These Crack Green Beans are the best green bean recipe! This recipe uses fresh green beans, rather than canned, for a way better crunch and overall taste. The brown sugar glaze is sweet, salty and incredibly delicious. Plus, they only take 20 minutes to make!
These green beans are fantastic to serve as a side dish for any night of the week, but I also love them for major holidays. Green beans with bacon are a must have for our family, especially at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas and this is my go to recipe.
For more Holiday side dishes, try my White Cheddar Mac and Cheese, Old Fashioned Cornbread Dressing and Brown Sugar Carrots.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Get your veggies in the right way- with a delicious sweet & salty sauce + covered in bacon
- This recipe only takes 20 minutes to make
- It uses fresh green beans instead of the ones from the can
- These green beans are the perfect holiday side dish
For more delicious vegetable recipes, try this Air Fryer Acorn Squash, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Kale Pomegranate Salad.
Ingredients:
Green Beans- The star of the recipe! Fresh green beans are used for a crunchy texture.
Bacon and Onions- Cooked until crispy for a boost of flavors. You want to use original flavored bacon in this recipe for the best taste. Also, use regular thickness, not thick cut, so it crisps up easily.
Brown Sugar & Soy Sauce-Creates the "crack" sauce for the green beans that thickens into a glaze. It's sweet, salty and seriously addictive.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations:
If you're vegetarian, just leave out the bacon from the recipe.
Honey can be substituted for the brown sugar. Use 2 tablespoons.
A lot of recipes call for canned green beans for this recipe, which I don't feel has the best taste. However, if you want to use canned beans, make sure to strain all the water from the can. You can mix them into the sauce after Step 3.
Frozen green beans could also be used, but they tend to hold a lot of water and be on the bland side.
This sauce would also be amazing on cooked asparagus!
How to Make Crack Green Beans:
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the green beans. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add in the bacon and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the diced onion and garlic powder.
Step 2: Stir and cook for another 5 minutes until bacon is crispy and onions are softened. Turn heat to low.
Step 3: Add brown sugar and soy sauce to the bacon mixture and stir to combine. Continue to simmer on low heat, stirring every few minutes.
Step 4: Carefully add the green beans into the boiling water and boil for 6-7 minutes until cooked, but still firm. Strain the green beans to remove excess water.
Step 5: Toss the green beans together with the brown sugar glaze. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Don't overcook the green beans in the boiling water. They only take between 6 to 7 minutes and they will continue to cook in the sauce.
Looking for main dishes to pair with these green beans? Try my Double Smoked Ham, Baked Chicken Thighs, or Chicken Romano.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, you want to remove the end stems of the green beans before boiling/blanching them.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave until hot or bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until hot.
This simple soy sauce and brown sugar glaze creates an easy sauce that tastes amazing on green beans!
More Vegetable Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Green Bean Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Crack Green Beans
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 lb green beans 1x
Description
These Crack Green Beans are the best green bean recipe! This recipe uses fresh green beans, rather than canned, for a way better crunch and overall taste. The sauce is sweet, salty and incredibly delicious. Plus, they only take 20 minutes to make!
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh green beans, washed, dried and ends/stems removed
- 5 strips of original bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced small
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the green beans. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the diced onion and garlic powder.
- Stir and cook for another 5 minutes until bacon is crispy and onions are softened. Turn heat to low.
- Add brown sugar and soy sauce to the bacon mixture and stir to combine. Continue to simmer on low heat, stirring every few minutes.
- Carefully add the green beans into the boiling water and boil for 6-7 minutes until cooked, but still firm. Strain the green beans to remove excess water.
- Toss the green beans together with the brown sugar glaze. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Don't overcook the green beans in the boiling water. They only take between 6 to 7 minutes and they will continue to cook in the sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: american
Keywords: Crack Green Beans
Josie
I love these and can’t wait to make them again for the holidays!
★★★★★
Tara Smithson
Thanks! They will definitely be on my holiday table this year too!