Slow Cooker Green Beans with Bacon is one of our very favorite side dishes! Packed full of flavor, this easy green beans recipe takes just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of work. Enjoy these tasty crockpot green beans with The BEST Homemade Baked Mac and Cheese or The BEST Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Gravy for an amazing meal!
Slow Cooker Green Beans with Bacon
Side dishes are the most fun part of any meal, wouldn’t you say? I think this is where we get to be the most flexible and creative. During busy weeknights, our side dishes are usually limited to one, possibly two dishes, most like a veggie of some sort.
Years ago I shared my Nana’s Green Beans recipe with you all and the response was amazing. Many of you wrote in asking if the green beans could be made in the slow cooker and the answer to that is a resounding YES.
In fact, I make them this way all the time now. It’s something I can get started in the morning and they’re ready to go by dinner. I just love that.
I have come to rely on my slow cooker more and more over the years as my schedule has gotten more and more chaotic. Many of our favorite meals are made in the slow cooker including Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches and this Slow Cooker Shrimp Boil.
What Is Needed for this Crockpot Green Beans Recipe
These green beans don’t need a lot of ingredients which is pretty impressive considering the big flavor. The slow cooker does a lot of the work for you, melding the flavors together and creating an environment that allows the green beans to just soak in the flavor of the bacon and potatoes.
- Fresh green beans – canned green beans can also be “doctored” up using this recipe
- Bacon
- Potato (I prefer russet or red potatoes)
- Onion
- Chicken broth or water (use the broth or stock if you can)
- salt and pepper
My family prepares these southern style green beans all year long. My Nana would frequently make them with potatoes, like I’ve done here today but the potato is not super necessary if you’re opposed.
I’ll be making these green beans next week for Thanksgiving and then just a few weeks after that for Christmas. My family wouldn’t have it any other way.
More Side Dish Recipes To Try:
- Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potato Casserole
- Slow Cooker Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butternut Squash and Apples
- Best Ever Broccoli Salad
How To Make Crockpot Green Beans
Slow Cooker Green Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 slices of bacon
- 2 pounds of rinsed and trimmed fresh green beans
- 1/2 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 potato diced
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth or stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat until the bacon is fully rendered and crispy.
- Add the onions and saute with bacon until transparent.
- Lightly spray a slow cooker with cooking spray and add green beans. and pepper and stir making sure the bacon drippings are getting mixed in well.
- Add bacon and onion mixture followed by the diced potatoes.
- Add chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste. I frequently don't even add salt because the bacon has so much already.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or high heat for 3 to 4 hours or until beans reach your desired level of tenderness.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Have a great day!
Stef says
I’ve used your original recipe many times, my new favorite! But am curious why you added the potatoe to the crockpot version? Does it change the consistency somehow?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
No it doesn’t but my Nana used to do it that way sometimes so I did it for this recipe. She was never wrong lol.
Adrian says
Try adding fresh, minced garlic!! Like, ALOT 🤣
A.Marie says
I’m making these right now. I can’t wait to dig in!! Super easy recipe to follow!! I did all garlic salt because, you know. GARLIC!! ❤
Katrina Hubbert says
Outstanding I making this morning I thought you meant to add the drippings from bacon I’m happy to know that was correct.
I really enjoy your recipes I’ve did several.
Thank you for this awesome recipe and Thank you for all you do.
Jamie says
These were the best green beans ever! I did use smoked turkey wing instead of bacon though and didn’t add any salt.
Paula Harmon says
I have a recipe for he slow cooker, I have tried it and loved it. I call it cabbage stew, lol. I cut the cabbage up how I really like it, it takes up a lot of room, so I be sure to cut it up first, I add beef stock to it and Laeerys seasoned salt after. For taste. I also get the beef tips to put in in it, now that is added I add the potatoes, carrots, smoked usage, black pepper, and I just let it cook for 6 hours on huigh, because I really want that smoked flavor in my food, lol. I tried this about 6 moths ago and my oldest son ended up eating three bowls ooo f it and was mad because there was no more left! But I bought a box of Jiffy cornbread mix and made muffins to go with that. It all turned out great, and I was happy that I didn’t have to beg them to eat it. I just fixed bowl for each of them and set down and it was like they didn’t even take a breath, just to eat.
Cindy Q. says
My family loved this recipe! I omitted the potato since I’m on keto but they were still great! Even my son who doesn’t typically enjoy vegetables asked if I would make these for Thanksgiving! Thank you so much! Big hit at our house in Texas!
Lanette says
There’s no better way to make fresh green beans. Only thing I changed was that I used garlic salt rather than regular salt because garlic is life.
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
“Garlic is life” <-- yessssssss 🤣
Jen says
Fabulous recipe! Made them for Easter dinner, omitted the potato as you said this was optional and because we had mashed potatoes as well with our meal…will make at each holiday instead of the ubiquitous green bean casserole! Thanks!
Cliff Holmes says
I cook the green beans in a instant pot using the same recipe that you use and it’s just as delicious as your green beans and some time I’ll even put a dash of vinegar mixed in the beans, not to much..
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes! The Instant Pot is perfect for this recipe!
Jerry says
I’m not a real cook but I love Crock Pot cooking. Did I understand you correctly when you said to make sure the bacon drippings get completely stirred in, you are referring to the runoff grease from cooking the bacon, right?
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Yes, exactly. Enjoy!
Brit says
These are so good. I love to take them to work for lunch with chicken and sweet potatoes
Brenda says
Thank you,
It looks GREAT!!!
Linda Hall says
the green bean recipe looks delicious!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Thank you so much Linda!
Tim says
I’m from the south and these green beans look awesome. I’m going to try them soon