacon grease.
- 2
Add the onions to the pan with the bacon grease and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes, add in the garlic and cook for another 1 minute, or until aromatic. Remove the onions and garlic from the pan and place into the crockpot, then discard the remaining bacon grease.
- 3
Add the chicken broth, garlic salt, black pepper, paprika, sugar, and red pepper flakes to a 6 quart crockpot, and stir to combine. Add in half of the bacon and mix.
- 4
Place the green beans into the crockpot, making sure they are all laying in the same direction and are tight together, this will ensure they cook evenly. Put additional chicken broth in if needed. The beans don't need to be fully submerged, but they do need to be about 90% covered.
- 5
Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours (or on high for 4 hours). If cooking on the low setting, check to see if they are at your desired tenderness after 6 hours. If not, continue to cook until tenderness is reached.
- 6
Once the string beans are done, drain them from the chicken broth. Toss with butter, the remainder of the bacon, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Best Southern Crockpot Green Beans Recipe
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About this Recipe
Craving the comforting taste of Grandma's cooking without all the fuss? These Best Southern Crockpot Green Beans are a truly easy side dish, perfect for bringing classic Southern flavors to your table with minimal effort.
This recipe shines by letting your slow cooker do all the hard work, slowly infusing fresh green beans with smoky bacon, savory onion, and aromatic garlic. The long cook time develops an incredibly rich, comforting depth of flavor that's hard to achieve any other way, making them a standout addition to any meal.
What you'll get is a bowl of irresistibly tender green beans, swimming in a savory, slightly spiced broth, punctuated by crispy bits of thick-cut bacon. The subtle sweetness from a touch of sugar balances the saltiness of the bacon and broth, while a hint of crushed red pepper flakes provides a gentle warmth. They’re deeply flavorful, incredibly comforting, and will remind you of holiday dinners past, all with the convenience of your crockpot.
Want to make these delicious green beans your own? While bacon is a star here, you could use a smoked turkey leg for a similar smoky flavor if you prefer. Adjust the crushed red pepper flakes to your liking for more or less heat, or add a pinch of onion powder if you want to boost the onion flavor even further. If you're out of chicken broth, vegetable broth can work in a pinch, though it will alter the overall savory depth.
These Southern Crockpot Green Beans are an ideal companion for holiday feasts like Thanksgiving or Christmas, or simply for a comforting Sunday dinner. They pair beautifully with roasted meats and mashed potatoes, adding a touch of down-home deliciousness to any plate.