Marry This Slow Cooker Green Beans recipe is a tender and savory recipe, which is made with crispy bacon and diced tomatoes. It’s the ultimate comfort food side dish, ready in about 7 hours on low.
Jump to RecipeSlow Cooker Green Beans Ingredients
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
- 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
How To Make Slow Cooker Green Beans
- Cook Bacon and Aromatics: In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, then add the broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the entire mixture from the skillet to a 6-quart slow cooker. To the slow cooker, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, all the seasonings (salt, paprika, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes), and half of the cooked bacon. Stir well, then stir in the fresh green beans.
- Slow Cook the Beans: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.
- Finish and Serve: Stir the red wine vinegar into the green beans, cover, and cook for 1 more hour until the beans are very tender. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining crispy bacon.
Recipe Tips
- What is the right texture for these green beans? This is a classic Southern-style preparation. The goal is for the green beans to be incredibly soft and tender, having absorbed all the flavors of the broth, not crisp-tender. Don’t be afraid of the long cooking time!
- Can I use frozen or canned green beans? For the best flavor and texture, fresh green beans are highly recommended. You can use frozen green beans in a pinch, but do not use canned green beans, as they will become overly mushy.
- Can I use a different meat instead of bacon? Yes. For a similar smoky flavor, you could start with a smoked ham hock or a smoked turkey leg in the slow cooker instead of the bacon.
- How to get the most flavor? The flavor base is crucial. Do not drain the bacon drippings after crisping the bacon; sautéing the onion and garlic in this fat is where the deep, savory flavor begins. Scraping up the browned bits with the broth also adds a ton of flavor.
What To Serve With Slow Cooker Green Beans
This is a quintessential comfort food side dish, perfect for a Sunday dinner or a holiday meal. It pairs beautifully with:
- Crispy Fried Chicken
- A classic glazed Meatloaf
- Pan-seared or grilled Pork Chops
- A whole Roasted Chicken
- Hot, buttered cornbread for sopping up the broth
How To Store Slow Cooker Green Beans
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors are often even better the next day as they continue to meld.
- Reheat: Reheat gently in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
Slow Cooker Green Beans Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1/8th of recipe
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Sodium: 950mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes, this is a very important step. Cooking the bacon first renders out the fat (which you need to cook the onions) and, most importantly, it makes the bacon crispy. If you add raw bacon to the slow cooker, it will become soft and chewy.
Absolutely. Follow the first step in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Then, add all the other ingredients as directed, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beans are very tender.
This can happen if your slow cooker runs at a lower temperature than average. Every slow cooker is a bit different. If the beans aren’t as tender as you’d like, simply continue cooking them on the LOW setting, checking them every 30-45 minutes until they reach your desired softness.
Try More Recipes:
Slow Cooker Green Beans Recipe
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
servings15
minutes6
hours250
kcalA classic Southern side dish where fresh green beans are slow-cooked with bacon, tomatoes, and savory seasonings until perfectly tender and flavorful.
Ingredients
2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
8 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes & 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
Spices: 2 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Directions
- In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, but reserve drippings.
- Sauté onion and garlic in the bacon drippings, then deglaze with broth.
- Transfer the onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, all seasonings, half the bacon, and the green beans.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours.
- Stir in the vinegar, then cover and cook for 1 more hour until beans are very tender.
- Serve topped with the remaining crispy bacon.
Notes
- The goal for this dish is Southern-style, very tender green beans, not crisp-tender. Embrace the long cook time!
- Do not drain the bacon grease after cooking the bacon; it provides the essential savory base for the entire dish.
- This is a perfect make-ahead dish for holidays as it frees up oven and stove space and can be kept on the “WARM” setting.
