Description
Tender green beans slow-cooked with crispy bacon, aromatic onions, garlic, and a flavorful blend of vegetable broth, butter, and Worcestershire sauce. This comforting Crock Pot Green Beans recipe is easy to prepare and perfect as a hearty side dish for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Aromatics
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Vegetables and Liquids
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
Other Ingredients
- 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 crispy. Once done, remove the bacon pieces and set them aside, leaving the bacon grease in the pan.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant. Then transfer this mixture to the crockpot.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Into the crockpot, add the fresh green beans, vegetable broth, butter, brown sugar (if using), Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients.
- Slow Cook: Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 2 ½ hours, allowing the green beans to become tender and soak up the flavors.
- Incorporate Bacon: After 2 ½ hours, add the reserved crispy bacon back into the crockpot. Stir and cook for an additional 30 minutes on high to meld the flavors together.
- Serve: Once finished, 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 or on the stovetop over medium heat. Alternatively, reheat in the crockpot on high for 30 minutes until warmed through.
- Freezing: Cool completely and freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to three months.
- Trimming Green Beans: Remove tough ends and stems before cooking, or use pre-trimmed fresh green beans to save time.
- Canned Green Beans: Substitute four cans of drained green beans and omit vegetable broth. Cook for 1.5 hours as the beans are already cooked, noting the texture will be slightly different.
- Meat Alternatives: This recipe also works well using ham or sliced link sausage instead of bacon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
