Slow Cooker Green Beans (w/ Bacon!)
Packed with flavor, these super easy slow cooker green beans are a simple side dish slow cooked to tender perfection. Using fresh green beans and smokey bacon it’s a mostly hands-off recipe fit for the holiday table or as a delectable vegetable side!
Crockpot Green Beans, Simplified
I love cooking vegetables in my crock pot (hello slow cooker carrots, slow cooker potatoes, and slow cooker baked potatoes), because the low and slow cook time yields tender and flavorful results, all with mostly hands-off cook time. This simple slow cooker green bean recipe includes a hit of flavor from savory bacon, along with a smokey kick from smoked paprika. You’ll also find a touch of sweetness from brown sugar, along with a pleasant tang from the apple cider vinegar. The great thing is that prep for these green beans can be done in about 10 minutes, leaving your oven (and you!) free for more important things. I love serving these simple green beans alongside juicy turkey breast or garlicky baked chicken, but you’ll find they go with just about any weeknight meal, and are just as fitting for a Thanksgiving table.
Let’s Make Fresh Green Beans in the Slow Cooker!
Prep, Make Ahead & Storage Notes
The bacon and onion mixture can be prepped up to 4 days in advance, then stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Note that if making the bacon onion mixture ahead, the bacon fat will harden upon refrigeration, but it will melt again upon gentle reheating. The green beans can also be washed and trimmed ahead of time. The fully cooked green beans can be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days. You can even use the slow cooker to reheat the cooked green beans by warming them on low for 30-60 minutes, covered.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Green beans: I recommend a tender, non-starchy French string bean such as haricots verts or other fresh green bean. I’ve also tested this recipe with frozen, defrosted haricots verts and it worked well. I haven’t tested it with any other type of beans or canned green bean, so if you give it a try let me know how it turns out in the comments. Note that starchier beans will result in a starchier end result.
- Bacon: Look for thick cut bacon.
- Smoked paprika: Lends a smoky flavor in addition to the bacon. Regular paprika can be used instead.
- Brown sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness to the beans, but for a no-sugar, low-carb option, feel free to skip it.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds a nice tang to the beans. Balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar will also work.
Slow Cooker Green Beans (w/ Bacon!)
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 pounds fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed, such as Haricots Verts
To Add at the End
- 1 tablespoon butter
- freshly cracked ground pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet.
- To the same skillet, add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and paprika, then cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
- Add the salt, brown sugar, stock and vinegar to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine. Add the cooked onion mixture, 2 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled and the green beans, tossing to coat.
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours on high, or low for 6-7.
- Uncover and drain all but ¼ cup of cooking liquid. Add the butter and remaining 2 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled, to the green beans, stirring to combine.
- Taste and season with additional salt or pepper if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- See above blog posts for a vegetarian variation with tomatoes and no bacon, substitutions, make ahead tips, and troubleshooting notes.
I haven’t tried this yet and I’m confused. Why do you need so much chicken stock if you’re just going to drain it at the end? Would it be ok just to use 1/2 cup of chicken stock?
The stock helps the green beans to become very tender in the time indicated. You can use less if you want, but I haven’t tested it that way and can’t be sure they will be cooked in the time given.