Old Fashioned Green Beans with Bacon and Onion – Green Beans Like Grandma Used to Make

Old Fashioned Green Beans are a type of Southern style green beans similar to the way your grandma used to make them. They are bacon and onion green beans, which means they taste amazing.

Old Fashioned Green Beans with Bacon and Onion is the perfect garden recipe. These green beans like Grandma used to make will take you straight back to your childhood. Adding new potatoes to this recipe is recommended, but optional.

Old Fashioned Green Beans with Bacon and Onion

When I eat green beans from the garden, I want  expect them to taste just the way Grandma (and Mom) made them. I want green beans with bacon and onions and loads of flavor. (Thanks Mom for collaborating to put this old, faithful recipe into writing.)

The process of making garden green beans on the stovetop takes patience, but it’s totally worth it. You have to be willing to let the green beans cook down and absorb all the delicious flavors of diced onion and bacon while they simmer.

I prefer my garden green beans to be very tender; however, you can stop the cooking process whenever the green beans are to your desired consistency.

Green Beans Like Grandma Used to Make

My Grandma had a secret ingredient for making green beans from the garden.

She always put in a cube or two of chicken bouillon in the pot with the green beans. Chicken bouillon adds depth of flavor without it there’s just something missing. It won’t taste like Grandma’s Green Beans.

Back when she was alive, the product Better than Bouillon wasn’t around yet, but I know she would have loved it and probably would have used it often in her dishes.

That’s why, I’ve tweaked Grandma’s Old Fashioned Green Beans with just one simple substitution.

Instead of using regular chicken bouillon cubes, I use Better than Chicken Bouillon instead. If you can’t find that product or you just have chicken bouillon on hand, that’s ok too. Just go ahead and use the regular chicken bouillon. It always worked for Grandma.

Ingredient List for Grandma’s Green Beans

• Bacon, chopped
• Onion, chopped
• Fresh Green Beans
• Baby Potatoes (optional)
• Water
• Chicken Base (or chicken bouillon)
• Salt
• Black Pepper

Green Beans with New Potatoes

Adding new potatoes to garden green beans is very traditional around these parts. I love those cute little potatoes; they also absorb all the tasty flavors or bacon and onions during cooking.

I even sometimes smash them with a little butter if I’m feeling extra because butter does make everything better. As much as I like the new potatoes, sometimes I leave them out. You can do the same, if desired.

How to Make Green Beans Like Grandma Made

Step By Step Instructions

1. Prep fresh green beans by washing, snapping away the ends to discard and breaking into bite-sized pieces. Wash and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan or large Dutch oven, add chopped bacon and begin to heat over medium-low heat to let the fat start to render out.
3. Once the bottom of the pan is lined with bacon grease, add chopped onion and cook over medium low heat until softened but not brown. Stir often.
4. Add prepared green beans, new potatoes, Better than Chicken Bouillon, salt and pepper. Cover with water until the beans are just barely covered.
5. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the beans are to your desired texture. This can take up to an hour. If the beans start to get dry, add a little more water. Do not let the beans burn.
6. Serve with a slotted spoon next to your favorite entrée.

Storage Instructions

Let leftovers cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Warm up in the microwave or on the stove.

For the full ingredient amounts and recipe steps for old fashioned green beans with bacon and onions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Recipe FAQs

• Start with fresh green beans.
• Add more bacon, if desired. I really like to use thick-cut bacon.
• Substitute 2 cubes of chicken bouillon or 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon for the Better than Chicken Bouillon, if needed. Chicken broth could also be used instead of water.
• New potatoes can be omitted, if desired.
• If you have a ham bone or ham hock, add it for more flavor.
• Southern green beans are done when they are cooked to your desired texture. My family likes them on the softer side, but you can eat them more firm, if desired.
• Check out our Amazon Store!

Green Bean Recipes

Crock Pot French Style Green Beans 

Pennsylvania Dutch Green Beans

Green Beans and Ground Beef

Crock Pot Green Beans

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Italian Green Bean Salad

Favorite Recipes using Garden Vegetables

Summer is hands down our favorite time to cook with vegetables as we have so many available to us through our garden, farmers markets and grocery store. Here are some of our favorite recipes featuring vegetables from the garden.

• Kentucky Southern Squash Casserole
• Mom’s Perfect Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
• Eggplant Casserole
• Pickled Beets
• Mom’s Cucumber and Onions
• Grilled Marinated Vegetables