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Unlike the slower, long stewed version of southern green bean preparation, this method is a quick fix version, using onion and bacon for seasoning, and fitting for fresh, frozen and even canned green beans. Add in some chunks of new or small red potatoes for a change. |
Quick Fix Southern Style Green Beans
Southern style green beans, whether made alone with sauteed onion and bacon, or with the addition of potatoes, are a well loved side dish in this part of the country.When fresh green beans are at peak in my garden, or in season and available in abundance at the grocery store, those are what I prefer to cook. When I run out of those, or when it's off season, frozen or canned green beans are a perfectly acceptable substitute.
Hands down, my number one favorite way to enjoy fresh green beans is the old fashioned slow stewed way. Oh my goodness, just the aroma of those stewing on the stove will bring you right back to grandma's kitchen! I put them on the stove and very often just let them stew down on low for hours.
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Fresh green beans cooked down with bacon and onion and served with a side of potatoes instead. |

While they are good with potatoes added, you may also omit them of course, which is actually the way that I cook them most often, especially when serving potatoes or another starch on the side. Amounts given in the recipe are just estimates - use more or less bacon and onion according to your taste. Here's how to make them.

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Linking to Weekend Potluck - check it out for more great recipes y'all!Recipe: Quick Fix Southern Style Green Beans
©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min |Cook time: 20 min | Yield: About 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Instructions
- 5 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
- 1 pound (about 4 cups) fresh, frozen or canned (drained) cut green beans
- 4 to 6 tiny new or 3 small red potatoes, cut into chunks, optional
- Chicken stock or broth, to cover
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Using kitchen shears, cut up the bacon directly into a large saucepan and cook over medium high heat until it begins to brown. Remove one tablespoon of bacon and set aside. Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.
If using fresh or frozen beans, saute them in the cooked bacon and onion for a bit first. Cut away a strip around the center of the new potatoes or if using small red potatoes, cut them into a medium chunks; add to the beans. Pour over enough chicken broth to cover beans, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and let them simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes and beans are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Transfer beans to serving bowl and sprinkle with reserved bacon. Drizzle butter all over the top and serve.
Cook's Notes: May substitute canned whole white potatoes or also excellent with the potatoes omitted. If using fresh green beans, remove the ends and snap in half or cut; rinse and set aside. May also substitute 2 cans of cut green beans, reserving the liquid. If using canned beans, add the beans with their liquid, to the cooked bacon and onion. Add the potatoes and enough chicken broth to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let them low simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Amounts given are just estimates - use more or less according to your own taste. Also good with ham or andouille sausage.
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Your post reminds me of how much I like green beans southern style. I think of them completely differently from the way I usually do green beans. In addition to the potatoes, my mother would add tender yellow squash as well. The layering was added depending on how long each vegetable had to cook. She served them up with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers marinated in a vinegar dressing and corn on the cob. It was her "vegetable" dinner.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memories.
Best,
Bonnie
The picture makes my mouth water...I make the green beans w/the bacon, and to the juices I add mustard/honey..The tater's thats my favorite..I love them any which way.....what a great addition to the beans/bacon...Have a great day Mary..
ReplyDeletei LOVE smothered green beans and potatoes.
ReplyDeletePotatoes, bacon and green beans....count me in!
ReplyDeleteI love this dish! Thanks for adding it to my Linky! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteJust made this for dinner w/ your Chicken Pot Pie ... Perfect combo ~ just YUMMY !!!
ReplyDeleteOne of our favs too! Glad y'all enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteHey, I'd like to know how many this serves!
ReplyDeleteHey Rachel! In my FAQ I address the serving size issue and why I don't include that. Most of my recipes will feed about 4 to 6 people - but it depends on appetites and what else is being served. I think a serving size of green beans alone would be about a cup, but factoring in the potatoes I'd say this probably would feed 4 when served as a side with a salad and a protein. Of course the amounts I give are really just estimates. You can absolutely increase ingredients to stretch this further.
ReplyDeletethis is the way I cook mine,I buy the bacon scraps from the store they are cheap and have more flavor to me.My grannie would cook the fresh beans and potatoes brings back a lot of great memories and thanks for posting this recipe.
ReplyDeleteThose bacon scraps are great aren't they? Bacon is sure getting expensive. Thanks for stopping by Jim - hope you visit us again & Happy Thanksgiving!!
ReplyDeleteMary, I make my green beans and potatoes exactly the same way. I have been craving this dish with a pan of dixie cornbread. I bought fresh green beans and tiny red new potatoes the other day and plan to make this tomorrow. I have applewood smoked bacon to season. I will serve it with my fresh tomatoes and onions and I'll be good. Who needs meat in the summer?
ReplyDeleteI am with you on that Brenda!
DeleteMade this to go along with BBQ chicken and cornbread Sunday. Wonderful and brought back a lot of memories. Very much enjoying your site!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Rick!
DeleteThanks rick I'm going to try it
DeleteMary, I could eat this as a meal! I just add some cubed ham, and voila! I think green beans have to be my favorite veggie! This is the way I've always cooked mine. :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, for sure - me too!
DeleteWhat can I use for seasoning besides pork for someone that can't eat pork?
ReplyDeleteYou don't really need to substitute Cherie - though you could use some turkey bacon for flavor if you like. Just add some fresh herbs!
DeleteDo you cook the beans from frozen or do you thaw first?
ReplyDeleteHey Kati! When using frozen, yes, thaw them enough that the crystals from the ice won't spit at you when you saute them.
DeleteI make mine with ham, green beans and potatoes. Also have cornbread, fresh tomatoes and onions....mmm hungry now.
ReplyDeleteI use ham too sometimes, even anduoille sausage - it's all good. Now, that meal you mention? One of my favorites too Sue!!
DeleteThey are mighyt good cooked up with some fatback and olive oil too. :)
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
DeleteThey are mighty good cooked with some fatback too. :)
ReplyDeleteHi. Can you tell me how to adjust the recipe to exclude the potatoes? I am going to try these to go with our ham on Easter. Thank you, from a New Englander. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe potatoes are the tiny new potatoes so not much of an adjustment is needed. Just slightly reduce the time and cook the green beans just until tender.
DeleteI've been making this for years but didn't include the potatoes and we like it with the potatoes... YUM... saves having to make a starch to go with your meal!
ReplyDeleteWe eat them more without the potatoes than with but they are a great addition!
DeleteGreat dish! Hubby loves em!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, me too! I can eat a whole pot of these for my supper with nothing else. Okay, maybe some cornbread! :)
DeleteI have always loved green beans and new potatoes, but I also love to take out the potatoes out and smash them with butter. It would take awhile to pick out the potatoes. I buy the new potatoes in the mesh bag. One day I decided to use it! I washed the bag, tucked the cut up potatoes in it, closed it with a twist tie and dropped it in with the green beans! Success!! Now I will add the step of adding onion and bacon the way Mary does it!! Sounds awesome! It is no surprise to me that so many of the recipes I have Pinned come from Deep South Dish!!!!
ReplyDeleteAw thanks so much Dianne! I really love that idea with the potatoes - very clever!
DeleteMade this today. My mom made this too. I made my own cream of mushroom soup, since the canned has msg in it. Good recipe. Sent half to my neighbors and they aye it straight out of the ziploc bag. Thanks. By the way, I have that cookbook, wedding gift, 1971.
ReplyDeleteHi Violet! I'm guessing that this comment was meant for a different recipe? Nevertheless, I think that's a good sign when whatever it was, it was eaten right out of the bag!!
DeleteWhat does this mean-- "Cut away a strip around the center of the new potatoes"?
ReplyDeleteHi Patty - so sorry about that! On the smaller new potatoes, if you use a potato peeler to cut a center strip all around the potatoes in the middle, it allows some of the flavor from the liquid to penetrate the potatoes, since you aren't cutting them up. If you're using a larger red potato that you're going to cut up anyway, you don't need to do that. You can see a picture of what I mean if you click right here.
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