Every spring when the green beans start looking really fresh at our little grocery store, my sister calls to ask if I’m making this dish again. It’s a simple, low-carb side that tastes like something you’d get at a cozy diner: bright, tender green beans tossed with smoky bacon and sweet, softened onions, all glistening in savory bacon drippings. With just four ingredients and one pan, it’s the kind of recipe you can throw together on a busy weeknight or quietly prep before a family get-together, then slide into a foil-lined tray for easy serving and cleanup.
These bacon green beans are wonderful next to roasted or grilled meats like chicken, pork chops, or steak, and they fit right into a low-carb plate with a simple salad or cauliflower mash. For a holiday spread, I like to tuck the foil-lined tray beside the ham or turkey, since the smoky flavor plays nicely with just about any main dish. They also reheat well, so don’t be shy about making them ahead and warming them in the oven while the rest of dinner comes together.
Low Carb 4-Ingredient Bacon Green Beans
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, chopped into small pieces
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
Directions
Line a medium serving tray or shallow baking dish with aluminum foil and set aside. This will make it easy to transfer and serve the beans later, and the foil will catch all the flavorful bacon drippings.
Rinse the green beans, trim the stem ends, and pat them dry with a clean towel. Set aside so they’re ready to go when the bacon is done.
Place the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and dark red and has rendered plenty of fat, about 8–10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy bacon pieces to a plate, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet.
Add the chopped onion directly into the hot bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is soft, translucent, and lightly golden around the edges, about 5–7 minutes.
Add the trimmed green beans to the skillet with the onions. Sprinkle with the kosher salt. Toss everything together so the beans are well coated in the bacon fat and mixed with the softened onions.
Cover the skillet with a lid (or a sheet of foil if you don’t have a lid) and cook over medium to medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes, until the green beans are tender but still bright green, about 10–15 minutes. If the pan looks too dry at any point, add 1–2 tablespoons of water and quickly cover again to create a little steam.
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