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I’ve been making these Green Beans with Bacon, Onions, and Tomatoes for as long as I can remember. They’re a staple at every holiday dinner, but easy enough to make any night of the week. Big flavor, easy prep, and so dang good!
Trying to turn someone into a green bean lover? You’ve gotta try these.
The Actual Best Canned Green Beans Recipe
We’ve all heard the saying that bacon makes everything better and I can 100% confirm that is especially true when it comes to green beans.
People seem to hate on canned green beans, but our canned green beans uses the power of bacon (and onions and tomatoes) to make green beans that our Southern grandma would be proud of.
I flippin’ LOVE these savory, smoky, super seasoned green beans. Of course, I like to cook them down, down, down, basically until all of the nutritional value has evaporated out of them (sorry, they taste best that way) and you’re left with super tender green beans that have just completely bathed in and immersed themselves in the flavor of the bacon, onions, and tomatoes.
Not to be dramatic, but these are the green beans I would aspire to be if I was a new green bean plant. You know what I mean?
♥ What We Love About This Recipe:
- Comfort Food: Green beans with bacon is pure comfort food! The savory bacon flavor cooks right into the green beans and it makes an excellent side dish that’ll go well with just about anything.
- Holidays: This is one of our favorite side dishes to serve at holiday dinners! These are a stove top side, so you can save space for the turkey in the oven + they cook with minimal fuss. Just let ’em cook and leave ’em be.
- Flavor: By simmering the green beans in chicken broth with bacon, onions, and tomatoes, the beans soak up so much flavor. These are not your mama’s boring green beans!
Ingredient Notes:
Green Beans – We start with canned cut green beans. French style green beans aren’t a good choice for this one as they’ll get too mushy.
Bacon – We like a smoky, traditional style of bacon here. I’m an Oscar Mayer girl.
Onion – Dice up a yellow onion to add even more flavor.
Diced Tomatoes – This is a great way to use up that can of diced tomatoes. These are optional, but I really love the extra flavor and pop of brightness they add to the dish.
Chicken Broth – Rather than simmering our beans in water, we simmer them in chicken broth to ensure that the beans are flavored all the way through. Use water if that’s all you have and just season with a bit more salt.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
My Favorite Skillet!
Cast iron skillets are my favorite! They heat so evenly, get piping hot for searing, and nothing is better than bacon fried in a cast iron skillet.
Step by Step:
Chop the bacon and add it to a hot skillet to fry. Once the bacon is beginning to brown and the fat has rendered, add the onion to the skillet and continue cooking until the onions are nice and soft and browned a bit.
Add about a half cup of chicken broth to the hot skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. Scraping up those browned bits stuck to the bottom adds loads of flavor!
Add the green beans to the skillet, cover with the rest of the broth, and bring it all to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, adding additional broth as needed to keep the pan from going completely dry.
Season the green beans with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the tomatoes. Keep cooking for another 15 minutes or so, until the tomatoes are hot and the beans are as tender as you’d like.
Helpful Tip!
Storage Instructions:
You can keep any leftovers stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 3 to 4 days! These make great leftovers and are quick and easy to reheat and remain just as tasty.
Serving Suggestions:
This canned green beans recipe is always a hit at holiday dinners, but it’s so simple and easy enough to make any night of the week.
Try this canned green beans recipe alongside some of our favorite main dishes:
- Crockpot Ham
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Smash Burgers
- Crockpot Ribs
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
- Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
Recipe FAQs:
Yes, you will want to at least brown the bacon and render some of the fat from it first. The bacon will finish cooking through with the green beans.
This recipe works great with fresh green beans, though you’ll want to cook them a bit longer to get them as tender as canned green beans. You will also likely need a bit more chicken broth. Cooking these low and slow is key!
More Favorite Side Dishes!
Green Beans with Bacon, Onions, and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth divided
- 56 ounces canned green beans drained
- 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes drained
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a large, hot skillet over medium heat. Fry until just starting to brown. Do not drain the grease.
- Stir in the onions and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the onions become translucent and begin to soften.
- Pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan, releasing any browned bits from the pan.
- Add the green beans and remaining 2 cups of chicken broth to the pan. Season lightly with a small pinch of salt.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes, stirring in water or additional chicken broth as needed to keep the pan from getting completely dry.
- Stir in the canned tomatoes and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beans are very tender and nearly fallling apart.
- Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in 2012. It was updated with new photos in October 2024.
Becky Turner says
Crock Pot looks like a great way to go with these beans.
Kathy H says
This looks yummy but I think your carb count is off by a bit. 138 g of carbs & 1357 calories. I’m going to make it anyway & if it really is that many carbs I guess I am in trouble! 🙂
Karly says
Oh goodness – the nutrition is automatically calculated when I plug in the recipe…let’s hope it went a little crazy. Haha!
Jolene king says
My grandmother used to make this when I was a kid then I made it for my family. That is the only way my son will eat green beans. He is 35 now.
Barbara Wilson says
My son will not eat a tomato so instead of tomato, put in about a cup of Craisins and just before you serve put in about 1/2 cup of sliced or slivered almonds.
My grandma used to make green beans with pork chops in the pressure cooker. To die for.
Toni says
Leave out the tomatoes and use red bell peppers…….so much better with fresh green beans also
Cara says
Hi. Could I make this w/o the tomatoes? If so, do I need to make any changes? Thank you.
what katie's baking says
green beans just aren’t good without bacon and bacon grease. i’ve never had them with tomatoes though! yummm
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
What a great way to prepare green beans! Love your recipe, Karly.
Joanne says
At least you’re eating your green (beans)! Warms my heart. 😛
Julie Dellemonache says
I love green beans!!! This sounds yummy minus the tomatoes 🙂 i grew up with fresh green beans boiled until just right, drain water and make a white sauce, pour over beans and eat. I bet fried bacon thrown in with the white sauce would be yummy too!!!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
The addition of bacon totally makes me want to eat my veggies 🙂
Deborah says
Tomatoes or no tomatoes, I think they sound delicious!
DessertForTwo says
Green beans cooked in a cast iron skillet with bacon is one of my death-bed foods! I don’t do tomatoes because they react with the cast iron, but you could use enameled cast iron.