Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon - The Seasoned Mom (2024)

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Sweet, salty and smoky, these Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon are an easy side dish for any meal. Tender green beans are baked in a sweet-and-savory brown sugar soy sauce…and then finished with crispy bacon! Your family will love this classic Southern combination of flavors and textures.

If you want to encourage your kids (or husband!) to eat some veggies, then these Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon are a must on your next dinner menu! The Southern side dish recipe is easy to throw together with frozen green beans, but you can also use fresh or canned green beans if you prefer.

What are Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon?

This recipe has been in my virtual “recipe box” for over a decade, so I have no idea where I originally came across the concept. I’ve tweaked the dish over time, but they’re basically just Southern-style green beans with bacon.

Southern-style green beans are slowly cooked in a broth that has been infused with bacon or ham hocks. They’re tender, salty and incredibly flavorful! I’ve made Southern Green Beans with Bacon in my Crock Pot many times, but this particular oven-baked recipe is quicker and easier to prepare in smaller quantities.

How to make Southern-Style Green Beans with Bacon:

This simple side dish comes together with just a few minutes of hands-on prep time and some basic pantry staples!

Ingredients:

• Green beans
• Bacon
• Brown sugar
• Butter
• Soy sauce
• Garlic powder

How to cook Green Beans:

I like to cook the green beans until they’re tender before adding them to the baking dish. They will continue to soften in the oven, but it’s nice to give them a head start in order to achieve super-soft Southern-style green beans in the end.

I’m using frozen cut green beans here, because I find that they offer a really delicious, fresh taste without the time-consuming task of trimming fresh green beans. You can certainly use fresh green beans or even canned green beans in this recipe as well.

To cook the green beans, place them in a microwave-safe dish with a couple tablespoons of water. Cover and steam in the microwave for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Spread the green beans in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

While the green beans are in the microwave, cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet just until it’s done (but not too crispy). Then sprinkle the bacon on top of the green beans.

Next, in a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, soy sauce and garlic powder.

Finally, pour the sauce over the green beans and bake the dish in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

What to serve with Green Beans with Bacon:

You can pair this green bean recipe with just about any entrée. Here are a few easy options that go really well with the side dish:

• Cornflake Chicken
• Crock Pot Ranch Pork Chops
• Honey Mustard Chicken
• Pineapple Glazed Ham
• Sloppy Joe Casserole
• Ham Casserole
• Breaded Pork Chops
• Southern Glazed Salmon
• Shrimp and Grits
• Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Preparation and Storage Tips:

• You can assemble the green beans and bacon up to 24 hours in advance. Cover the dish and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Before baking, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Leftover baked green beans will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• The leftover baked green beans can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months. Be aware that when thawed, the dish will be more watery and the texture of the green beans will be more mushy.
• To reheat the green beans and bacon: Loosely cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree F oven just until heated through (about 15-20 minutes).

Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:

• You can substitute with 3 (15 ounce) cans of green beans, drained. There’s no need to cook the canned green beans before placing them in the dish.
• If you prefer to use fresh green beans, you will need about 7 cups of fresh cut green beans. Trim and cut the green beans, and then steam them or boil them until tender. Place the cooked green beans in the baking dish and proceed with the recipe instructions.
• Fry the bacon just until it’s done — but not crispy. The bacon will continue to cook in the oven and will become perfectly crispy in the end, but you don’t want it to burn.
• Make your green beans with bacon and onion. To do so, finely mince a small Vidalia onion and sauté in a skillet until tender. Toss the cooked onion with the cooked green beans in the dish, then proceed with the recipe instructions.
• Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake in a smaller (1 – 1 1/2-quart) baking dish.

More green bean recipes that you might enjoy:

• Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
• Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
• Green Bean Salad
• Three Bean Salad